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A Brief History of NFL Cheerleaders

2008-06-28T11:52:00.001-07:00

The history of NFL cheerleaders goes back to the 1960s when the Baltimore Colts (now the Indianapolis Colts) had formed their very own cheerleading squad. It was the first team to have an official cheerleading squad out of all the other NFL teams. A few other teams decided to have their own cheerleaders as well. NFL cheerleading was nothing like it is today but when the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders came around in their revealing outfits and dance routines, cheerleading became incredibly popular in sports entertainment.

The manager of the Dallas Cowboys knew that women could have an important role in promoting their team and their public image. He first tried to put some models out on the field for the audience. The models couldn't survive the heat during the games and turned out to be a failure in terms of entertaining the sports fans. Determined to make his idea work, the Dallas Cowboys manager thought of a brand new concept at the time. This concept was to bring athletic dancers to perform choreographed routines on the sidelines. He held auditions where women were selected for their dance skills, looks, and style. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders were formed and the squad took to the field their custom-made uniforms and dance routines. The sports fans loved this and the NFL cheerleaders skyrocketed with popularity at Super Bowl X where America's millions of people sitting at home saw a glimpse of these newborn stars on television.

With their complex dance routines and pretty looks, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders created the new image of NFL cheerleaders. More NFL teams decided to take on a cheerleading squad of their own in order to increase their team's exposure to the public and media. The latest NFL cheerleading squad to be formed was the "New York Flight Crew" (formed in 2007) who cheer for the New York Jets. With this spurt in popularity, the cheerleaders made guest appearances on television shows, paid events, charity events, and also overseas performances for the US military troops. The NFL cheerleaders contributed greatly to the public image of the NFL greatly as the media began to recognize their presence.

NFL cheerleaders were no longer just dancers on the field but also participated off the field to heighten the public image of the NFL teams. Though the stereotype of cheerleaders is that of a simple-minded, dancing girl, bear in mind that they are actually contributors to the community as well as sophisticated entertainers in the field of sports entertainment.
David Court has written various articles on the issue of NFL cheerleaders. To find out more, visit his website NFL Cheerleaders Blog

The Best Ways to Purchase Nfl Tickets

2008-06-28T11:51:00.001-07:00

The largest American football league – the National Football League (NFL) – consists of 32 teams from all over the United States. It is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America – the others being the Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Hockey League (NHL).

The NFL is divided into two conferences – the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC), which are further divided into four divisions each, each division consisting of four teams. Each of these divisions is designated as East West, North, and South.

American football, played under NFL, descended from Rugby football played in England, and reached the United States via Canada in 1874. Professional football dates back to 1892 when William ‘Pudge’ Heffelfinger was paid $500 by the Allegheny Athletic Association to take part in a game, on November 12, against Pittsburgh Athletic Club. This makes him the first professional player on record. Professional football spread over the next few decades.

The American Professional Football Association, the predecessor of the NFL, was founded in 1920, and changed to its current name in 1922.

The NFL Season

Prior to the regular season, which is generally from September to December, or early January, the NFL season features a four game preseason, or exhibition season, running from early August to early September. This is followed by a 16 game 17-week regular season. Following the regular season, starting in January, six teams each from the AFL and the NFL play a single elimination tournament – the NFL playoffs.

The playoffs end with the Super Bowl – the NFL Championship. The top team from each of the two leagues – the AFL and the NFL – plays in the Super Bowl. The day incidentally is considered an unofficial American national holiday! The Super Bowl was usually played the Sunday following the playoffs, but of late, it has been held on the first Sunday of February, every year.

The Super Bowl is the most watched sport on American television, with companies spending millions on commercials. The game is held for the Sunday night prime time audience on the East Coast. The winner of the Super Bowl in February is crowned the champion of the previous year. The Indianapolis Colts - who won the Super Bowl XLI in February 2007, are the champions of the 2006 season.

Football Tickets

The games of the NFL being so popular with a large fan following, the NFL tickets are hot property. Whether you are looking to purchase the NFL tickets for the pre-season, regular season, or for the playoffs, they are not easy to lay your hands on.

NFL tickets for the Super Bowl would be a near impossibility – so much is the interest it generates. NFL tickets for most of the games are sold out the moment they come on sale.

Legitimate ticket brokers have the wherewithal to arrange your NFL tickets for you. As a word of caution: you should buy your NFL tickets from legitimate ticket brokers that are members of the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB) who ensure you tickets of your choice.
Al is the webmaster of Sportstickets411.com a NFL Tickets information site for sports entertainment with event and venue history as well as NFL tickets links

Myths of NFL Cheerleaders Unravelled

2008-06-28T11:50:00.001-07:00

So there's tons of cheerleaders out there dancing on the field and we never bother to get to know them. All we do is just stare at them dancing, think 'oh they dance good, look good, typical cheerleaders' and move on without a thought as to what really goes behind the scenes of an NFL cheerleader. Well, I am here to tell you that there is a lot more than meets the eye. All those movies you saw like "Bring it On" and those television shows that showed a bunch of drama queens as cheerleaders have got it all wrong.

Myth #1 - It's easy being an NFL cheerleader.

Um. No. There is no way that it is easy being a cheerleader. So much goes into the auditions, that you're lucky to even make it into the squad in the first place. Hundreds of girls try out and you have to be in the top 3% to make it in the squad, no kidding. They all dance good, look good, are energetic, enthusiastic, and have a great personality on top of all that. After they get into the squad, it takes hours of practice almost every day in order to get the NFL dancing routines down. It gets worse when they have to dance in the freezing cold, especially in the northern States (which some NFL teams use as an excuse for not having a cheerleading team and yes not every NFL team has a cheerleading squad). Outside of the dances, they also have to show up for charity events, make guest appearances, do photo shoots, and sometimes even travel overseas to entertain our very own US military troops to keep their morale high. Whoever said being a cheerleader was easy obviously hasn't seen one at work.

Myth: NFL Cheerleaders get to meet football stars and date them

Absolutely not. NFL Cheerleaders are not allowed to "fraternize" with the players. That means no flirting, no personal relationships, no personal "friendships", or anything that might imply a relationship outside of the professional realm of the NFL. Yes, they can interact a little bit at charity events and guest appearances but typically, you'd have better luck getting to know the football stars as a janitor cleaning their locker rooms or being some sort of groupie. Cheerleaders going out with the likes of Tom Brady and Randy Moss? Forget about it.

Myth: NFL Cheerleaders rack in the fame and fortune

How much do cheerleaders get paid in the NFL? The answer to that question is $15 to $50 a game. Heck, there are times when they don't get paid at all. They have to show up at guest appearance, photo shoots, overseas performances for US troops and all of that is most likely unpaid. Don't feel too bad for them. Some of them get out of cheerleading and find that a bunch of opportunities await them because of their NFL cheerleading elite status. Teri Hatcher from Desperate Housewives was a San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleader once and look where she is now. Making $285,000 an episode and multiply that by 10+ episodes per season. Now who wants to be an NFL cheerleader?

Myth: NFL Cheerleaders are stupid and act like valley girls

Yes, NFL cheerleaders are hot but who said you can't combine beauty with brains? People tend to associate cheerleaders with light-headed valley girls who enjoy going shopping and being the drama queens. Well these cheerleaders aren't in high school anymore for one thing. Another thing is that these cheerleaders need to be mature and intelligent so that they can answer to the media. After all, they are an important aspect of the team's public image.

NFL cheerleaders deserve a better reputation. Sure there are a few black sheep out there but in general, the NFL cheerleaders are good girls who do their best to perform for us. The least we could do is show our appreciation. Don't forget they also contribute to the community in various charity events so they do help out on a local and national level. Let's show our support for them and give them the credit they deserve.
David Court has written various articles on the issue of NFL cheerleaders. To find out more, visit his website NFL Cheerleaders Blog

NFL Merchandise For The Upcoming Season

2008-06-28T11:49:00.001-07:00

The upcoming NFL season is sure to inspire pro football fans and inspire NFL Merchandise manufacturers to create some colorful, new and fun NFL fanwear. If you're an NFL fan, you've no doubt seen fan wear including banners, hats and masks at your NFL stadium's fanwear merchandise store. You may have even purchased some of it. Serious fans pass by the junk however to get the fanwear everyone notices. Why because the cheap unofficial gear falls apart and just looks bad. Authenticity is important to football fans.

Dedication by fans to their local National League Football teams is an interesting cultural phenomenon that isn't even rivaled by European soccer fanatics. The fact that their on-field heroes are adorned in uniforms with helmets emblazoned with team logos might have something to do with NFL fan's insatiable demand for NFL fan merchandise. Another reason is that people want to have an event, even a party event to go to on the weekend. Sunday is normally a pretty quiet, uneventful day and that just doesn't suit many sports fans. A Sunday afternoon is the perfect time for friends to gather and root for their home team.

Millions of fanatics and US football fans watch their favorite teams play every Sunday afternoon. It brings people to local bars and to parent's homes. It's the perfect excuse for socializing. The social part of NFL game watching is a big part of it too.

If you're not that much of a fan and you're wondering if anyone buys all the hats, wigs, sponge fingers, and jerseys, you should know that NFL fan merchandise is very popular. Fans fill their recreation rooms with footballs, bobblehead dolls, game masks, wigs, banners, mugs and posters. And kids love this stuff for their bedrooms.

Few kids will sit through a 3-hour football telecast, but when Dads and their kids can share something for a short time, that shared spirit brings them together. The fact they're rooting for the same team makes them feel closer. Kids learn something about the spirit of a community and the sharing of common hopes. In a world of war and televised mayhem and tragedy, kids can be more concerned about someone completing a pass and making a touchdown. Whether for glory or not, kids get to aspire to something beyond themselves and their daily routine.

NFL merchandises such as game masks and hats represent their belief in a common dream. It might be winning, or it could be just improving, but we can all relate to it. That's why Sunday afternoon football is hard to ignore and why some football fanatics can't get enough of it.

For kids and teens, an official logo'd item of NFL merchandise is still a status item. Of course, when it's worn to an NFL game, it's a demonstration of the home team spirit. Win or lose, these fans love their team and all it represents. When you get down to it, the NFL team simply represents the city or community. Or it might go beyond that. If you're wearing a Dallas Cowboy hat or fan face, it might represent the spirit of America or perhaps that the Cowboys are a successful team. Fans still cheer for the underdogs but you'll see more hats, wigs and masks with the NFL's top teams. Some cities have fans that are a cut above the rest. New York Jets fans for instance show very strong loyalty to their team even though they don't win the Superbowl or play in it. That shows you there is something beyond winning that makes these fans so spirited. When it comes to NFL culture, you're going to see some real dedication to the football experience in New York. In the mid west, you'll also see strong support for the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.

So, what if you're a fan and you want to show a little more spirited support for the local team? There are some great online retail stores that offer a good selection of authentic logo NFL merchandise.

NFL merchandise can be divided into two categories: wearables and non-wearables. A wearable piece of merchandise would include a hat, mask, wig or jersey. A non-wearable would be a mug, cup, bobblehead dolls, football, or window shade for a car window.

Some of the best wearable items are the fan masks. These are made of a soft pliable rubber and there's a headband to keep it on securely. Fan wigs are perhaps the most zany. Here, you've got an item that might keep your head warmer than without. Fan face rally caps are another item that fuses a rally cap baseball hat with a colorful mask. They have a fleece headband that has crazy team-colored hair attached to it and each has an officially licensed embroidered team name and logo.

For kids, you can get a youth football outfit. They come complete with a plastic helmet, padded shoulder pads, a football jersey and pants. These youth football outfit kits come with iron numbers so your child can pretend he's his favorite player on the NFL team. Kids love these outfits. They can wear them as pajamas or even as Kids Halloween costumes.

This season, don't sit on the sidelines when the game is on. Get into the spirit of the 2006 football season and get your official logo NFL merchandise. Whether for display or for wearing, they'll lift the spirit of your football party or at the game.
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All About NFL Merchandise Jerseys

2008-06-28T11:48:00.001-07:00

Millions of young football fans cherish the idea of wearing the NFL clothing representing their favorite National Football League team. What keeps many from that dream is the price. Some NFL merchandise is pricey, particularly good quality jerseys. Many are being sold for hundreds of dollars, and the higher the quality, or rarer the item, the higher the price. Of course, there are cheap knockoffs of authentic NFL merchandise, however most young football fans will tell you quickly that these simply aren't what they want. They want clothing that looks good, and something close to a real NFL jersey. The NFL brand carries a lot of weight with them.

Of course some NFL jerseys sold in retail outlets or online aren't the real thing. If you've seen a real NFL jersey hanging on a wall in a football pub, you know how huge they are. Two people can fit comfortably into them. The jerseys were design for large men wearing even larger shoulder pads. Only the quarterbacks and kickers have shoulder pads that are comparatively smaller than the well padded ones that linebackers wear.

For small children however, a real NFL jersey is too heavy with designs that are too detailed for the child to appreciate. Kids like it simple and comfortable and they won't appreciate an authentic NFL jersey so there's no point in wasting money on it. A kids jersey needs to be made of a softer material with stitching that won't cause itching and chafing. You can buy authentic NFL kids clothing online at an NFL shop. Many people buying sports jerseys or receiving them as Christmas gifts discover that they're perhaps made for pickup football at the local park and not as casual wear.

Many NFL jerseys are purchased as collector's items. An authentic team jersey signed by a well known National Football League star can fetch a good price at auction. Most recently, throw back jerseys have become popular. These have the designs, colors and team logos from year's long past. You may even have throwback jerseys signed by former popular players like John Riggins, Jim Marshall, Dwight Clarke, Terry Bradshaw, Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Ken Stabler, Fran Tarkenton, and even coaches such as Mike Ditka.

NFL Merchandise is a very popular Christmas gift item. Sports fans appreciate these collectibles, particularly those that are unique. Sports Bars often lacking in decor ideas, are perfect locations for framed football jerseys. Nothing makes a better statement for your sports bar than the appearance of a signed NFL jersey up on the wall. You might want to have a jersey handy and ask a pro player to pay your bar a visit. Have them sign the Jersey. Then you've got a collectible that can impress your football fan patrons.

Baseball Caps for Football Fans

Another in-demand type of NFL merchandise is baseball caps with the various team NFL logos on them. It's probably the least expensive way to adorn yourself with an NFL branded logo. Some merchandise manufacturers make NFL caps that have a rubber fan face built into it. Besides being a fun way to show you're fan fanatic, it might help keep you warm on cold game days in these coming months.

For the rabid NFL or college football fan, an impressive Christmas gift is a headwig, or rubber fan face for wearing at parties or the game. And the price of this fanwear is great. For less than twenty dollars, you have some authentic NFL merchandise with the fan's favorite colors and logo on it. Other items carried at an NFL shop are oversized inflatable footballs. These are a lot of fun for backyard play and take a lot of the seriousness out of the game. You can never have too much fun. For your car, you might want to block the Sun's UV rays from your kids in the backseat. It doesn't hurt to have a Steelers logo, or Jets logo, or Raider's logo on it as well. Show your team pride.

The most popular teams for fan merchandise aren't always what you'd expect. Fans in certain cities are very loyalty and spirited and they are more likely to get into the culture of football and adorn themselves with NFL branded clothing. Some of the more highly sought team merchandise is that of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Merchandise sales for the Steelers rose strongly after their recent win at the Superbowl.

Other teams that sell a lot of NFL merchandise are the Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers. To find an NFL teams merchandise check online via Google or Yahoo. You'll find Chicago Bears Merchandise available at NFL.com or via the Bears official web site, and there are other NFL shops that offer official Chicago Bears merchandise. From collectibles to wearables, there are plenty of gift ideas for Christmas 2006. Stats show that fan interest in NFL football has continued to climb. Attendance at actual NFL games has risen and more games are shown on TV. That means fan-related items such as caps, fan faces, and headwigs are going to be present at all the games. Share the spirit this year with a visit to an NFL shop online.
nfluniformset.com's selection of NFL merchandise and youth NFL uniform sets is tremendous. We are the place to buy Kids Halloween Costumes.

Tips and Tricks to Buying Nfl Jerseys

2008-06-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

So you're an NFL fan and you love NFL jerseys. Perhaps you're looking for a great NFL jersey for yourself, maybe you'd like to buy a great looking jersey for a gift. But there's a few things you need to know before you ruch out to buy your first NFL jersey.

There is a wide range of prices for NFL jerseys, and it pays to know how, why and where the prices vary, what you want to buy and where you should get it at the cheapest price. If you're looking for a cheap NFL Jersey you need to know a few things.

There are a number of different types of NFL jerseys. Authentic NFL jerseys are generally the most expensive and can be the most sought after, but will be of good quality.

An authentic NFL jersey should be as good quality as you would find in the jerseys worn by the NFL players themselves. They are a heavyweight fabric and have all the graphics sewn on, including the numbers, and should last for years. You can also get authentic customized NFL jerseys. You select the name and number of the NFL player you want on the jersey and this is custom ordered for you exactly how you want it. This can take some time because obviously it has to be made one off specially for you but it means that you get exactly the right NFL jersey for you. This is a great way to order your jersey but not cheap.

If you can't afford an authentic NFL jersey you can go one step down and order a premier NFL jersey. These are cheaper than the authentic NFL jerseys which is great, but are not of the same quality that you get with the authentic jersey. A premier jersey is made of lighter material and is usually nylon/polyester. It as sewn on numbers and names but doesn't have the same quality of material as an authentic jersey. It should look just as good as an authentic jersey, but is made cheaper. A good option if you want an authentic jersey but just can't afford it.

And cheaper again is a replica NFL jersey. These jerseys are made from thinner fabrics so won't last as well as the more expensive authentic jerseys, but are much cheaper. The graphics and numbers are not sewn on but are screen printed instead, a cheaper process.

A good authentic NFL jersey isn't cheap, but there are ways to get cheap authentic NFL jerseys if you know where to look online. However you can pay up to $300 in some offline stores, so if the cost of buying an authentic NFL jersey is a problem for you then you need to spend a little time online. There are always better options when it comes to buying NFL products online, and if you know where to look you'll pick up a great authentic NFL jersey online at a price that might rival a cheap replica jersey in an offline store.

Happy searching and enjoy your NFL jersey when you get it. Be proud of it.
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2008 Pittsburgh Steelers Outlook

2008-06-16T12:58:00.001-07:00

After the legend of the 1972 Miami Dolphins dwindled away, the most dominant team of the 1970s was the Pittsburgh Steelers. They won four Super Bowl championships during this time, and then continued to divisional titles throughout the 80s and 90s. Just when you thought the Steelers were a team of the past, they made history by winning Super Bowl XL in 2005, joining the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers as the only teams to win five Super Bowls. You cannot count the Pittsburgh Steelers out in 2008, as the team plays its 76th season, and defends the AFC North divisional title. Their win-loss record from 2007 is not half bad, at 10-6, though of course it could use some improvement. Industry experts state that the Pittsburgh Steelers have the most difficult schedule in all of the NFL, and yet still have the potential to be a Super Bowl contender.

The Steelers have received considerable attention for drafting the first running back in the first-round of the draft, a move not seen since 1989. Some experts believe this signifies the team exploring the option of using the "pony backfield" for an offensive plan. The team's head coach will continue to be Mike Tomlin, who at 36 is the second-youngest head coach in the NFL and in any other of the four major North American sports leagues. He is also the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history and first in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Some news-making signings and releases include the loss of lineman Alan Faneca, as he signed with the New York Jets, as well as the releases of Allen Rossum, Jerame Tuman, and Clint Kriewaldt in February. The team also lost the talents of Dan Kreider, Brian St. Pierre, Verron Haynes and Clark Haggans to free agency. Any good news to come out of the Steelers' locker room? The team did manage to renew some of the most important contracts, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who signed for an eight-year $102 million contract, the largest in the franchise's history. The Steelers also re-signed Max Starks, Chris Kemoeatu, Nate Washington, Keyaron Fox and Trai Essex.

The 2008 draft also yielded some interesting results as the team acquired the talents of running back Rashard Mendenhall, wide receiver Limas Sweed, linebacker Bruce Davis, offensive tackle Tony Hills, quarterback Dennis Dixon, linebacker Mike Humpal and Ryan safety Ryan Mundy. What is the strategy behind the Steelers game in 2008? As coach Tomlin stated, the team is trying to choose skilled offensive "weapons" instead of a strong offensive line.

How successful will the team be in 2008? The future is unpredictable, but NFL fans seem to have a positive outlook for the Steelers. ESPN Magazine conducted an annual survey called the "Ultimate Standings: Fan Satisfaction Rankings", which ranked the Steelers as the 25th best major league sports franchise out of 122 teams from all professional sports leagues, including Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League. The team also scored the number #6 position on all NFL teams. The Pittsburgh Steelers cannot be underestimated in 2008 as these former Super Bowl champions have the potential to "steal" any team's victory in the league regardless of their momentum.

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2008 Houston Texans Outlook

2008-06-14T07:43:00.000-07:00

Interested in that other Texas football team? Why not, especially if you live down south of the DFW metroplex and want to root for someone closer to home. The Houston Texans are members of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference and are a relatively new team, first being launched in 2002. While the team's win-loss record leaves much to be desired, Houston fans still hold loyalty for the team, as the original Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee (and became the Tennessee Titans) while the original Dallas Texans became the Baltimore Colts and later the Indianapolis Colts. True Texans still love to show their support to a "truly Texan" team, which fights alongside the Cowboys to represent the Lone Star State. In 2007 the Texans' 6th season was underwhelming, as the team settled on a final 8-8 score. However, it should be noted that this was the first year that the team achieved a non-losing season in the franchise's short history.
What's in store for Houston fans in the coming season? First consider the team's changes in management. The team is continuing to follow head coach Gary Kubiak, who returns for the third year, and will add Alex Gibbs as the assistant head coach. He will replace Mike Sherman, who left to become head coach over at Texas A&M. Meanwhile, Kyle Shanahan will take over the job of offensive coordinator. Owner Bob McNair and General Manager Rick Smith are betting that the status quo will continue to improve, as the Texans are a relatively new team and on the upswing as regards total victories.
The team had some notable additions in preparation of the upcoming season, including linebacker Kevin Bentley, running back Chris Brown, quarter back Quinn Gray, cornerback Jacques Reeves, line backer Chaun Thompson, center Chris Myers and safety Nick Ferguson. However, the team also lost a few key talents such as Charlie Anderson, Michael Boulware, Danny Clark, Von Hutchins, Jerome Mathis, Jeb Putzier, Mike Flanagan, Steve McKinney and Shawn Barber.
How about the draft picks of the season? The Houston Texans had seven selections in the draft; they traded their second round selection to the Atlanta Falcons to land quarterback Matt Schaub (who later replaced David Carr), and then gave their sixth-round pick to the Denver Broncos for center Chris Myers. Other notable draft signings included offensive tackle Duane Brown from Virginia Tech, cornerback Antwaun Molden from Western Kentucky, running back Steve Slaton from West Virginia, linebacker Xavier Adibi from Virginia Tech, defensive tackle Frank Okam from Texas, safety Dominique Barber from Minnesota and quarterback Alex Brink from Washington State.
Fans remain enthusiastic about the Texans' chances for the upcoming season, particularly since they have tried to build up important positions such as cornerback, running back, offensive tackle and strong safety. The team's first preseason game will be against the Denver Broncos, while the first regular season opponents will be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Say what you will about the Texans, they are a very tough team considering their challenging schedule and the fact that they keep improving their scores year by year.

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2008 Miami Dolphins Outlook

2008-06-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Miami Dolphins of 1972 was, statistically speaking, the greatest team in the history of professional football. The Dolphins not only won the Super Bowl, but also won 14 regular season games and two play offs for a 17-0 score. Since then the Dolphins have played unevenly and actually played one of their worst seasons of all time in 2007, ending with a 1-15 win loss record. The Miami Dolphins hope to make their 43rd season the most successful season yet-or at least something closer to the glorious 1972 season than the last several seasons have been.
A 1-15 win-loss record is enough reason to shake management up. H. Wayne Huizenga and Stephen M. Ross, the co-owners of the team, have decided to make some necessary major changes by naming two time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Parcells the executive vice president of the Miami Dolphins football operations. Parcells has already fired GM Randy Mueller and head coach Malcolm "Cam" Cameron. Cam Cameron led the Dolphins to lose 13 consecutive games in a row before the team finally beat the Baltimore Ravens for their first and only victory. (Yes, it must suck to be the Baltimore Ravens, which explains why they immediately hired Cam Cameron as an Offensive Coordinator upon his release from the Dolphins) There is also a new General Manager in Jeff Ireland and a new Head Coach in Tony Sparano. (That's Sparano, not Tony Soprano!) The only coaches that have remained with the team are assistant special teams coach Steve Hoffman and linebackers coach George Edwards
Any major changes in players that might affect the outcome of the new season? In February, quarterback Trent Green, wide receiver Marty Booker, offensive tackle L. J. Shelton and defensive tackle Keith Traylor were all released from their contracts. The team also waived offensive tackles Anthony Alabi, Marion Dukes, guard Marquay Love, offensive lineman Joe Toledo, defensive tackle Anthony Bryant and linebacker Zach Thomas. For a time it appeared as if things were settled until it was announced in April that nine more players were released including Casey Bramlet, Marcello Church, Tuff Harris, Jereme Perry, Kerry Reed, Mark Washington, Chandler Williams, Cameron Worrell. Matt Baker and tackle Steve Fifita. However, there were more dolphins that would be flushed out of the sea in May, with the waiving of Marcel Reece, Derreck Robinson, Abraham Wright and Aaron Lane. Lastly, Drew Mormino was waived after failing a physical, not to mention spending most of the season on injured reserve.
There was some exciting news in signings and draft picks, as Miami acquired defensive tackle Jason Ferguson, linebacker Akin Ayodele and tight end Anthony Fasano, all from the Dallas Cowboys. Tyvon Branch was traded from the Oakland Raiders while the team had many promising signings such as quarterback Matt Baker, offensive lineman Trey Darilek and linebacker Junior Glymph. Other notable signings include cornerback Joey Thomas, wide receiver David Kircus, wide receiver Ernest Wilford, quarterback Josh McCown, and guard Justin Smiley.
With multiple signings, including the exciting news of acquiring offensive tackle Jake Long in the draft, the Dolphins appear ready to compete once again. The Dolphins entered free agency $44 million under the $116 million dollar salary cap-either a sign of more efficient management or that of a slow rebuilding process, which doesn't bode well for 2008.

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Dan Marino NFL's Greatest All Time Quarterback

2008-06-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

Dan Marino one of NFL's greatest all time quarterbacks. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 15, 1961 Daniel Constantine Marino, Jr was born. Marino grew up in a blue collar neighborhood, with his parents and two sisters. He attended Pittsburgh's Central Catholic High School. Although an exceptional all around athlete Marino was drafted in 1978 to play baseball for the Kansas City Royals but decided to stay close to his home and attend the University Of Pittsburgh. While playing for the Pittsburgh Panthers Marino set career records for attempts and completions, yardage and touchdowns.

Dan was the Miami Dolphins number on pick in the NFL draft. In his first year with the Dolphins Marino threw 20 touchdown passes and won rookie of the year award. In his first year he became the first rookie quarterback to start in the Pro Bowl. Dan began shattering records for the Dolphins, although a superbowl ring was never accomplished Marino still holds many records for pass completion and many more.

In 1985 Dan married Claire and together they have 6 children. In 1987, Dan passed for over 3000 yards and 26 touchdowns. He is named to the Pro Bowl for the fifth straight season. Not only a great football player Dan's passion for Golf wins him the AT&T Pebble Beach National ProAm Championship along with golf pro Dan Pohl.

While suffering many injuries Dan's desire to win a Super Bowl ring was never accomplished but his accomplishments went far and beyond. Dan became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for over 60,000 career yards, over 8300 attempts and over 4000 completions. Marino finished his career with 49 Dolphin team records and 24 NFL regular season records. Dan Marino retires in early 2000 and leaves the NFL as a legend of the game.

Dan Marino is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 7. During his ceremony his eldest son Daniel gives an insightful introduction. Dan completes his last pass as a pro to retired Miami teammate Mark Clayton.

About the Author: Eddie Delgado is the owner and writer for http://www.VintageSportsCardMemorabilia.com VSCM is the ultimate NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL sports card and memorabilia site for serious collectors.

A Look Back Into The History of Authentic NFL Jerseys

2008-05-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

You've been at football games most of your life. You have jumped with joy every time your team makes that game winning touchdown. You went home with your head bowed down every time your team lost. Whether they win or lose, you still go to their next game excited and full of adrenaline. You do all this while wearing your favorite authentic NFL jerseys.
But how did football jerseys came to be? Do you have any idea about the history of authentic NFL jerseys?
According to the history of authentic NFL jerseys, the popularity of team uniforms surged sometime in the 1990's. However, reaching the height of what it is at present did not come that easy.
Although the National Football League started to gain ground during 1920, the idea of teams having uniform was not that prevalent then. Most teams not only varied their uniforms from season to season, they usually just bought them. Jerseys around this time was typically made of wool. Another thing that was unique during this period was the fact that football players did not have any helmets on. Why you ask? It is for the simple reason that the football league did not require players to do so at this time.
However, as the history of authentic NFL jerseys tells us, sometime in the period of 1930 to 1940, the league required players to wear helmets. One reason could be to protect the players from possible head injuries. The Chicago Bears' Dick Plasman was the last football player said to play without having a helmet on. Another development during this period was that teams were now placing numbers on the jerseys in order for the players to be easily identified.
Although the wearing of helmets was made compulsory during the 1930's, it was only during the period of 1940 to 1905 that football helmets had its special design. It is often said according to the history of authentic NFL jerseys, that a player belonging to the Los Angeles Rams for example, in the 1948 season, had the horns of a ram decorated into his headgear. During this period, teams also started experimenting with colors looking for the right combination.
History also tells us that during 1950, the National Football League experience a lot of changes. Teams were starting to realize that uniforms did not need to be so boring, so to speak. Most team opted for the plastic helmets replacing the leather helmets worn by the players.
When the American Football League was formed sometime in the period of 1960 to 1970, the increase in the number of teams paved the way for some remarkable uniform designs. Facemasks, which started sometime during the 50's, became the standard by the end of 1970. It was not until the 80's when the design used on uniforms were given a finality. One reason for this was likely due to the fact that there were no new teams during the 1980's.
As mentioned earlier, it was during the 90's that the popularity of jerseys experienced a surged. The sale of football jerseys was now one of the best merchandise. This period, the history of authentic NFL jerseys tells us, also experienced some changes in the design of team's uniforms largely because of some teams moving. The Rams for example, was now that St. Louis Rams. Some news teams were also introduced like the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Presently, the league now has a rule that allows a team to wear an alternate uniform for a maximum of three times per year.
So that's about it. So did you learn anything from the simple history of authentic NFL jerseys? Now you can go to games and wear you authentic football jerseys with more pride and more knowledge.
Article Authentic NFL Jerseys is written by Cassaundra Flores, owner of skyfireproducts.com

2008 Elite 11 Regional Quarterback Camps

2008-04-01T13:34:00.001-07:00

I am a former NFL quarterback and I want to talk about the EA Sports Elite 11 Quarterback Camp. I know from the emails I have received that there is a lot of interest in this top Quarterback Training Camp.
Now in its 10th year the Elite 11 invitation only Quarterback Camp is hands down the best QB Training Camp in America.
Some of the top High School Quarterbacks have attended this QB Camp, Jamarkus Russell, Troy Smith, Vince Young, Ben Rothlisberger, Ted Tebow, Matt Leinert, Carson Palmer to name a few.
The EA SPORTS 2008 Elite 11 Qurterback Regional Camps run for two hours. The first hour is station work, as quarterbacks rotate through different stations, with each station containing a useful drill to improve each player.
The second hour of the camp is throwing routes to wide receivers. The quarterbacks will begin with three-step drop throws (hitches, slants) and then progress through the passing tree with five and seven step drop throws.
Each EA SPORTS Elite 11 QB Regional Camp will also have a special accuracy competition this year.
After the completion of the camp the top quarterbacks from these regional qb camps the top eleven high juniors are selected to participate in a national quarterback camp held every year in California.
For more information on how to get into one of the regional Quarterback Camps send me an email and I can send you the exact times dates and locations.
If for some reason you are not invited to this QB Camp, you can buy the same drills taught at the camp at my website listed below.
If you have any questions or comments, please send me an email.
Todd Krueger is a former NFL Quarterback that was a 8th round draft pick in 1980 by the Buffalo Bills. He also played with the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Wranglers in the USFL.
He now runs a football coaching website at http://www.footballtools.com
And a quarterback training website at http://www.playqb.com
Find NFL Football Playbooks, Youth Football Practice DVDs, Quarterback Training DVDs, Football Scouting Software, Football Playbook Software, Free Quarterback Drills, Football Special Teams DVDs, Football Workout DVDs, Football Practice DVDs.

The No Fun League Is Here To Stay

2008-04-01T13:33:00.001-07:00

At the end of the month the NFL, formerly the National Football League, teams will be voting to as to whether or not they should officially change names to the "No Fun League."
The past few off-seasons the league has passed some really dumb rules to try to suck as much fun as they possibly can out of the game of football. Today that fun-squeezing seemed to continue when I heard that the league's teams will be voting on a ban of player's hair flowing out of their helmets because "the hair could cover their name" and is a uniform violation. Everyone knows that's not the real reason for their stupid new proposed rule, and I can't help but feel that the rule is directed towards a certain race, which is just wrong.
Roger Goodell - if you ever find this article than I want you to leave my site with this simple and very non-vulgar statement engraved in your mind: Quit your job, you fun-sucker-out-of-er.
What would players like Troy Polamalu, Marion Barber, and Al Harris be like without long hair? I'll tell you what, just boring old football players.
The picture above is of the famous Lambeau Leap, a precise art that is executed at home Green Bay Packer's football games by the receiver who catches a touchdown. Now look at that picture and tell me how that is hurting anyone: beer flying everywhere, a massive celebration, and that beautiful cheesy grin on Donald Driver's face.
The NFL acts like everything that has to do with the league is a matter of national security, but the reality is that football is supposed to be a form of entertainment for fans. Banning things like touchdown celebrations just take away an element of that entertainment value.
Most of what I submit to this website can be found at my blog http://sportsnationblog.blogspot.com Please feel free to go check it out and take a visit. I love feedback from my readers so if you want to tell me something then email me at sportsnationblog@gmail.com

The Top 10 Greatest Quarterbacks of All Time

2008-04-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

Everybody always loves to have this debate. Its an argument that will stand the test of time. Everytime someone new comes along the older quarterbacks will slowly be bumped off. Who knows what this list will look like 100 years from now? But without further ado, here is my list of the top10 quarterbacks of all time:
10) Terry Bradshaw - Might be most well known for being a commentator nowadays, but back in his playing days he just happen to have won 4 super bowls. The guy had an absolute cannon for an arm.
9) Steve Young - As gifted an athlete that has ever played the position. Always was in the shadow of Joe Montana. That quickly ended when he won his first Super Bowl.
8) Johnny Unitas - An icon of a foregone era. I believe the term "field general" was invented because of Unitas.
7) Fran Tarkenton -Sure, he never won the big one, but who cares? All you have to do is look at his stats. He was a quarterback who was way ahead of its time.
6) Joe Montana - Blessed to have an offensive genius for a coach, Montana led the 49ers as the team of the 80s and cemented his legacy with an incredible last minute drive to beat the Bengals in the Super Bowl.
5) Tom Brady - When this guy's career is over he might be number 1 on this list. He is almost exact replica of Joe Montana. He is part of an offensive system that was just made for him.
4) Peyton Manning - Not only is he an incredible quarterback, but he's also an amazing offensive coordinator. I don't think there has ever been a quarterback who understands the x's and o's of football better than Peyton Manning.
3) Brett Favre - Anybody who can play at that kind of level for that many consecutive games is nothing short of legendary. I'm a big fan of Cal Ripken but his ironman record pales in comparison to what Favre has done.
2) John Elway - No quarterback has ever played in more Super Bowls than John Elway. To put Elway's abilities in perspective, when he played the Broncos were always Super Bowl contenders. The moment he quit, the Broncos have become nothing but playoff hopefuls.
1) Dan Marino - Quite simply, the greatest pure passer to ever play the game. He never played with teams as complete as others on this list, but he threw passes that mere mortals should bot be able to pull off. With a lighting quick release, the football would be able to go through a brick wall.
Are you huge football fan? Then make sure to check out Sports-Signatures.com. You'll find thousands of listings on Football Autographs from all your favorite NFL stars.

Technology to Protect Players From Concussions

2008-04-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

A lot of attention has been paid to the dangers of concussions in football since the death of former NFL defensive back Andre Waters and the release of a report that indicated concussions were tied to depression in ex-NFL players. Those incidents have led the NFL to undertake several new initiatives and, across the nation, football programs from the high-school to professional levels are taking a more proactive approach to preventing head injuries. A former Harvard quarterback and his innovative company are also contributing to the cause with their newest invention - the X1 football helmet.
The X1 is the product of Xenith LLC, a company established in 2004 by Vincent Ferrara - a Harvard quarterback in the mid-90s and a graduate of Columbia's business and medical schools. Ferrara founded Xenith with the mission of advancing safety and activity through innovation and education, and the company is currently focusing most of its attention on finding ways to reduce concussions through new technology. Much of the technology Xenith has developed so far is featured in the X1, which incorporates an innovative head protection system not currently seen in any other helmet. The system is called Xenith Adaptive Head Protection™, and it's comprised of patent pending "Aware-Flow™ Shock Absorbers" and a new fitting method known as "Fit Seeker™". According to Xenith, the combined effect of these two technologies is designed to reduce the risk and severity of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries.
Here's how the system works: the X1 is equipped with 18 Aware-Flow Shock Absorbers embedded between the outer shell of the helmet and a flexible interior head piece. Each shock absorber is a lightweight, hollow disk made from thermoplastic urethane, with a small hole in the center that allows air to flow in and out. Unlike the foam in standard football helmets, the shock absorbers respond differently to high, medium and low impacts. The disks absorb a low-impact hit by slowly letting air out and compressing. But with a more forceful (high-impact) hit, air pressure inside the disk creates greater resistance - slowing down the speed at which the disks compress even further. The overall purpose of the X1's shock absorption system is to reduce the sudden movements of the head that often cause concussions. Meanwhile, the "Fit Seeker" component assures that the helmet doesn't go flying off during impact.
Recently, the X1 football helmet received approval from the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) - a nonprofit organization that commissions research and attempts to establish standards for athletic equipment. No word yet on whether the NFL is looking into this new technology, or when the X1 will be available for retail purchase.
You can find more information about Xenith and the technology involved in the X1 football helmet at http://www.xenith.com
Shad Connelly,Executive Editor - Invention & Technology News (http://news.inventhelp.com)

Collecting Dallas Cowboys Football Cards

2008-02-16T06:30:00.000-08:00

Card manufacturers were producing trading cards long before the Dallas Cowboys joined the NFL in 1960. In the 1950's Topps began packaging their signature product, bubblegum, with baseball and football cards. From there, as football grew in popularity, players could find their likeness on items such as milk cartons, soft drink caps, cereal boxes and plastic cups. The emergence of the AFL in 1960 allowed Topps competitors, beginning with Fleer, to make inroads in the business. The 1961 Fleer set featured both leagues, and then they focused on the AFL alone. Philadelphia Gum secured the NFL rights for 1964, forcing Topps to go for the AFL which left Fleer with no product in either baseball or football. Philadelphia Gum produced football card sets featuring Cowboys from 1964 through 1967. In 1982 Topps was licensed by NFL Properties for the first time. Previously, team logos on helmets were removed by airbrush. In the 70's Fleer rejoined the ranks by producing sets of cards called Fleer Team Action and FTA Stickers. They focused on NFL teams not individual players and were able to use team logos. The "card explosion" started around 1989 with new companies joining the fold like Pro Set and Score. By 1992 there were more than 30 brands of football cards. It was a new era for the hobby. You could all but forget about collecting all the cards of your favorite team, but now focus on a favorite player or two. Just to put it all in perspective - with all the parallel, inserts, and variations - in 1995 there were over 250 different cards produced of Troy Aikman.
The Cowboys were an expansion team in 1960. Their first roster was created by choosing 36 players from the 12 existing franchises (three per team). In the first set of cards featuring Dallas Cowboys players, 1960 Topps, all the players were pictured in the uniforms of the teams they departed. The next year they took part in the NFL draft and acquired Bob Lilly with their first ever draft pick. There have been many outstanding players through the years that have donned the blue star on their helmet, several of which are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only one man held the position of head coach for the first 29 years of the organization - Tom Landry. Coach Landry led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl titles, five NFC Championships, 13 NFC East titles, 18 trips to the playoffs and 20 winning seasons.
There were no plastic holders or sleeves to keep your cards from harms way in the early years. They were rubber banded together and tossed in shoe boxes and the stickers were stuck onto school notebooks or bike fenders. Cards were flipped and traded with your buddies and even thumb tacked or taped on bulletin boards. All these things lend to the value of the cards today. If you were lucky enough to have kept very good care of your cards when you were younger, and your mother didn't toss that shoebox in the attic out with the trash, you could already have a good start to your collection. Now with all the top-loaders, sorting boxes, screw downs and nine-slot binder pages available to the collector, it's much easier to take care of those gems. That is why I consider 1960 - 1990 the vintage years. Those older cards can sometimes be very difficult to find in great condition. That is not to say that the cards manufactured after 1990 have no value or collectible appeal. They just won't be as scarce or hard to find in great condition twenty or even fifty years from now. I encourage you to collect beyond 1990 and on. It's a whole new hobby now with more resources to fill your checklists like the internet and card shows.
The Dallas Cowboys Complete Football Card Guide - Vol 3
A beautifully illustrated 226 page, full-color guide, provides the Dallas Cowboy collector with information on over 6000 different sets from 1960 to 2006.
http://www.thecowboysguide.com/

Footbol WC Finale

2008-02-16T06:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday night I indulged into the extravagance of declared wakefulness (otherwise I pretend I'm sleeping, until I actually do). So I turned on the TV, and found nothing else, but the world cup finale.
After hearing for long "J'Aime Francais", tales of "Zidane", I had to!!
The closing ceremony was grand and it started on a very dancy note with Shakira performing 'Hips Don't Lie', I like that song a lot!! Then anthems of the teams and among the faces, I was looking for the cuter ones that would help me survive a game where all men run after a ball.
The trophy was a beautiful maid, that all wanted to get hold of, and surprisingly, the ball, that was the object of affection of both the teams was quite a beautiful one herself!
To be noted: Italy's goal keeper's very sexy and player numbered 9 (I guess) too!!
The game started with two fabulous goals, I liked both of them!
There's a fire in Zidane's eyes, that look of aggression, that passion, and in the end, that all made him fancy the red card, and in a way, be the major factor for France's loss but I can't say for sure, for it was the first ever football match I've seen!!
Zidane, fathered almost all the players on the field, with his body language, and awesome attitude. The other team feared him, and his team trusted him like hell, I mean until first half of the game, it was purely a one-man show!!!!
Zidane (first goal scorer) and Materazzi (the second goal scorer) entered in a tiff that led to Zidane leaving the WC finale!!
Some tactics, I was trying to absorb throughout, some missed, some baffled moments. There's one good thing that's not there in cricket but was found in that field of Berlin, players, even on the field, are ready to smile to each other, and also lend a hand when one falls. This was grand for me, and I liked it for this is the true "sportsman's spirit". Other grandness was sure to be there as it was the world cup finale, best ground, best referees, (supposedly) best teams, best football court (or whatever its called).
The penalty kicks, the referee running with the players in the field, players hitting each other, handsome goalkeeper, were some things I had seen for the first time, rather known for the first time!
And France, just lost by an inch!!
That fateful kick, maybe it was never meant to be!
"The Jinx hit the French!"
And Italians led the golden lady away to glory, holding her, fancying her!!
Read more articles about Sports at http://www.evensports.com/
Tarang Bhargava is the CEO of Vexat Inc. and has an affiliate marketing experience of six years. The website http://www.earncashonline.in/ is Affiliate Marketing invitation that provides an opportunity to Indians to make money through internet using his experience.

David Tyree "Miracle in the Desert" Official Memorabilia and Collectibles

2008-02-14T10:36:00.001-08:00

As the official "Miracle in the Desert" merchandise has hit stores in the New York/New Jersey area it is the top seller above all other New York Giants Super Bowl XLII apparel. Ever since the infamous play has been dubbed "Miracle in the Desert", t-shirt sales of this item have been incredible.
"Miracle in the Desert" t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, mugs, footballs, memorabilia and collectibles are selling out fast. While these items are also available online, fans want it quick and they are relying on local sports stores to have them in stock. The "Miracle in the Desert" t-shirts are by far the top seller according to local sports stores, followed by hoodies and framed photos of this epic moment. The sales of the merchandise should only increase as time passes. One of the particularly unique and popular items is a framed and matted piece which has the escape by Manning 8x10 on the left and the catch by Tyree 8x10 on the right with the engraved plate "Miracle in the Desert" along the bottom. This makes for an incredible collectible not only for any New York Giants fan, but any football fan who really wants to capture this this historic moment and game in Super Bowl history.
The "Miracle in the Desert" logo was created by well known New Jersey artist and designer Kenny Lund of Phenomenon Designs. Lund created this logo with a multitude of colors including the desert mountains and cactus' in the backround along with a silhouette of Tyree making the miraculous grab on his helmet in the middle of the sunburst with the date of February 3rd, 2008 lining the bottom.
With a catch name like this hitting the New York market there is no telling what the end result can be. It's likely 50 years from now this will be remembered and talked about during any conversation about great Super Bowl moments. The fact that it happened in the city that never sleeps makes it that much more dramatic and marketable.
Bernie Gernay is the President of PSI Marketing Group out of Ocean, NJ. You can visit them online by going to http://www.ProSportsInvestments.com

David Tyree's "Miracle in the Desert" Super Bowl XLII Catch

2008-02-14T10:35:00.000-08:00

For almost a week following Super Bowl XLII the media, fans and football curators wondered what this improbable play that brought the New York Giants a Super Bowl victory over the undefeated New England Patriots would be dubbed. From sports television to sports radio everyone racked their brains to label what this monumental play would be known for until the end of time. After a full week and thousands of witty yet sometimes silly names, the famous play was officially dubbed "Miracle in the Desert."
The phrase and name has been legally trademarked and is now set in stone for eternity. Giants fans can now rest. What name sums it up better than "Miracle in the Desert?" This phrase is no less catchy than "Miracle in the Meadowlands" which is still today a shameful reminder to Giants fans from that crushing Sunday afternoon in 1978. Only this phrase has a ring to it that will be a permanent fixture in the minds of Giants fans with a positive notation tied to it.
What better a name than "Miracle in the Desert' to remember the play which ended the New England Patriots perfect season. Eli Manning dashing out of a scrum of Patriots linemen in which one had a full hand of jersey that Eli broke from and heaved a ball down field where the unlikely hero would be David Tyree pinning the football against the side of his helmet and holding onto it all while a defensive back known as Rodney Harrison pulled, fought and used every last shred of his might to tear the ball out of the hands of Tyree only to come up empty.
This moment has been captured in some incredible photos which show Tyree in a freeze frame that can't even be described in words. David Tyree solidified this "Miracle in the Desert" and what better of a name to describe a play, a catch, a victory all in the settings of the deserts in Glendale, Arizona. The play that will forever be remembered as the single greatest moment in New York Giants football history, Super Bowl history and New York sports history, forever known as "Miracle in the Desert."
Bernie Gernay is the President/CEO of PSI Marketing Group, a full sports marketing and memorabilia company located at the Jersey Shore, NJ. You can visit them online at http://www.ProSportsInvestments.com

College Football - Ed Donatell, NFL Veteran, Becomes Defensive Coordinator for Washington

2008-02-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

Washington Husky head coach Ty Willingham has hopefully improved his defense next season by recently hiring Ed Donatell, a veteran NFL defensive coordinator with both the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons.
Washington's inept, pathetic excuse for a defense last year needed to be cleaned up and clicked up about 20 notches.
The Huskies ranked 94th nationally last year in scoring defense (giving up 31+ points per game), 99th in pass defense (261+ yards per game and 27 touchdowns) and pass efficiency defense, and 102nd in total defense. These rankings were among the NCAA's 119 Division 1A teams. In other words, the Huskies did not have a defense. They lacked speed, talent and experience. I said last year that the Washington defensive secondary could not cover my grandmother on their best day. I was not kidding.
Donatell should be congratulated for being willing to try and clean up this sorry mess. He just might be able to turn it around based on his experience and performance. To wit:
1) As the defensive backs coach for Denver's Mike Shanahan, he helped the Broncos win back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998 by taking over a secondary that ranked last in the NFL and led them to a Top 10 ranking for 5 consecutive years.
2) As the defensive coordinator for Green Bay's Mike Sherman for 4 years, Donatell's leadership helped the Packer defense lead the NFL with 144 takeaways, averaging 36 a season, and lead the league with 2.25 forced turnovers per game.
3) As the defensive coordinator for 3 years for Atlanta's Jim Mora (a University of Washington grad and new designated coach of the Seattle Seahawks when Mike Holmgren retires after the 2008 season), Donatell piled up more success.
His 2004 Falcon unit led the NFL by holding its opponents to a league-low 30% on 3rd-down conversions. His Falcons also led the league in sacks for the first time in team history, and in 2005 his defense ranked 3rd in the NFL with only 28 passes allowed of 20-or-more yards. In addition, Atlanta won the club's 3rd division title and advanced to the NFC championship game.
Donatell also had ties to Washington before arriving. In addition to coaching for Jim Mora, he was a graduate assistant for Don James, the legendary Dawgfather and Washington's greatest coach. Donatell also was the defensive backs coach for 3 years at Idaho under former Washington coach Keith Gilbertson.
Donatell said his style of defense will be "based on speed and explosion, high energy, enthusiasm, (an) attacking style." Heck, I already like the guy. So Donatell can not only talk a good game, he can back it up.
I remember another guy named Jim Lambright whose legendary defenses were fast, furious and swarming; he experienced quite a bit of success as well, like a 1991 national championship as a defensive coordinator. The 1991 Huskies were 2nd in the nation in rushing defense (67.1), total defense (237.1), scoring defense (9.2) and turnover margin (+1.73); they led the Pac-10 in virtually every defensive category.
Let us hope that Ty Willingham and Ed Donatell go on to great success next year and in the following years. What Willingham and Donatell will have to do is start winning, and keep winning. When they do, they will have to get in line behind a couple of other guys with really great success records as Huskies-Don James and Jim Lambright.
For the record, Don James won a national title, went to 6 Rose Bowls (4-2 mark), won an Orange Bowl title and went to 15 bowl games (10-5 record) in 18 years. Oh yeah, James was 153-57-2 (72%), including a then-record 99 wins in Pac-10 conference play, and Washington won 22 consecutive games from 1990 to 1992.
Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley
Ed Bagley's Blog Publishes Original Articles with Analysis and Commentary on 5 Subjects: Sports, Movie Reviews, Lessons in Life, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing. My intention is to inform, educate, delight and motivate you the reader.
Read my other articles on football, including "Famous Quotes by Vince Lombardi, Knute Rockne and Lou Holtz During Football's Annual Bowl Season", "How to Predict When Teams Are Overrated and Due for an Unexpected Loss", "The Sagarin Ratings: What They Are, How to Read Them and What to Do With Them" and my 14 consecutive weekly wrap-up articles on the 2007 College Football Season as well as wrap-up articles on all 32 College Bowl Games.
Find my Blog at:http://www.edbagleyblog.com http://www.edbagleyblog.com/Sports.html

Eli Deserves More Respect

2008-02-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

Eli Manning finally proved that he is more than just Peyton's little brother. He led his team to the biggest upset in Super Bowl history. Sure, the spread was bigger when the Patriots upset the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, but the spread is just a number. This year's Pats were supposed to be the first team since the '72 Dolphins to go undefeated. The Giants weren't supposed to make the playoffs.

Yet even after winning Super Bowl MVP honors, Eli is still being overlooked. Everyone is still talking about Tom Brady and the Patriots. Who says no one remembers the loser? This may be the year that no one remembers the winner.

If a quarterback is measured by how he performs in the playoffs and in the Super Bowl, then Eli was definitely the best quarterback this season. Let's not forget that he also led his team past Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Green Bay without throwing a sing interception to get to the Super Bowl. That's a feat in itself. Then after throwing his first pick in the playoffs against the Patriots, he showed what he is made of. Many quarterbacks in his position may have just folded, but Eli led his team on a game winning drive in the biggest upset in Super Bowl history.

His game winning drive was legendary. Calling it anything less would be insulting. Brady had just led his team 80 yards down the field in 12 plays to take the lead. Everyone in the world thought the game was over (whether they will admit it or not), except for the Giants. Who would have bet that the heavily criticized Manning would be able to out-duel the Super Bowl poster child?
The Giants start their drive from their own 17. They started moving down the field slowly but surely - nothing too exciting if it wasn't the Super Bowl. Then it happened, the greatest play I have ever seen. Third and five from the Giants' 44 yard line. Eli drops back, he's under pressure, he's completely surrounded by Patriots, Adalius Thomas grabs his jersey and... he somehow escapes, throws it down field to David Tyree who comes up with The Catch Part II. Four plays later, Eli hits Plaxico Burress in the end zone with 35 seconds remaining.

Eli did it, he out-dueled Brady. He led his team down the field for a touchdown in 12 plays just like Brady, but he went three yards further, with less time on the clock, and most importantly for the win. Eli may never live up to the unrealistic expectations that come with being a Manning, but he did something that can never be taken away from him - win a Super Bowl. And that's not an easy thing to do. Just ask Jim Kelly, or Dan Marino, or Archie Manning.
Football247365.com for the most up to date football news and articles.

Throwback Football Jerseys - The Great Nostalgia Factor

2008-02-13T08:34:00.000-08:00

You've heard it a million times: "It was better when I was growing up". In many ways throwback football jerseys represent the NFL at its more fan friendly era.

Due to the 24 hour ESPN, NFL Network, and sports talk radio shows that need to talk about something to fill those hours up, it seems as if football has become some long drawn-out soap opera, that runs parallel with American Idol.

When exactly did this happen? When did we start to care so much about who Tony Romo was dating that it requires 2 hours of pre game interviews? When did Terell Owens doing push-ups on his driveway constitute anything that a football fan cared about?

As somebody who hit puberty in the early 90s (not that long ago) I don't remember ever seeing this kind of interest in third-rate entertainment as it is today.

This is why throwback football jerseys seem to hold a special place in my heart. These jerseys represent a part of time when fans adored the player wearing the jersey because of what he did on the football field. It wasn't based on how much money the player made or because of the constant, self-promotional attention that they desperately crave.

To be perfectly honest, we didn't know much about the athlete. We didn't know who Barry Sanders agent was or who Troy Aikman was dating? It really didn't matter.
There was an essence of mystery about them. You saw them for 3 hours and the next time you saw them was in the following week's game. That's it! We didn't know anything about their lives, and we didn't wasn't to.

That's why I always get a kick out of somebody wearing a John Elway or Dan Marino throwback football jersey. It takes me back to a different time when the game seemed purer.

How about seeing one of those old hideous Tampa Bay Buccaneers orange jerseys? They were a horrible team and they had the jerseys to match. It was somewhat poetic.

Or what about those old teal Houston Oiler jerseys? Nothing says old-school like wearing one of those jerseys preferably with the name of Campbell or Moon on the back.

Shop for Signed Throwback Football Jerseys at Sports-Signatures.com. Updated listings every single day.

Throwback Football Jerseys - The Great Nostalgia Factor

2008-02-13T08:32:00.000-08:00

You've heard it a million times: "It was better when I was growing up". In many ways throwback football jerseys represent the NFL at its more fan friendly era.

Due to the 24 hour ESPN, NFL Network, and sports talk radio shows that need to talk about something to fill those hours up, it seems as if football has become some long drawn-out soap opera, that runs parallel with American Idol.

When exactly did this happen? When did we start to care so much about who Tony Romo was dating that it requires 2 hours of pre game interviews? When did Terell Owens doing push-ups on his driveway constitute anything that a football fan cared about?

As somebody who hit puberty in the early 90s (not that long ago) I don't remember ever seeing this kind of interest in third-rate entertainment as it is today.

This is why throwback football jerseys seem to hold a special place in my heart. These jerseys represent a part of time when fans adored the player wearing the jersey because of what he did on the football field. It wasn't based on how much money the player made or because of the constant, self-promotional attention that they desperately crave.

To be perfectly honest, we didn't know much about the athlete. We didn't know who Barry Sanders agent was or who Troy Aikman was dating? It really didn't matter. There was an essence of mystery about them. You saw them for 3 hours and the next time you saw them was in the following week's game. That's it! We didn't know anything about their lives, and we didn't wasn't to.

That's why I always get a kick out of somebody wearing a John Elway or Dan Marino throwback football jersey. It takes me back to a different time when the game seemed purer.

How about seeing one of those old hideous Tampa Bay Buccaneers orange jerseys? They were a horrible team and they had the jerseys to match. It was somewhat poetic.

Or what about those old teal Houston Oiler jerseys? Nothing says old-school like wearing one of those jerseys preferably with the name of Campbell or Moon on the back.

Shop for Signed Throwback Football Jerseys at Sports-Signatures.com. Updated listings every single day.

OJ Simpson Throwback Jersey - What's it Worth?

2008-02-13T08:31:00.000-08:00

It's always interesting to note what makes the buying public tick. Is there some reason why a certain product carries such value to people.

I'll use an example of a signed OJ Simpson throwback jersey.

Unless you've been living on an entirely different solar system for the past two decades, you've probably heard OJ Simpson's name on the news a time or two.

Now, as a collector of sports autographs & memorabilia, I think most people view the value (whether it be intrinsic or sentimental) of a particular athlete's signature based on how great a player he was, the kind of pop legacy he left behind, and/or how rare he signed autographs.

What makes getting an autographed OJ Simpson throwback jersey so interesting is the reason for it. If you stick strictly to the gridiron, it's a no-brainer. The man was one of the greatest running backs of all time. He was the first to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season. He won the Heisman Trophy in college.

He was truly an iconic figure of the 70s as well, kind similar to Joe Namath. Simpson had the mainstream Madison Avenue crowd. Movies, commercials (who can think of Hertz without this man), endorsements, the man had it all.

If you based OJ Simpson's autograph value prior to 1994, it was definitely in the higher echelon. It might not have been on par with Mickey Mantle for example, but it certainly wasn't second tier. Chances are if you went to an OJ Simpson signing, prior to 1994, you were going to be waiting a while in line.

After all the events of 1994-1995 (I'm sure everyone reading this, knows what I'm talking about, so I won't bother mentioning it) is when things get interesting.

Now, however you may stand on the subject, one thing is very fascinating: His memorabilia increased in value and attention. It was almost as if everything he did on the football field really didn't matter. This national fixation had people lined up for any piece of memorabilia that belonged to OJ Simpson.

I suppose its no stranger to any collectible field. For example in art, Van Gogh died penniless and only ever sold one painting. Does the memorable story of Vincent Van Gogh cutting his ear off and his morbid death have more of an influence on the price of his paintings than the actual art, who knows? One thing is for certain, I'm sure the story behind these men adds to the fascination.

Shop for OJ Simpson Autographed Memorabilia at Sports-Signatures.com. Updated listings every single day

College Football Recruiting - Look Out SEC - Alabama Rates No 1 As Saban Prepares to Go to War

2008-02-13T08:30:00.002-08:00

If you think football in the Southeastern Conference is just a game that generates a ton of money for the schools and the NCAA that regulates it in a highly publicized environment, you do not understand what success is about in the SEC.

SEC games are not battles between teams, they are outright warfare with a fight to the last man standing won by heavy artillery (talent). That is why Wednesday's (2-6-08) first day of signing letters of intent by high school seniors was so significant. According to several analysts, Nick Saban and Alabama ranked No. 1 with the nation's best class of talent.

Among Rivals.com Top 50 prospects, Alabama picked up No. 4 Julio Jones, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound wide receiver from Foley (AL); No. 28 B. J. Scott, a 6-foot, 195-pound wide receiver-super athlete from Vigor (AL); No. 30 Tyler Love, a 6-foot-7, 290-pound offensive lineman from Mountain Brook (AL); No. 34 Jerrell Harris, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker from Gadsden (AL); and No. 35 Alonzo Lawrence, a 6-foot-1, 190 pound defensive back from George County (MS).

Add to that distinguished list No. 55 Mark Barron, a 6-foot-2, 202-pound athlete from Mobile (AL) and No. 60 Barrett Jones, a 6-foot-5, 271-pound offensive lineman from Memphis (TN), and no school in America had 7 of the Top 60 Rival.com prospects except Alabama.

Southern Cal had 6 in the Top 60, Ohio State had 5 and Notre Dame had 5. Notre Dame's recuiting class was rated No. 2 by Rivals.com, Ohio State's No. 8 and Southern California's No. 10.

Nick Saban, the highest paid college coach at about $4 million a year, earned his pay. Saban was able to sign 7 of the top 11 prospects in Alabama. Auburn did not have a single recruit among Rivals.com Top 100 prospects; the Tigers came up sucking pond water.

Look for Saban and the Crimson Tide to start a concerted march to a higher place as a current Division 1A powerhouse and national title contender. Should the Top 60 picks stay injury free and reach their potential on the college turf, they will most certainly be playing in the NFL on Sundays.

If you are not stoked about Alabama football you need to live in another state.

Three other schools catch my personal attention because I have ties to Washington, Arizona State and Michigan State.

Ty Willingham's Washington Huskies had the highest Rivals.com pick among these 3 teams with No. 57 Kavario Middleton, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound tight end from Lakewood (WA). Middleton was joined by his teammate, Jermaine Kearse, a 6-foot-2, 175 pound wide receiver.

Washington also signed Everrette Thompson, a 6-foot-6, 255-pound defensive end from Burien (WA); Alameda Ta'amu, a 6-foot-4, 330-pound (yes, 330 pounds!) offensive guard from Seattle; Allen Carroll, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound offensive guard from Oakland (CA); Chris Polk, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound running back with 4.5 speed from Redlands (CA); and Jordan Polk, 5-foot-10, 170-pound wide receiver with 4.46 speed from Portland (OR).

Washington's catch is being called the best recruiting class since Reggie Williams and Charles Frederick in 2001.

The Huskies also picked up some speed with linebacker Kurt Mangum (4.59), cornerbacks Adam Long (4.45), Anthony Gobern (4.4) and Justin Glenn (4.5), safety Johri Fogerson (4.55), and running backs Demitrius Bronson (4.5) and David Freeman (4.4). Let me be the first to dub Kurt Magnum as Magnum P.I. (Personal Intimidator) and Demitrius Bronson as Death Wish Bronson.

All of this comes as a surprise as Ty Willingham, unlike Nick Saban, does not have a rep as a recruiter. The fact that redstart freshman quarterback Jake Locker started last year and impressed almost everyone with his agility, speed and savvy probably did not hurt a lick.

Scout.com rated Washington's recruiting class as the 14th best among the NCAA's 119 Division 1A schools. Look for the Huskies to finally win more games than they lose next year. If they do not, Willingham may be looking for another job.

Scout.com rated Dennis Erickson and his Arizona State Sun Devils class as the 17th best nationally. Among Erickson's top prospects was Jack Elway, none other than the son of NFL Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.

Jack Elway has his father's arm but apparently not his speed. Nonetheless, he comes from an excellent gene pool. In addition to his dad, his mother Janet was an outstanding college athlete as a swimmer for Stanford University.

Here are two facts you may not know about John Elway. 1) He may have played football at Stanford University but he was born and raised in Port Angeles (WA). 2) He had 47 career game-winning or game-tying drives in the 4th quarter, an NFL record.

Mark Dantonio and his Michigan State Spartans (my alma mater, Class of 1966) did not fare as well as Washington or Arizona State. Other than any local coverage in Michigan and a little among Big Ten teams, the Spartans received zero national attention.

That tells me they ended up with the short end of stick, and that is indeed bad news.

Dantonio knows that Jim Tressel and his Ohio State Buckeyes are only going to get better; Dantonio was the defensive coordinator for Ohio State's undefeated (14-0) national championship team in 2002. Tressel also won 4 Division 1AA national championships at Youngstown State, and his won-loss record as head coach at Ohio State is a stunning 83% (73-15).

If Ohio State is not enough competition for Michigan State, Michigan will cause the Spartans headaches as well since Rich Rodriguez left West Virginia to coach the Wolverines next year.

Michigan has won more games than any other team in college football history, and now along comes Rodriguez, who spent 7 seasons at West Virginia compiling a 60-26 record (69%) with 4 Big East titles.

Rodriguez, 1 of only 2 Hispanic head coaches in Division IA football, went 32-5 (86%) his last 3 years at West Virginia. Rodriguez is great for Michigan; for Michigan State he is two legs and bad news. The Spartans my get the snot kicked out of them by Michigan for the next 5 years.

I am praying that Dantonio can find a couple of nuggets among the scrap heap of players that are left over after all of the good programs have used up their scholarship allotments. The Spartans need talent and speed immediately, they do not have nearly enough at the moment.

The justified enthusiasm among Crimson Tide fans at Alabama does need to be tempered by the knowledge that recruiting is not an exact science. While we know that the sun will come up tomorrow, we do not know how these recruits will play out.

What we do know is that coaching can make average players better; Rich Rodriguez is an example. His recent West Virginia recruiting classes were rated mid-30s to mid-50s yet he led the Mountaineers to 2 BCS bowl wins in the last 3 seasons, and he came within 1 win of playing for last year's national title.

We also know that a position player like a quarterback, who touches the ball on every play, can make a team much better. An example this year was Todd Reesing of Kansas who led the Jayhawks to a 12-1 record and an Orange Bowl victory. Reesing was rated a 2-star to 3-star player by the rating services (5 stars is best) yet he became a 5-star player when given the opportunity to do so.

Since many of these kids will become redshirts (meaning they will not play their freshman year) and become redshirt freshman (like Jake Locker of Washington) when they start playing their sophomore year. It may take all of 5 years to determine who among the many players just signed will become tomorrow's stars and NFL draftees.

In the meantime, I will be praying for Mark Dantonio and my Michigan State Spartans. I view myself as an important intercessor as the Spartans have continued to disappoint in recent years. Wherever they have been I do not want to go.

Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley

Ed Bagley's Blog Publishes Original Articles with Analysis and Commentary on 5 Subjects: Sports, Movie Reviews, Lessons in Life, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing. My intention is to inform, educate, delight and motivate you the reader.

Read my other articles on football, including "Famous Quotes by Vince Lombardi, Knute Rockne and Lou Holtz During Football's Annual Bowl Season", "How to Predict When Teams Are Overrated and Due for an Unexpected Loss", "The Sagarin Ratings: What They Are, How to Read Them and What to Do With Them" and my 14 consecutive weekly wrap-up articles on the 2007 College Football Season as well as wrap-up articles on all 32 College Bowl Games.

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2009 NFL - Can The New England Patriots Come Back?

2008-02-13T08:30:00.001-08:00

The Super Bowl slipped through the well-manicured fingers of New England Patriots Quaterback Tom Brady, and that is a big story in itself, as not much has slipped through the Hall-Of-Famer-To-Be's grasp during his NFL career.

Tom Brady has had virtually everything go his way in the NFL. Now, after 18-1, we will see really for the first time how Tom Brady bounces back after being beaten up, pride and all. The New England Patriots and Brady go back to the drawing board, 0-0. There is no shortage of AFC teams looking for their red, white and blue heads going into the 2009 season. But that is for another day.

Tom Brady is a Golden Boy. We see them once in a while in sports. Good looks, great player, luck of a great surrounding cast, the right Coaches, the right system, etc. The white hot spotlight does not (usually) bother Golden Boys, and the stage is always big-always Broadway for their likes.

Now we will see how resilient Tom Brady is. This loss, for this team, with its collective ego, was an absolute crusher. The New England Patriots, although they will never admit it, took their foot off of the pedal ever so slightly during the second-half of the season. Sometimes that is all that it takes to come slowly back to the pack, the days of 40-50 points-per-game becoming a more distant memory as the season progressed. If that team was playing in the Super Bowl, then maybe the outcome would have been different. Maybe.

Bill Belichick knows how to coach football. He has all the fuel he now needs going into next season to motivate the New England Patriots. Question is-just how tough are Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to rebound from an undressing before 97,000,000 Americans?

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Super Bowl - New England Patriots 18-1 - One Minute From Perfection

2008-02-13T08:29:00.000-08:00

The New England Patriots lost something the final month or so of the season. The steam in the Patriots' engine, the one that rolled NFL opposition like they were junior varsity the first batch of the NFL calendar, slowed down to where the rest of the NFL caught them in their sights, finally overtaking them a minute from perfection.

This New England Patriots team will go down as the team that "almost." Almost was perfect. Almost was 19-0. Almost won the Super Bowl. It looked for all the world like they had done it again, striking with just over two minutes left from Tom Brady to Randy Moss. The New York Giants bid farewell to the Patriots best-laid plans with a wicked, Elway-sian drive to crack the goose-egg in the Patriots loss column that had been hatched around Labor Day.

History will not look kindly on these New England Patriots, I can just feel it. The venom NFL fans spewed at the Patriots when Eli Manning registered a comeback for the ages, speaks of a team that was too arrogant for our American tastes. Our people are one of, "Be good...great even, but don't forget where you come from." The American public just loves watching underdogs peeling that kind of arrogance off that kind of team, very slowly, layer by layer.

These Patriots smelled of not remembering where they came from. Tom Brady, the untouchable quarterback with supermodel girlfriend. Randy Moss, a year removed from exile, slowly returning to obnoxious form at times, and Bill Belichick, Spygate guru. Coach-could you not have waited another five seconds before going off the field?

18-1 forever, steam running out one minute short of perfection.

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Super Bowl-Eli Doe It El-Way

2008-02-13T08:28:00.000-08:00

The New York Giants were carried through the final moments of this Super Bowl by Eli Manning. That final drive, maybe "The Drive" from now on, just as Lawrence Taylor is no longer today's "L.T.", brought back memories of great drives past.

Eli Manning was the key to the Giants victory. That drive, summarizing everything that the Giants stood for the past several weeks of the season, a combination of tenacity, guts, will and a pinch of luck. The player that Manning most reminded me of as it was happening was John Elway, he himself no stranger to great comebacks during his legendary tenure with the Denver Broncos.

You could say Brett Favre, or even a Joe Montana-type of performance, and you too would be right. It feels strange to put Eli Manning in the same sentence with those greats, but at least for one season, for this season, Eli Manning belongs. What will happen beyond this is anyone's guess. I personally have a hard time thinking he will go back into his shell, headed towards Rex Grossman-ville.

Eli Manning has arrived, busting a party no one expected he or the New York Giants to attend. Little Bro' did Tony Romo, Brett Favre and Tom Brady in consecutive games, using Brady cool to get the job done. Who knows. Maybe someday people will refer to great drives to win big games as, "Eli drives."

Wonder what Tiki Barber is thinking today? He is a politically correct character, and he will say the right things, how he is happy for Eli, his old teammates, blah, blah, blah. If it were me, my reaction would have been, "S***, why did I leave one season early?" Believe me, in Tiki Barber's heart, the same feelings exist. Human nature is what it is.

The reality is that Tiki Barber did not believe in his Coach, his Quarterback or his teammates. Tiki, for all his talk, loves Tiki. If he thought for one second a Super Bowl was on the horizon, #21 would have had the best view in the house, right behind Eli Manning, Super Bowl MVP.

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The NFL Network In HD

2008-02-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

I've been a fan of the NFL Network for a long time. I actually dropped my cable provider four years ago so that I could sign up for DirecTV's satellite programming, just so I could have access to the NFL Network. I thought, for the last four years, that I had been enjoying the NFL Network programming as much as I possibly could. I found out this season that I was wrong.
You see, back in December, our family bought a new High Definition television set. Believe it or not, I've been the one who has been hesitant to want to get High Definition. The rest of the family has been asking (or should I say begging), for about a year now. I've always felt like it was the Emperor's New Clothes. TV couldn't possibly be that much better so as to make it worth the added expense especially when we were talking about buying an HD television as well as upgrading our service provider to one with the best HD programming choices.

The first NFL Network game I watched in HD was the Cowboys playing at the Panthers. The NFL Network put a stranglehold on a handful of regular season games and is only available through satellite providers. From the opening kickoff until Kassay's last Field Goal, I was riveted. I don't think I've seen football players get hit that hard since I played High School ball. Now, I know that it's the same game, with the same players, and the same level of intensity. Watching it in High Definition is something that is almost hard to explain and even I didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. The NFL Network looks better in HD than it does in Standard Definition. I found myself staring at the background most of the time in awe of the intense clarity. Each blade of grass was sharper. The holes in the jerseys of the players were more noticeable and the fans in the stands were easier to see. It was so clear that I could actually see clear reflections in the helmets as if I were standing on the field with the players. My first HD experience was intense and better then expected.

Coming off of my Cowboys-Panthers experience, I thought I'd test out the rest of the HD dial. I wasn't disappointed. Whether it was Music channels like CMT and VH1 or movie channels like Starz and Cinemax, I've got to say that each and every one of them looked better in High Definition. The whole family agreed. My wife keeps raving about the difference that she sees in the Food Network and Home and Garden Television, and my teenage boy says the same thing about the Sci-Fi channel. Now, I may be imagining things, but I'm pretty sure that even I saw the three year-old smile that much bigger and brighter while she was watching the Cartoon Network in HD. No matter what channel you may be watching, it all looks better in High Definition.

Whitney Alen is a Direct TV expert and has over 10 years experience in the satellite TV industry.

Super Bowl Halftime Show - Grizzled

2008-02-06T10:47:00.001-08:00

Super Bowls are known for their gaudy Halftime shows, and if one word could be used to describe its performers in recent years, that word would be, "grizzled." The demographic from the NFL Office calls for aging, primarily white rockers that no one under 25 really knows anything about. Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, and this year Tom Petty are prime examples.
These dudes still do know how to rock, but for such a happening event, the NFL goes all the way into the time machine, plucking people that look like Aunt Sally to rock the Super Bowl Halftime show.

I have two theories why this is so. One, the NFL Lords are panicky ever since Janet Jackson's "tig old bitty" popped out a few years ago, to shock and/or delight, depending on your point-of-view. There is not much fear of Tom Petty's goods falling out all over the Super Bowl Halftime stage.

Also, it is no secret that tickets to the Super Bowl sell into the high-four figures, especially when scalping comes into play. That said, the NFL feels it necessary to provide added value, not just in the Super Bowl game, but in added attractions such as big-name entertainers to provide music to rock out on.

Billy Joel, Elton John, The Rolling Stones (again)--who's next? It is pretty predictable, and the Halftime show needs to be juiced up a bit if it wants to match up with the excitement and energy of the game itself. Maybe next year.
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Super Bowl - Eli Manning No More Kid-ding

2008-02-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

New England Patriots Haters-you have one Manning left, and it's not the one you though would do your bidding. These NFL Playoffs have proven that the New York Giants have not made a huge mistake in putting all their hopes in Eli Manning.

In about one month's time, Eli Manning has reinvented himself to New York Giants fans, the media, and most importantly, himself. As Big Brother Peyton Manning watches this time around from the sidelines, Eli Manning, with a cool touch in the heat of hard road wins, has shown poise and yes, leadership.

New England Patriots Haters-your last chance rests on the right arm, suddenly the golden right arm, of one Eli Manning. Who would have thought that Peyton would not even get to suit up against the New England Patriots in these NFL Playoffs, and it would be Eli Manning and the New York Giants standing in the way of perfection.

Eli Manning is right now the best quarterback in the NFC. Patriot Haters--who would you rather suit up to take out the New England Patriots in this Super Bowl? Eli Manning has nailed both top quarterbacks in the NFC, Brett Favre and Tony Romo, head-to-head, on the road, chips all in.
New England Patriots Haters-your best chance is suiting up. Whether or not Eli Manning and the New York Giants can pull it off is another issue. They came damn close at Giants Stadium the final game of the year, the game which turned on the switch to Eli Manning's mojo.

Eli Manning still looks like a kid, but his transformation from Rex Grossman to Peyton Manning in one month is remarkable in what has been a remarkable NFL season. If anyone can give tips on how to quarterback against the New England Patriots, it is Eli Manning's Brother, Peyton. Funny thing is, maybe Eli doesn't need Big Brother's advice anymore. Maybe the Kid is all grown up.
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Super Sunday an Omen for Super Tuesday?

2008-02-06T10:45:00.000-08:00

What a super week the first in February will prove to be. While media eyes sensationalize this historic Super Tuesday primary, most of the country has their sights set on Super Sunday. Generally, sports and politics are on separate sides of the spectrum, yet this year these two events may be foreshadowing the same future. This Tuesday, we discover which two candidates have a 50/50 shot of leading our country through this upcoming landmark term, while this Sunday we witness a classical David vs Goliath, except that in this scenario the Lord-chosen David is the little Giant, while the Wicked and powerful Goliath is...A Patriot?

See, I have a theory that half this scenario was scripted, while the Giants squeaking in... that could be an omen. "Ey" says the gruff New Englander. "What's all this conspiracy bullshit about my Pats? Weeeeeew" Think about it though. Somebody blows up two recently insured buildings for their own criminal, monetary gains in September of 2001. America has been attacked and the nation in mourning. By the end of that 2001 football season the New England Patriots, only 5-11 the previous year, win the super bowl.

In the 35 years prior, the Pats had been to the super bowl twice, losing both. In the seven years since, they have been to three, winning them all, and are now on their way to a fourth. How well does that work out? During this grievous time, and the ensuing war, the team wearing the red white and blue uniforms comes out as "The Greatest Team In The World." "weeeeew"

By the way, I'm not so insane as to say that I believe fully that this was all some kind of governmental set up. This could have, like our Sunday match up, been destiny. Still, with Belichick getting busted with high tech spy equipment earlier this year, and a plethora of fortuitous calls, I have to wonder. During a challenge, what is the ref listening to in those big ear muffs? Is it sounds from the field, or is it a sinister voice telling him that a call against the Patriots will result in waterboarding? Even the egoic voice of conservatism, Bill O'Reilly has said there's just something kinda evil about the patriots.

In a strange twist, patriots might in fact be just the opposite, while whistleblowers and dissenters might in fact be patriots. No one needs to be reminded that this election is a very important one. In observing ordinary Americans, and the candidates fighting to represent them, I see a glimmer of hope that through a little hard work, and some common sense, we may be able to start digging ourselves out of our current hole. Meanwhile, New Yorkers see a glimmer of hope that they can defeat the marauding Pats in a game that could prove to be much more historically meaningful than any super bowl past. Even if it is rigged.

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The New York Giants - Superbowl XLII Champions - "A Season To Remember"

2008-02-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

I know this is a golf blog but the Superbowl last night prompted me to write this article.

Unbelievable? Destiny? Fate? Miraculous? are all words used to describe the Giants victory. If that is the case then I guess Miracles Do Happen! From their 0 - 2 start to Superbowl Champions, I think that says it all - The proverbial "Season To Remember" at least for Giant fans. Some others may choose to forget, at least the last game anyway. The Patriots were lauded to be perhaps the best team in Football History, but the Giants proved that the best don't always come out on top, or do they?

New England has been playing virtually flawless football all season and they deserve the credit for it. I think the pressure and the hype was just too much for them at the end and their 18 - 0 record going in had finally taken its toll. Many of the New England players were seasoned veterans but perhaps a little too seasoned. The Giants were written off by most and were not given much of a chance against the supposedly invincible New England Team, and that may have made the difference. The Giants were able to step up and rise to the occasion and Tom Brady found himself in unfamiliar territory, on the ground in a grass stained uniform. The Giants made sure he knew he was in a football game and they were not to be taken lightly.

After their last meeting, a few weeks back, where the Patriots barely came out on top, I think the Giants set the groundwork for their triumphant play. They may have even surprised themselves a bit, but a pleasant surprise it was. Everything came together for them at the right time, most especially when it counted in the playoffs and finally the defining game of the season, The Superbowl. Eli Manning, a young quarterback living in the shadow of his brother Payton, showed the world that he has the talent expected from the Manning name. Eli was not alone in his quest for Victory. The rest of the team backed his play 110 %. We have to give credit where it is due, to the unsung heroes who stay in the background, the defensive coordinators for the Giants.

The Giants defense, led by the seasoned veteran, Michael Strahan played such stellar defense in the game that they left New England without the weapons that they used so successfully all season. Welker was pretty pesky all game but they stopped him when they had to. They were also able to neutralize the long pass that Brady and Moss executed so well all year. The Giants virtual rookies also stepped up, Tyree and Boss really made some unbelievable plays at crucial times; and lets not forget Buress. Toomer, Jacobs and Bradshaw who all played major roles in the Giants march to Victory! When Eli broke free when he was all but sacked, and made that throw into the arms of his rookie receiver, I knew New Englands fate had been sealed. The Giants victory was near. Elis' subsequent pass to Buress ended the Patriots dreams for the perfect season. I think 19 -0 would have lasted quite some time in the record books but the 1972 Miami Dolphins team can rest easy for now. The Patriots 18 -1 record is a tremendous feat, but anti - climactic becuase they were not victorious in the most coveted game of all, The Superbowl. The New York Giants did their city and their fans proud by their spectacular victory! I look forward to next season and who knows, maybe the Jets will make a run for it?

Superbowl XLII will go down in football history as one of the most exciting and unbelievable games ever. The Giants play in this game reminded me of another unprecedented demise for New England fans - the New York Mets - "You Gotta Believe" victory over the Boston Red Sox in the 1986 World Series. It is a lesson to us all. Don't ever give up your goals and dreams because if you have the right mindset, fortitude and determination you can make the seemingly impossible happen! I don't know what next season holds but this year truly was "A Season To Remember". Hey, there's still the Pro- Bowl next week. Ah, Hawaii! Enjoy.

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Top 10 Reasons Eli Manning Has Gotten Really, Really Good

2008-02-06T10:43:00.002-08:00

Everyone is shocked by the recent play and growth of New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning in these NFL Playoffs. He has been Peyton Manning's kid brother for so long in our minds that we forgot that he could be good in his own right. The Giants may have forgotten it too until a month ago, when the switch turned on and out came the real Eli(?) A source close to the soon-to-be All-Pro Quarterback details for us the top 10 reasons why Eli Manning has suddenly gotten really, really good.

1. Puberty.

2. Asks his sweetheart to the prom, and she says yes (even giving Eli a kiss on the cheek).

3. Beats Big Brother Peyton for the first time at ping pong. This event is also directly related to Peyton losing his confidence, and playoff game to San Diego.

4. Giants Coach Tom Coughlin lets Eli sit at the adult table during pre-game meal versus the Patriots.

5. Father Archie acknowledges Eli once again as his biological Son.

6. Eli's real girlfriend turns out to be Jessica Simpson. Jessica was only hanging with Tony Romo to cause chaos in camp Cowboys (job well done, Jessica!) to help her man Eli. The couple plan to go to Mexico, but only AFTER the Super Bowl-good choice kids.

7. Jeremy Shockey begs forgiveness from Eli for calling him "Sissy" and "Daddy's Boy" for the past 4 years.

8. Starts eating his Wheaties.

9. Steals the Manning's "Mojo Machine" from Peyton.

10. Stops thinking so damn much and starts becoming the player the Giants drafted.

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Super Bowl-New England Patriots Vs New York Giants Preview and Prediction

2008-02-06T10:43:00.001-08:00

The NFL's Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants has the potential to be a classic. Tom Brady and company fighting for 19-0. The New York Giants looking to rewrite history with a startling upset in the biggest NFL game of the year, maybe in several Super Bowls.

I am trying to make this prediction with my head. My heart thinks otherwise... Will the pressure finally get to the New England Patriots? It has been a pressure-cooker, fishbowl season for New England.

The New England Patriots have been the best team in the NFL this regular season, and are on a quest to become the best team for one season in NFL history, and on top why not throw in the team of the decade. Best Quarterback and Head Coach of the decade (ever?) are also titles being built in Boston, the resume for each enhanced greatly by a big, fat, impressive win in the Super Bowl should they get past the New York Giants.

The New York Giants are a miracle team. Fished from the middle of the NFL river, they have played great on the road against the Tampa Bay Bucs, Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers, mainly with house money. The biggest NFL mountain needs to be climbed, mount New England, for this story to have an incredible ending for Big Blue. Whether or not Eli Manning can continue his shocking rise only adds to the intrigue.

I have seen many dynasties in sports, and if they have one thing in common it is this-if you want to take them down, do it before the Finals. Dynasties see the finish line and cut the tape. Regardless if it is the World Series (late '90's Yankees), Super Bowl (Steelers, 49ers) or NBA Finals (Jordan Bulls, Shaq Lakers, etc).

The NFL season comes to this. This one time I will put my heart above my head when predicting. The New York Giants have been on fire, actually playing better in the playoffs than New England. Eli Manning has found his mojo, and remembered that he is in fact a Manning. There is a team of destiny in this year's Super Bowl. New York Giants 31, New England Patriots 26.
Let us know who you like to win the Super Bowl?

To view more articles like this please enjoy at:http://www.fastbreakblog.com

Watch New York Giants Game Live Online - How To Watch New York Giants Live Online On Your Computer

2008-02-06T10:41:00.000-08:00

The Giants will do their best to pull off one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history against the New England Patriots, and if they win, the Patriots unblemished season record is forgotten. The mighty patriots will only be validated if they win it this sunday.

They will fight tremendous odds and an very outstanding opponent. The Pats have a great offense, a genius coach, a perfect season, and are equipped to take on the Giants and keep the suspense on Super Bowl XLII. To watch New York Giants live online against the pats will not be passed by lots of fans.

Being at the arizona stadium this february 3 is not a luxury or option for most of Americans and fans, so we will be watching it through cable or satellite tv. You may also be in a place where you don't have access to your television, like the airport, or at your office, but don't let this let you miss to watch new york giants game live online. There are software available on the web that will let you do this, but be warned that most of these software are full of spyware, or does not work, or are too confusing to use. It is important that you go for the reliable ones, but they do cost a price, a small and one time fee. This comes with a lifetime access so you will not pay for anything anymore.

You also need to have an internet connection. We have tried the software with a dial-up connection, and the shows are fine, but a broadband connection is highly recommended to be used. You also need a windows pc or laptop for the software to work.

Now there are a number of these kind of software on the web today, and we have tested a lot of these software. We reviewed and rated each one of them, and we have come up with our top and best software. We base our rating with the its functionality, channels, support, reliability(whether it disconnects often or not), and a lot of other factors.

To conclude, to watch new york giants live online, you must be sure that the software you are getting is a trusted product.
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Texas High School Football

2008-02-06T10:40:00.002-08:00

Bringing the best of all high school football players is the Txprepsfootball All Texas Team. These are elite members of Texas high school football teams. One of the players is Garrett Gilbert from Lake Travis. Garrett has hit the records with 4,826 yards in a single season. He is the son of former National Football League Gale Gilbert, who played for the Chargers, Seahawks and the Bills. Not to mention this quarterback has made 52 touch downs in 2007 and he is responsible for leading his team to the Class 4A Division II State Championship.

Some of the state records were placed years ago. Kenneth Hall set the record for most career rushing yards at 11,232. That was in Sugar Land 1950-53. Earlier in the century was another phenomenal player, Samuel Baugh. He was named the first best professional football quarterback. He later went on to play for the Washington, Redskins.

Earl Campbell is a Pro football Hall of Fame member. Nicknamed The Tyler Rose (after the place he is from, Tyler, Texas). In 1978 he went on to play for the Houston, Oilers and named the Offensive Rookie of the year and the Most Valuable Player, by the Associated Press. He also went on to play for the New Orleans Saints.

Doak Walker, born in Dallas, Texas, was crowned All American football player with the Heisman Trophy. That was back in 1948. Then he went on to play for the Detroit Lions and helped to pave the way to the National Football League Championships. He too, is a member is the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

There are a total of thirteen outstanding football players from the Texas state history books. All of which have went on to become phenomenal athletes, thus making Texas well known for their talented National Football League players of all time.

Currently, sitting at number four in the nation is the Katy, Texas Tigers. Some former Katy, Texas high school football players include Jorge Diaz, who is offensive lineman went on to play for the National Football League. He played for the Tigers in 1991 and is now with the Tampa Bay, Buccaneers. Eric Heitman is also a offensive lineman playing for the San Francisco 49Er's. He played for the Katy Tigers in 1997.

The Tigers are a great team setting state records. James Aston, a rushing back set the record at 34 rushing carried in a Championship game and that was back in 2003. In 1999, Jamel branch, who is also a rushing back set the record with 249 rushing yards in a Championship game.

Over the years, the state of Texas has brought us some of the most phenomenal athletes. Many of them were branded the best of NFL in some way or another.Also, because Texas has brought the NFL some of the greatest all time players, I believe that is the main reason why Texas high school football is so popular today. They have certainly paved the way for some of the National Football League's finest of all time.

Get Recruited Now! Learn how to gain the most exposure to the top college athletic organizations in the nation. Learn everything you need to know from a scouts perspective and earn the athletic scholarship you've dreamed of.
Athlete Guru
The athlete expert!

Watch New England Patriots Game Live Online - Easiest Way To Watch New England Patriots Live Online

2008-02-06T10:40:00.001-08:00

Tom Brady's foot has won three super bowl titles,, and it has helped sell anything from shoes to radios, and it has been in the bedrooms of a Brazilian supermodel and a Hollywood starlet.

Brady and his undefeated teammates are in unparalleled hype before their Super Bowl game when they battle it out against the New York Giants. They arrived Sunday night in Phoenix, and the giants arrived Monday afternoon.

On Superbowl Sunday, you might be at the office, or at work, at the airport, or somewhere else where you will not be able to access your satellite or cable. Going to the stadium in person is usually not a realistic one for fans. The game will be featured in fox. But not having a satellite or cable should not stop you from watching new england patriots live online. Plenty of people are doing this, and they already did watch the nfl games and the playoffs through a pc software.

This pc software is just easy to use :

1. First, get and download the software. You must be warned that some other pc software will even install spyware programs in your pc, so you must be sure that the software you are going to get is a reliable one.

2. Then install the software.

3. You can then watch new england patriots live online, major sport events, nfl, news, movies, foreign channels, and shows live online.

But this software does come with a price. There might be free ones advertised on the web, but they just do not work, and they have lots of advertisements. For the price, it is only cheap, just a one time fee, and you will have lifetime access, so you won't have to pay for anything else ever again. You can then watch new england patriots live online on your pc.

You will also need a computer with a windows operating system, since the software is only designed for it. It does not have to be a high-end computer. We use a Pentium III computer, and the quality of the sounds and video are fine. But when we used it with a broadband connection, the display video and sounds were great.

In conclusion, Super Bowl Sunday is a special event for fans. You can still watch new england patriots live online when you don't have access to your cable or television on game day.

For full review of the most trusted software to watch new england patriots live online :
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Patriots Fans, We Don't Have To Be Ashamed Of Our Team - New England Patriots Are The Best Team Ever

2008-02-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

On February 3rd 2008, the New York Giants has put an end at our New England Patriots perfect winning strike. As a fan I am speechless but I am not ashamed. We did what no other teams could do in this league, we won 18 games in a row. Yes we lost the most important game of the year but as a fan you also have to realize that we have broke some amazing record.
Our QuaterBack Tom Brady has scored 50 touchdowns for the season and our wide receiver Randy Moss has received 23 touchdowns. We started history with this team, we just couldn't finish it. I am proud of my team, my team is the New England Patriots. My team is the AFC Champion in the National Football League.

To be honest with your, I just can't realize how this happen. How come this happen? I sat on my bed my sheet on my head, I wanted to cry but tears couldn't come out. I wanted to scream but it couldn't come out. I only had furor. Why? Why? Why Us? We don't deserve that lost, we deserved better than that. Junior Seau Linebacker for 18 years on the NFL doesn't deserve that end. It career could end better than that.

We are and we will always be the best team on the National Football League, we did what other teams could never accomplish. It wasn't our time but we will be back, we will learn from our mistakes and come back next year. We will be stronger, we will be better and this time we will accomplish what we started on this February 3rd 2008.

I LOVE THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AND I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT. I WILL ALWAYS BE A FAN OF THIS TEAM, NO MATTER WHAT.
IF YOU CALL YOURSELF A FAN, YOU NEED TO SUPPORT THIS TEAM AND NOT BE ASHAMED OF IT.
http://www.squidoo.com/TheNewEnglandPatriots

Easily Watch Super Bowl TV Commercials Live Online

2008-02-02T09:05:00.000-08:00

There are a number of sites online where you can watch super bowl commercials live online. You can also find a favorite ad from previous games by searching online.

You can find almost all of the super bowl tv commercials on YouTube, or other video sharing sites. You can expect a good search facility from YouTube. Just put the description in the search box, and locate the ad you want on the search results. Millions view those popular commercials, and expect lots of people to view it online on and after super bowl Sunday.

You can also watch super bowl commercials online on Yahoo! video and Google video. They also offer excellent service and you are likely to find what you are looking for.

The ads are ranked by I think by votes so you can see which ones are the most popular.

Here is the list of the commercials for super bowl XLII :

Victoria's Secret
Adriana Lama will appear in the one spot late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter

Anheuser-Busch
Seven Spots in the game. Caveman use wheel to get cooler to a party

Anheuser-Busch
Seven Spots in the game. Bud-light no longer available with x-ray vision.

Anheuser-Busch
Seven Spots in the game. Bud-light no longer available with ability to breathe fire.

Anheuser-Busch
Seven Spots in the game. Dalmatian trains clydesdale.

Anheuser-Busch
Seven Spots in the game. Carlos Mencias teaches English

Audi of America
60 sec. spot in the first quarter. First Super Spot in 20 years. Uses Godfather theme.

Bridgestone
Two 30 seconds spots. Bridgestone or nothing

Cars.com
Two 30 Sec spots. first and third quarters. "Stone Circle"

Coca-Cola Co.
No further information released at this time

Dell
Spot to air in last break of the first quarter, will promote special crimson red computers. Sales will benefit charity c-founded by Bono.

Disney
Spot for Wall-E Pixar's newest film and/or The Chronicles of Narnia : Prince Caspian

E-Trade
Two 30 sec. spots. Details are being a closely held secret until game day

FedEx
One 45 sec spot in first quarter

Fox
No further information released at this time

Frito-Lay
Doritos song contest winner

Garmin
No further information released at this time.

Gatorade
2 spots, maybe more

General Motors
One 60 sec spot in the second quarter

GoDaddy.com
This ad will promote the online version of their ad that was rejected.

GoDaddy.com
Danica Patrick unzips in the online version.

Hershey
Possibly featuring Carmen Electra

Hyundai
Two 30 sec. spot in third quarter

Kraft Foods
One 30 sec spot for Planters Nuts

New Line
Spot for Semi-Pro starring Will Ferrell

NFL
One 60 sec spot with fans determining favorite football star story. Reported to have won by Ephraim Salaam

ONDCP
Ad aimed at prescription drug related abuse

Paramount Pictures
Iron Man spot

Pepsi-Cola
Before the game spot's mission is to bring awareness of the American deaf community. Titled Bob's House, the theme is based on a popular joke

Pepsi-Cola
One Spot for AMP Energy drink featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr. and camel

Procter & Gamble
Spot for Tide to Go. Ad is scheduled to appear in the second quarter

Salesgenie.com
Three animated spots during before the game, first, and third quarters

Sony Pictures
Hancock, with Will Smith spot likely.

Sony Pictures
You Don't Mess with the Zohan!, with Adam Sandler spot likely.

Toyota
No further information at this time

Under Armour
60 second spot will feature sports personalities in extreme-training conditions

Unilever
One spot at 2:00 minute warning of the fourth quarter. Ad is for sunsilk and promote LifeCantWait.com

Universal Pictures
No further information released at this time.

Warner Bros.
No further information released at this time.

Youtube has a dedicated page for the super bowl ads. http://www.youtube.com/superbowl

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Super Bowl Tickets

2008-02-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

The task of finding tickets to the Super Bowl can be a bit difficult when you don't know who you are dealing with. With average ticket prices for the Super Bowl well over a couple thousand dollars, the owner/operator of Dazzling Deals Tickets has put together an easy-to-use guide with suggested Super Bowl suppliers. These companies all have links to Super Bowl tickets, parties and luxurious accommodations.

When making such a large purchase, it is smart to know who you are dealing with. If something doesn't seem right, then don't buy the tickets. Look for professional web sites, guarantee policies and testimonials. The large majority of online ticket suppliers are very honest, however, one needs to be careful.

Another smart idea is that once you have purchased your tickets online, make sure you make contact with the ticket holder and find out exactly how your tickets will be sent to you. And, if you are meeting the ticket holder, double check the place and time. By following some safe advice, you'll save yourself the possible disappointment of your ticket purchase falling through. Don't get caught up in the hype of an event, remember to make smart choices.

If you are behind on your mortgage, have bills stacking up or any other financial difficulties, do not buy tickets you can't afford. No game is worth spending thousands of dollars to see in person. Frankly, watching the Super Bowl with family and friends at home can be quite fun and enjoyable.

This easy to follow guide can be found at

http://dazzlingdealstickets.googlepages.com/superbowltickets

It is a simple directory of reputable online ticket suppliers. They have all been in business several years and have good favorable reviews from their customers. Another safe place to find tickets that are 100% guaranteed is at the author's own website http://tickets.dazzling-deals.com.

Jan Prijatel is an affiliate marketer and owns several websites. She continually strives to save her readers money on all their internet purchases by passing on her advice. The author is a self-professed couponholic who refuses to pay full price for anything she buys.

Flag Football Plays - Strategies For A Winning Team

2008-02-02T09:02:00.000-08:00

What does it take to win at flag football? A physically talented team? An organized team? A lucky team?

Here are Dr. G's top 10 keys to winning in flag football.

1. Flag football playbook - an architect would never attempt to build a house without a blue print or "plans". Just the same, a team should never show up to a game without good plays or a game plan. Make sure you have a reliable flag football plays and your teammates have access to it.

2. Wrist bands - having your flag football playbook "portable" is also important. Determine what your top plays are and transfer them to your wristband. Not only will this help the hurry up offense, but it also reduces time in the huddle. Also, there is nothing like trying to verbally communicate while panting from the last play. Your plays should be numbered so you can refer to them quickly without confusion. If you have 8 plays, you really have 16, because you can "flip", where everyone one runs the same route, but to the opposite side of the field.

3. Pressure on the opposing QB- Even the best QBs play poorly when they get too much pressure. Get in there and get in there fast! Most interceptions are created by excessive defensive pressure. So often, the worst players are used to rush the QB. Send your best, most athletic players after that QB! Speed and agility are needed to really shake up that QB. Keeping "fresh legs" for rushers is also important, so plan on rotating rushers every few plays.

4. Pitch the ball! - In most flag football leagues, a fumble is a dead ball. Because of this, pitching the ball is a MUST. The risk-reward continuum is outstanding (in your favor) and your team should take full advantage of this. Flipping the ball is a team concept and everyone should be thinking "flip". Put it this way... the chance of you turning a short yardage play into a touch down far outweighs the possibility of a turn over.

5. Reliable teammates - First of all, make sure your teammates are committed to playing every week. If they plan to miss, they should let you know in advance. Make sure your phone and email list is up to date and make sure your team is deep enough to cover your back on light attendance weeks.

6. Cool headed teammates - Everyone has that loose cannon on their team. Decide first if they are worth keeping and if so make sure you know how to manage them. It never fails that the loose cannon comes unglued at the most in-opportune time.

7. Turnovers - Avoiding turnovers seems like a common sense tip, but it's perhaps the most critical component of the game. When the game begins, you can assume that your team will get 6 drives (possessions) and your opponent will get 6 drives. If you throw 2 intercepts, now they get 8 drives and you get 4. All things held equal, this is a tremendous obstacle to over come. Since almost all turnovers are passes, just play smart. On those low percentage or broken pass plays, don't force that throw, but throw it away!

8. Time of possession - Is time of possession really that important in flag football? Well, it depends! If you are the underdog, then you want to reduce the total number of drives per team. If this is the case, burn that clock where you can.

9. Defensive audibles - Based on what the opposing offense comes to the line with, you need to be able to change your defensive plays on the fly. Take the time to create defensive plays and audibles just like you do your offensive plays and audibles.

10. Pulling flags- Every missed flag means 7 more yards for the other team. Make sure you practice grabbing flags. This is often overlooked, but very important in stopping your opponent's offense.
For more information about Flag Football Plays, click here.
http://www.flagfootballstrategies.com

The Top 10 Greatest Wide Receivers of All Time

2008-02-02T09:01:00.000-08:00

Here is a list (not the definitive one) of the greatest wide receivers of all time:

10) Tim Brown - Owns every conceivable receiving record for the raiders. A tremendous threat in the return game early on in his career, he polished his skills to be one of the most dangerous players of the 1990s.

9) Jimmy Smith - Never got the full credit he deserved. He was not blessed with the most dominating physical attributes, but he always found a way to get open. Over 12,000 yards in his career speaks for itself. If he is not a first ballot hall of famer, something is definitely wrong.

8) Don Hutson - Obviously from a different era, but he should be on this list just for his 1942 season. He had 74 catches for 1211 yards and 17 touchdowns. May not be considered earth shattering by today's game, but to put it in perspective, he had more receptions than some entire teams had for that year. Helped pioneer the modern passing game.

7) Isaac Bruce - If it's at all possible for somebody to put up incredible numbers throughout his career and not to be recognized by many outside the NFL circles as top-tier player, Isaac Bruce accomplished it. His stats tower over many receivers that are in the hall of fame, yet many don't see him being first ballot Hall of Famers.

6) Steve Largent - Proved how little importance should be made to 40 yard times and vertical jumps. He perfected the most important aspect the job. He was always able to get open and when he did, he caught the ball. Simple but effective. He was the first receiver to ever reach the 100 career touchdown mark.

5) Chris Carter - Arguably, the greatest hands to ever touch a football. If there was some kind of career statistic that measured the percentage of drops per reception attempt, this man would be king.

4) Michael Irvin - Sure, he might have gotten away with more push-offs than any other receiver in the history of the league. But you can't argue with the results. He helped lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories as they became the team of the 90s.

3) Marvin Harrison - From the Jerry Rice school of wide receiver. Work! Work! Work! Hours upon hours studying game films, running routes after routes, helped Harrison become the best wide receiver of his generation.

2) Randy Moss - Distractions aside, and with the possible exception of Bo Jackson, nobody in the history of the league has been more physically dominating in his position than Randy Moss. It genuinely looks like he is a man playing amongst boys. World class speed, could jump over skyscrapers, wingspan of a pterodactyl, he is genuine freak of nature.

1) Jerry Rice - Was there every any doubt? His career receiving numbers would be impressive even if they were passing statistics. It is safe to say, these records will never even be sniffed in the next 100 years.

Jon Ferraro is the owner and operator of Sports-Signatures.com For listings on Football Autographs and Jerry Rice Autographs make sure to visit his website.

Closer Than Expected?

2008-02-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

The New York Giants... a 13 point underdog going into the Super Bowl. The Giants have had a remarkable run through the playoffs, beating the likes of Philadelphia, Dallas, and Green Bay. A fluke? I don't think so.

Eli Manning has been explosive in the playoffs. Eli is playing like a brand new QB, and not like the one that people are use to seeing during the regular season. That is easy to tell when he beat the likes of Jeff Garcia, Tony Romo, and Brett Farve, all in 3 weeks.

Eli's stats are not too shabby either. Between the 38-35 loss to the Patriots and the three playoff games, Eli has completed 64% of his passes, averaging 213 yards per game, and thrown 8 TD's and only 1 interception. Plus, Eli is going to have his three best receivers in the game come Sunday: Burress, Toomer, and Smith.

Needless to say, the Giants are hot right now.

On the other hand, the Patriots are cooling off.

Randy Moss has not been playing the way he use to during the regular season.

Nobody can promise that Tom Brady's foot will be ready in time, and if it does, no promises that he will play to whole game, unless he wants something similar to Curt Schilling's bloody sock from the 2004 World Series.

Overall, the Pats have not been scoring the way they were earlier in the season. During the first 7 weeks, the Pats were averaging almost 40 points per game. From week 9 until the conference championship, they only reached 30+ points 5 times.

I do not know what everybody else thinks (even though they probably think I am wrong and just crazy), but the Pats are cooling down.

Some say, however, the extra week off is going to cool down the Giants and give Brady some more time to heal. That would be true, much to my disappointment, but I would still rather pick the team that is hot than the team that is not.

In a nutshell...GO GIANTS!
By Corey Norman

The Wait is Over - Here Comes Superbowl XLII

2008-02-02T08:57:00.000-08:00

After a hard fought season, Superbowl XLII is upon us. The wait is over. The teams are intensely training, advertisers are working up their best commercials, and employees are cleaning the 73,000 seats at the University of Phoenix Stadium. Even more excited are the fans across the nations who wait impatiently to see if the New England Patriots can be the first team in NFL history to complete a 16 game undefeated season and win the Superbowl.

Die hard fans are preparing their airline tickets or mapping out their route and securing their hotel reservations. Those at home are getting ready for Superbowl XLII, as well. They're buying beer and chips, making dip, maybe even buying a new big screen high definition TV. This is the day that everyone is a football fan. This has been one of the most exciting and record breaking seasons in the NFL to date. With so few programming choices, only the true fanatics have followed every snap.

The question to ask is what happens after Superbowl XLII is over? What happens when everyone goes home? All of those preparations, all of that time getting ready for Superbowl XLII, and it will soon be over for another season. What is the diehard football fan to do after Superbowl XLII? Satellite providers are providing their customers with the most robust tools one can find to follow the sport. Other then NFL Sunday Ticket (only on DIRECTV), the satellite providers have high definition broadcasting of the NFL Network. The NFL Network airs football related content 365 days a year.

Fans can enjoy watching entire draft coverage live as well as training camp and exclusive coverage from football greats like Jamie Dukes, Deon Sanders, Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Rod Woodson, Sterling Sharp and Jim Mora just to name a few. It has the most comprehensive coverage of the NFL available today. Many die had fans have been switching to DIRECTV for the mere fact that they can receive this channel as well as NFL Sunday Ticket for their out of market games. With history being made almost every Sunday, who could blame them.
Whitney Alen is a Direct TV expert and has over 10 years experience in the satellite TV industry.

Tom Brady's Right Boot - More Patriot Trickery?

2008-01-31T07:03:00.000-08:00

Ever since Tom Brady's infamous mid-day stroll, equipped with a less than fashionable walking boot on his right foot, there has been a countless number of players, fans and analysts all speculating over Brady's role in the upcoming Super Bowl. Some say that he will not be able to produce his best football as his mobility will be limited by this injury. Others say that Brady is faking, attempting the lull the Giants into a false sense of security before the big game.

Honestly, though, I think those of the latter group are full of it. Yes, Belichick did resort to cheating earlier in the season with his ever-so-shady filming debacle. But do you think the Patriots would really risk not having Brady on the field the week before the biggest game of the year? I doubt it. After all, we are talking about Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Brady has been in this situation before. He has won three Super Bowl rings without any of these so-called head games and trickery. So why do it now? Why not just let Brady and the rest of the 18-0 Patriots loose like they have been doing all season?

Something tells me that Brady's injury is real. The risk of having a sub-par Tom Brady in a winner-take-all game is just too high. Not practicing for a week could throw off his rhythm. And having a quarterback who is out of sync could mean the difference between a 4th Super Bowl ring or an almost historic 18-1 season. Yeah, there is too much riding on this game for Belichick and company to pull a stupid stunt like that. In my opinion, the cloud of secrecy surrounding Brady's injury is to make sure that the Giants don't find out what kind of injury Brady is suffering from. I mean, would you want the opposing defensive line to know exactly where to hit Brady to ensure he will not get back up? Neither does Belichick.

The bottom line is Brady has sustained some type of injury. What exactly, nobody knows. But mark my words, Tom Brady will be playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday, spreading the ball around the field just like he has done all season. He may be a little hobbled, but the Giants should be concerned with how they are going to stop the potent Patriot offense rather than keying in on Brady's injury.

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales at RobbinsSports.com, an online resource for Baseball Uniforms, Track Uniforms and Stopwatches.

The Top 10 Greatest Running Backs of All Time

2008-01-31T07:02:00.000-08:00

Everybody has there favorite running backs of all time, but here is my list of the top 10 greatest running backs of all time:

10) Eric Dickerson - Nobody was prettier to watch. If you watched the Los Angeles Rams in the 80s, it looked like a bunch of elephants chasing a gazelle.

9) Bo Jackson - Boy, what could have been. If the criteria for the greatest running back of all time was just sheer physical attributes it wouldn't even be close. This man was a freak of nature. It looked like somebody built him in Frankenstein-like experiment. It's a shame that an injury destroyed his career.

8) Gale Sayers - No NFL player had a more memorable career by playing less games. He scored a then record 22 touchdowns in his rookie year. Without the possible exception of Barry Sanders, he was the most dangerous player in the open field in the history of the NFL.

7) Earl Campbell - No other player has exerted more pain on the opposing defense than Earl Campbell. Legs as thick as redwood trees, every tackle was on him was going to be an ordeal.

6) Emmitt Smith - All time NFL leading rusher. What more needs to be said?

5) Ladanian Tomlinson - Has been breaking records ever since he entered the league. He is a touchdown machine. In the 2006 season, he scored more touchdowns than some entire teams scored for that year. If he can keep this kind of pace, he might break every rushing record in existence.

4) Marshall Faulk - Part of the greatest show on turf. Such an amazing football player, that if he played Wide Receiver, he'd probably still be going to the Hall of Fame. By far, no other running back has been such a weapon in the passing game.

3) Jim Brown - Revolutionized the position. A man among boys. Regarded by many as the not only the greatest running back of all time, but the greatest football player of all time.

2) Walter Payton - Not blessed with blazing speed or great physical strength. He was THE blue collar running back. He typified the character of Chicago.

1) Barry Sanders - Nobody has done more in a career with less help than Barry Sanders. His open field moves were something akin to a video game. Sanders played for some truly horrible Detroit Lions teams. He played with weak quarterbacks, paper thin offensive lines, and yet he managed to go over 1,000 yards for every single year of his career.

Jon Ferraro is the owner and operator of Sports-Signatures.com For listings on Football Autographs and other Sports Autographs make sure to visit his website.

Watch The Superbowl Game Online - Do This So You Don't Miss The Big Game

2008-01-31T07:01:00.000-08:00

How to watch NFL Football League Games Online

Do you get bored at work? Now you can watch NFL football games online. If you have an internet connection at home or at work, then you have the option to watch TV in a different way. Did you know you can watch live NFL football games online,download them, or record them to watch later? The only things you need are a laptop or desktop computer, a high speed internet connection and TV for PC software. Watch regular season football, NFL playoff games or even watch the Superbowl game online.

Watch NFL Football Games on the Internet

Internet television is the new home and office entertainment media. With this inexpensive piece of software downloaded to your laptop or pc, it's possible to watch both major sporting events as well as popular extreme sports and European games. Even international adult TV channels are available.

Most major television networks and a rapidly expanding number of more premium type channels are streaming free to air television feeds of their programming to the internet. This is not only happening in America, but all around the world. The largest advantage of internet TV feeds is that you can watch your favorite sports channels even when you're away from home.

NFL football games are only the tip of the iceberg in entertainment options.

If you want uninterrupted online sports viewing, and let's face it there's no point in watching TV online if you have to constantly wait for the channel to load or reload, then you should double check your PC for certain specifications. As long as your computer isn't more than 3 or 4 years old, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. The ideal amount of RAM for streaming television feeds is 520MB. You should also have at least 300MHz of processing speed in order to be certain you will get continuous video picture flow. The only other thing you really need is a fast internet connection and broadband is the best option.

Watch National Football League Playoffs

Any type of computer monitor will work with the TV for PC software. Although an LCD computer screen does give you a sharper image, a normal projection type screen will do just fine. Don't stress over all the technical stuff unless your computer is more than about 3 or 4 years old because chances are your computer is already equipped with everything you need.

Online Sports TV Made Easy with Titanium Edition TV for PC

Your last detail to take care of is to install the software that will decode the feeds and organize them into an easy to use interface. Fortunately the software you will need is available online. It's inexpensive, easy to install and ready for immediate download.

You do need to make sure that you're getting a good quality product. Titanium Edition TV for PC gets high recommendations for several reasons. It has the largest number of channels, excellent customer service available 24/7, and there is a money back guarantee if you don't like it.

Watching Sports TV Shows with PC 2007 Titanium

I use and recommend PC TV 2007 Titanium Edition for watching NFL, NHL, NBA or major league baseball games online with your laptop. At home, I connect my laptop to the television in my bedroom and watch the games on my regular TV set because I don't have cable in that room. Now I don't need it and don't have to bother with the expense of having it installed.

If your business travel or a vacation takes you out of the country, you don't have to worry about missing your favorite team play. Even if you're stuck in meetings while the game is on, you can simply program the software to save the game and then watch it later in your hotel room. It's a handy little piece of software to have downloaded to your laptop when you travel.

Not only is it possible to catch American football games from wherever you are, but you can also watch Canadian football, World Cup soccer and even English cricket and rugby matches with a wave of your mouse. The very best part is that you can save every game, burn them to disc and create your very own NFL game video library just like the pros do!

If you want to watch the superbowl online plus catch all the other major league sports action you can handle, then download PC 2007 Titanium Edition and watch every game right here!

Giants Pull Off The Unthinkable

2008-01-31T07:00:00.000-08:00

In frigid temperatures of the frozen tundra of Green Bay, the New York Giants completed the unthinkable of winning 10 straight games on the road.
They battled the cold. They battled the crafty veteran quarterback, and they battled expert panels of sportscasters who gave them no shot. When it was all over, kicker Lawrence Tynes, booted the Giants into Super Bowl 42.

It wasn't easy, and it wasn't pretty but it was a complete team effort. "Keep doing what you've been doing all season long," expressed Antonio Pierce in the post game press conference. "You've doubted us, and we want you to keep doubting us." Although what Pierce says is the truth, as most if not all of the national media, gave the Giants absolutely no chance to win.

Pierce may not be so lucky in his second request. Early indicators show the Giants are already 14 point underdogs to the AFC machine known as the New England Patriots. Although that may be the case, the Giants are gaining support from the so called experts.

Shaun King, former NFL QB, and now host on ESPN's 1st and 10, looked directly into the camera and said the Giants "will beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl". Moments later Cato June, a special guest on the same show, did not claim a Giants victory, but did say, that is who he was going to route for.

There is no question, that each successive game has gotten more difficult for the Giants. How befitting though that the hardest game, the Super Bowl, are the 18 - 0 New England Patriots. If the Giants are going to become Super Bowl champions, they will have to defy the odds, play better then they have to this point, and literally shock the world.

As for the Patriots side of it. They know they are favored. They know they have the better team. However, they also know, none of that matters come in two weeks when the two teams face off.
The stage is set, the teams are decided, and the New York Giants are one of them. Unlike in 2000 when they really had no chance of beating the Ravens, I think this team does have a realistic chance of winning this game. They can score points, the defense is playing better than it has all season long, but more importantly, the Giants players themselves truly believe they will be hoisting the Super Bowl trophy at the end of the game.

By: Michael C. Podlesny is the co-host of the Big Blue Review, a weekly podcast featuring the latest news on The New York Giants. The podcast can be downloaded from Michael's blog at http://BigBlueReviewPodcast.Blogspot.com.

All Eyes on the Super Bowl

2008-01-31T06:59:00.000-08:00

The Super Bowl is, by far, the U.S. television program, which has the most American viewers. Based on the Nielsen Media Research, on the average, the Super Bowl has 40 percent of all the houses in the States and 60 percent of all the households are tuned into the Super Bowl when there is a game. This would mean that on the average and at any given moment, approximately 80 to 90 million American viewers tune into the Super Bowl. Also, it was estimated that around 130 to 140 million American watch some part of the game.

Some press releases given by the NFL have actually stated that the most recent games of the Super Bowl have been made available to a billion potential audiences worldwide. However, there have been a couple of independent studies that have been done which have suggested that the total number of international viewers on the average is a little over 100 million - and a majority of this number are American viewers.

And because of this great fame of the Super Bowl, you may be astonished to learn that there are completely no videotapes of the first two Super Bowl telecasts. It is particularly surprising for the Super Bowl I, since it has been covered by CBS and NBC, which are two of the biggest television networks. Sports Illustrated has stated that the only first telecast footage that existed was the first game's two-minute video clip. This is because during the earlier days of the television and sometime in the 1960s, the copies of the TV broadcasts were erased routinely, as nobody ever thought that there would be anyone who would want to replay a show that they have already seen. Also, during those days, videotapes were significantly expensive.

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Iron Man Brett Favre

2008-01-25T06:44:00.000-08:00

After the NFL 2007-2008 season, Brett Favre (Green Bay Packers, Jersey No. 4), one of the best ever quarterback to play the game is expected to retire. His career spans 17 years from 1991 to 2008. A remarkable player, Brett Favre started in the NFL when legends and superstars played in the game.

He competed against, and even bested, some of the premier quarterbacks at the time such as Steve Young, Troy Aikman, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, and John Elway. All of these players are retired and are members of the NFL Football Hall of Fame. But Brett's years playing football outlasted them all, allowing him to surpass many NFL records.

College and early NFL years

Brett Favre played collegiate football at the University of Southern Mississippi. In his junior season, he lead the Golden Eagles to an upset of the sixth ranked Florida State. In the 1991 NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons picked Brett Favre in the second round as the third quarterback to be selected overall. Dan McGwire was drafted 16th in the first round by the Seattle Seahawks and Todd Marinovich was drafted 24th in the first round by the Los Angeles Raiders.

Brett Favre only played a handful of games for Atlanta then he was traded to Green Bay for a first round pick in 1992. He backed up Don Majkowski (nicknamed the Magic Man by the sports press) until Majkowski's injury in the third game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals. By engineering a come-from-behind victory and Majkowski's injury, Brett Favre earned the right to start the fourth game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has not relinquished that position ever since.

The Best All Around Quarterback?

A case could definitely be made for Brett Farve as the best NFL quarterback of all time. He holds some of the most prestigious awards for his position:

* Most wins by a starting quarterback (NFL) regular season career: 159 (Regular season record: 159-93)
* Most career passing touchdowns: 440
* Most career passing yards: 61,556
* Most career pass completions: 5,368
* Most career pass attempts: 8,747
* Most career interceptions thrown by a quarterback: 288
* Most career games with at least three touchdowns: 63

Furthermore, he's taken the Green Bay Packers twice to the Superbowl, beating the New England Patriots in Superbowl XXXI (1996) and losing to the Denver Broncos in Superbowl XXXII (1997). Perhaps when making a case for the best quarterback, probably the strongest of his cards is his longevity.

Brett Favre owns the most consecutive start by an NFL quarterback. He hasn't missed a game since he started for the Green Bay Packers in 1992, the fourth game of the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That was 253 regular season games ago (not including the 20 or so playoff games).

RL Aguirre is a writer/producer for KSPR-Perspective Radio podcasting online talk shows on movies comic books and local sports

How The Super Bowl Was Born

2008-01-25T06:43:00.001-08:00

If you are from America, then you would definitely know what the Super Bowl is all about. Even if you are a not, it is a cinch that you have probably know or have at least heard of it. It is the NFL's or National Football League's championship game.

Along with it comes Super Bowl Sunday, which is made up of the Super Bowl itself plus the other festivities related to the event. Over the years, it has been the U.S. television broadcast, which is most-watched and is almost considered as an actual national holiday of the U.S.

Additionally, lots of famous musical artists have given great performances at the pre-game ceremonies and the halftime ceremonies of the Super Bowl. It is also the second of the days with the most food consumption in the States - the first would be Thanksgiving.

The first game of the Super Bowl was played on the 15th of January in 1967. Back then, it was a part of an agreement made between the AFL or the American Football League or the AFL and the NFL. Basically, each of the league's championship teams would be playing against each other on the "AFL-NFL World Championship Game".

In 1970, the two leagues eventually merged and the Super Bowl ultimately became the championship game of the NFL.

The Super Bowl makes use of Roman numbers for game identification instead of the year when it was held, as the season of the NFL usually extends past New Year's Eve.
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Super Bowl Ring - Who Gets It?

2008-01-25T06:42:00.000-08:00

With the Super Bowl come the Super Bowl rings. However, what are they and how can you get one?

Super Bowls rings are given as awards to all the members of the winning team in the championship game of the league, which is the Super Bowl. They are awarded to them in commemoration of their victory. These valuable rings are usually made with white or yellow studded with diamonds. They would have the Super Bowl number, the team name and the team logo engraved on each ring.

The rings could also have bigger diamonds, as well as diamonds that have been designed to form a trophy. It represents how many Super Bowls the particular franchise has won. For instance, the 2005 Super Bowl ring of Pittsburgh has five trophies, which would represent the five championship games, or Super Bowls, that they have won.

A lot of people may not know that the NFL actually spends almost $5,000 for each ring, and usually gives almost 150 rings for each team. And the policy was if the cost of the rings goes over the limit of $5,000, then the team owner would be the one paying for the difference. A lot of the more recent rings have been appraised to have a value of over $20,000 but most manufacturers do not directly give this information.

The Super Bowl rings are usually made by the chosen company of the winning team. A lot of the Super Bowl rings are manufactured by a company named Josten's located in Denton. Texas.
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Super Bowl Venues

2008-01-25T06:41:00.000-08:00

Majority of the Super Bowl games that were held were played in one of the three most frequent cities that were used as the game's venue so far. These three cities are New Orleans in Louisiana, the Greater Miami Area and the Greater Los Angeles Area. In fact 25 out of the 41 games that were ever played were held in one of these three cities. New Orleans and the Greater Miami Area have been the Super Bowl venues for nine times each and the Greater Los Angeles area has been the game's venue for seven times. Following these would Florida, Tampa and San Diego, which have hosted the Super Bowl thrice each.

Some of the stadiums where the Super Bowl was held are Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Miami Orange Bowl, Tulane Stadium, Rice Stadium, Rose Bowl, Louisiana Superdome, Tampa Stadium, Qualcomm Stadium and a lot more.

The venue for the Super Bowl games is usually chosen by the National Football League or NFL around 3 to 5 years prior to the game actually being held. Typically, different cities place their bids to be able to host the Super Bowl. After the bids have been received, the NFL owners have a meeting to select, decide and finalise the location. The venues for the next 4 years of the Super Bowls have already been decided, up to 2011 Super Bowl XLV. There was also a suggestion made by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in October of 2007 that there could be a Super Bowl which would be played in London.

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Entertaining Moments of the Super Bowl

2008-01-24T08:21:00.000-08:00

The entire of the Super Bowl is not just focused on purely football. Of course, there are the halftime shows, which have been quite great attractions as well, with all the popular musical acts and artists performing.

During the earlier days of the Super Bowl, the halftime shows that were features just consisted of some marching bands of the local high schools or colleges. However, as the popularity of the Super Bowl increased through the years, the potential of exposure has also increased. Because of this, popular singers and other musicians came to perform at pre-game ceremonies and halftime shows. Sometimes, they would just sing the U.S. National Anthem, which is the Star-Spangled Banner.

At the Super Bowl XL, there were a couple of outstanding performances. Stevie Wonder, John Legend and Joss Stone performed at the pre-game ceremony. Aaron Neville, Dr. John and Aretha Franklin sang the Star-Spangled Banner. And at the halftime show, the Rolling Stones gave an unforgettable performance.

Also a memorable performance was the performance of U2 in 2002. It was a special tribute to the 9/11 victims so as the band sang their second song, the names of the victims were scrolled on a large projection screen.

Another controversial halftime show was at the Super Bowl XXXVIII. Justin Timberlake accidentally removed a piece of what Janet Jackson was wearing, which exposed her right breast and showed her star shaped ring. They repeated that it was just a "wardrobe malfunction". That particular game was aired live on CBS and the halftime show was produced by MTV, which was a sister company of CBS under Viacom.

After that, pictures and videos of the incident quickly circulated online. Due to the incident, NFL prohibited MTV from producing another halftime show. The FCC also tightened their controls regarding indecency and fined CBS for $225,000, including the other stations that were owned and operated by CBS. The following year, however, the halftime show was totally uncontroversial, as Paul McCartney performed.

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Football - Why So Popular?

2008-01-23T07:03:00.000-08:00

Another Football season is about to descend upon us. The time of the year that football fans across the nation live for. In millions of homes, fans will grab their NFL teams jersey and cap and favorite brew and plop down on the sofa with friends for another exciting afternoon of Sunday football. Or for those who can actually afford the ticket prices, it's another season of tailgating parties, hanging out with 60,000 other screaming fans cheering on the hometown team, and Monday morning hangovers. Of course there are some who could care less about all this 'who struck John' football stuff and wonder what the big deal is? I've known a few women in my time who actually detest football because they know for the next sixteen Sundays they'll be hard pressed to get the husband to do anything on Sunday afternoons. How is it that football has become such a fixture in American culture?

Growing up in Baltimore in the 60's, I was an avid fan of the Baltimore Colts. They played football in an old horseshoe shaped place that they called Memorial Stadium. They had great teams during those years and won a couple of championships. A few years earlier they played in what many people call the 'Greatest Game' in the 1958 Championship game against the New York Giants. For me, I think it's rather silly to call any one game the greatest because there's been so many great games through the years. What that game did accomplish was capture the attention of thousands of people across the nation, and pushed the NFL to the next level.
The football ritual itself reminds me of a gladiator spectacle. People dress up in crazy costumes, sit out in all kinds of weather, act like raving lunatics to watch a bunch of 300 pound beefy boys bang each other around for the next three hours. No one gets killed at the end, but I notice that near the end of the game when the outcome has usually been decided, the camera's will oftentimes pan to the owner's booth, where you'll get a shot of the victorious owner. With a little imagination, it's not difficult picturing the owner giving a thumbs up or down to determine the losers fate.

The game itself reminds one of a movie from the Lifetime Channel. You have the good guys and the bad guys. You have the drama of the ups and downs through the course of the game. You also have the umpteen commercial breaks along the way.(By the way, if you really want to see the game from a different perspective, go to one. The constant stoppage of the game for commercial breaks will seem so out of place at the game. You're sitting there wondering why are they stopping the game now? At home, you're so accustomed to this, and you use this time for running to the bathroom, refrigerator, etc., but at the game you're just sitting there thinking enough already, get on with the game). Anyway, the game winds to it's conclusion, and if it's really a good production, it will come down to the 'two minute drill', where the home team pulls the game out at the very ending. Just like our protagonists in the movie. Usually the good guys win, but not always.

After the game, the people wander home to their homes or neighborhood bars to discuss the day's events. Usually there's a game on Sunday Night Football where they can continue to get their fix of football right on to the early morning hours. The next morning is rough for the die hards, and leads one to recall the statement about hoping that you don't buy a car that was made on Monday, and why. In any event, this goes on for the next sixteen weeks, and if your team is lucky enough to make it to the playoffs, all bets are off.

Yes, the National Football League, or as some would say, the National Felony League has made itself a part of American life and culture. It's a huge business that millions of fans live for, and spend dearly to be a part of. As for me, I can no longer bring myself to sit in front of the boob tube for hours on end on a Sunday. I'd much rather get out and take a walk in the woods instead. Besides, I can no longer endure the Monday Morning payback as opposed to being a Monday Morning quarterback.

William J. Thomas is an avid Sports fan. He write articles about Sports, Business and other topics. Visit Bill's Blog for commentary about contemporary Sports issues. Bill's Sports Blog

TO Cries the Blues, Giants Get Ready For Green Bay

2008-01-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

There is a lot that can be said about the Giants victory over the Cowboys on Sunday. It was monumental, huge, you name it, but no one could predict that the victory would cause a grown man to cry.

Standing at the podium in the post game press conference, T.O. arguably one of the best receivers in football, broke down and started to cry. "That's my quarterback," says Owens with tears coming down his face. "It's not fair that you do that to him."
In that moment a collective cheer could be heard coming from Philadelphia, where Owens single handily destroyed the Eagles season the year after they went to the Superbowl.
With that behind Big Blue, and ignoring the ignorant comments by Wade Phillips the head coach of the Cowboys, who said, "The best team did not win on Sunday", the Giants press on to Green Bay.

The two teams met in week 2 at the Meadowlands with Green Bay coming out as the victor. That was a long time ago, and both these teams are completely different now. Also this Giants team has won an unprecedented 9 straight road games. What does all this means? Absolutely nothing.

This is a huge game for both teams, so the past means nothing, because this will be unlike anything they saw all season long.

As Giants fans we can enjoy the ride. A ride that no one, even their wildest imagination, could have predicted. No one wants this ride to come to an end, however, no one can be upset if it does.
By: Michael C. Podlesny
Michael C. Podlesny is the co-host of the Big Blue Review, a weekly podcast featuring the latest news on The New York Giants. The podcast can be downloaded from Michael's blog at http://BigBlueReviewPodcast.Blogspot.com

The Best Hope for the Rams Will Come Out of LA

2008-01-22T05:37:00.001-08:00

The absolute best hope that we as Rams fans have to getting this team back on track will be at the LA Summit that is going on right now between the heads of the organization (John Shaw and Jay Zygmunt) and Head Coach Scott Linehan.

It seems in the past that when Coach Linehan hired his Coordinators and his assistants, for the most part, he was hiring his "buddies". I'm sure he felt that he would be better off working with people he knew and could get along with. Obviously, this hasn't worked. My fear right now is that this is what will be used to determine who he hires as an Offensive Coordinator to replace Greg Olson, instead of going after the most qualified candidate.

The first and most important step to getting this team back on track is a good Offensive Coordinator. I realize that they have to concentrate on getting better player talent as well, but that talent will go to waste if they don't have a qualified Coach.

I am hoping that team President John Shaw and Jay Zygmunt get Coach Linehan to hire the most qualified Offensive Coordinator. In my opinion, that is Cam Cameron. I like a lot about Coach Cameron. When you view what he has done in his previous positions (minus Miami), he spreads the ball around and uses the talent on the field effectively to score points. This, last I checked, is what creates wins. Back when the Rams won the Superbowl in the 1998 season, Shaw and Zygmunt made Coach Vermeil hire Mike Martz. The rest is history there. Maybe this is what needs to be done again...but soon.

If the Rams waste too much more time debating on who they should hire, the best candidates, especially Coach Cameron, will be gone as they are highly sought after by other teams. The Rams need to get with it and get this thing done and get a qualified Offensive Coordinator hired or the 2008 season will be just as bad as the 2007 season. Which I might add, could have been worse at 3-13, but not by much.

Time will tell as the LA Summit is happening right now. We should know in a couple of days if the Rams are serious about getting this team on track or not. So, for now, all we can do is wait and hope they do the right things.

Kevin Cundick is a die-hard Rams fan and has been for many years. He has a blog that can be read at My St. Louis Rams Blog. He also runs the Best Football Source website which has a resource area for the St. Louis Rams, plus all other NFL teams as well as many college teams.

NCAA Football And NFL Football Send Cottage Industries Into Full Gear

2008-01-22T05:36:00.000-08:00

Football is big business. Both the NFL and NCAA football generate huge dollars for their teams, players, the leagues and for many other industries. According to CNN last November, NCAA sports teams generated 4.2 billion from its fans and partners. Almost all of that revenue comes from football and basketball with the lion's share being the football market. This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what football does to our national economy.

Secondary sources of income from NCAA football and the NFL are two many to be named. These include TV networks, beer and food companies, cities and states for taxes, vegas casinos, off shore sportsbooks, etcetera, etcetera, and etcetera. Most people are well aware of these major industry players that benefit from the country's love of our true pastime, American football. Even more interesting is two cottage industries that have grown up to capitalize on the passion that is football season in the US.

The most main-stream of these industries is fantasy football. A search on google for fantasy football brings up 3,120,000 results that serve this market. This includes businesses that sell information to support to fantasy football owners plus sites that allow people to run their own league. Some sites such as the American Fantasy Football league, run high stakes leagues for the savvy fantasy football player. According to BusinessWeek, this "cottage industry" generates between 1-2 billion dollars per year.

The second industry that benefits from our love of NCAA football and the NFL is handicappers. This industry isn't quite as large as the fantasy football space, but still has plenty of web activity going on. A Google search for "handicapping" nets 2.7 million results. These sites are not bookies or online gambling sites; rather they sell their "expertise" about who will win the game against the spread. An example of a football handicapping site is TodaysPicks.net These sites all offer games from baseball, basketball, and other sports, but clearly NFL and NCAA football are the bread and butter. One look at the text of TodaysPicks shows that football is what matters to this entrepreneur.

So when you sit down on the couch this weekend to enjoy some football, take pride in what you are doing for the economy. You are supporting businesses big and small, so ask your wife to leave you alone while you join millions who support the Football industry. (...unless your wife watches football with you...like mine)

Bio:Jeff Schroeffel is an online marketing consultant and football fan. He is a avid fantasy football player and enjoys both the NFL and NCAA football. He is the owner of Pittsburgh Internet Consulting, an internet marketing agency based in Pittsburgh, PA TodaysPicks.net is a client of Pittsburgh Internet Consulting focused on NFL & NCAA Picks.
References:1 - CNN2 - American Fantasy Football League3 - Business Week

Leadership Secrets of New England Patriots

2008-01-22T05:35:00.000-08:00

Tonight's Patriots-Giants game was probably one of the most exciting regular season games in the history of NFL. In the era of ever changing dynamics of coaches, free agent star players and the owners who do not truly appreciate the sport, it is refreshing to see a well led and managed organization like the Patriots clinching the 16-0 perfect season. If you look closely, The Patriots organization has always been different from other sports franchises. Between the humble owner, Bob Kraft to the disciplined coach Bill Belichick and all the levelheaded players - they all sing the same tune.

In 2005, James Lavin wrote an interesting and thoroughly researched book on the Patriots - Management Secrets of New England patriots. The book highlighted the management and leadership traits that helped them win the three super bowls. With this year's perfect season - happened only the second time in the history of NFL and the first time since the league moved to a 16 game format - the Patriots are still in sync with the leadership traits that Lavin presented in his book. Some of the traits that Lavin pointed out in his book included:

Respect opponents, Do not undermine your competition

It's Leadership! not luck

Humble ownership/ top management sets the right direction

Consummate Leadership is the key

Winning with class

Smart coaches/ leaders & coachable players/staff

look for overlooked talent

Focus on value (Performance/pay)

Expectations - Past performance is no guarantee for future results. Be creative!

Everyone's a coach. Every member of an organization needs to take a lead.

Being competitive is not a bad thing. Don't get mad, get even!

Best marketing is a great product

Some of the traits mentioned in this post are along the direction of my other posts that can be found at my blog 4entrepreneur.net

Jay Maharjan is a management and marketing consultant based out of Los Angeles. Maharjan can be reached via his blog at http://4entrepreneur.net

Paying College Athletes - Why It Should Be Done And How To Do It

2008-01-22T05:34:00.000-08:00

For quite some time now, there has been a big debate about whether or not college athletes should be paid. Some people believe that a scholarship should be payment enough. After all, a scholarship can be easily worth $15,000 - $25,000 or more per year, plus a career after college that can be worth a million dollars over a lifetime. Additionally, student athletes receive all kinds of perks while they are in college, like staying at fancy hotels, being seen on national tv, and all of the notoriety that goes with being a stare athlete. Its hard to put a price tag on all of that.

However, considering the fact that certain college sports generate millions of dollars for college athletic programs, many people believe the athletes are being used. If the average football scholarship is worth $20,000 per year, yet the university gains $70,000 per year in revenue per scholarship player (please note that this figure is just an estimate - the actual number may actually be higher), the university will profit $50,000 per year, per scholarship player, or $200,000 over a four year period.

It is very difficult to put a numeric value on exactly how much an athlete is worth to a college. A star quarterback will not only help sell tickets, but will bring in plenty of merchandise sales as well. The NCCA won't allow the universities to sell a college football jersey with a player's name on it, but they will sell the jersey with the player's number on it, which is easily recognizable in local, and sometimes national markets. The major colleges earn enormous sums of money on this kind of merchandise alone, yet the student athlete who's number is being used to sell merchandise will not see one dime of the profits. To say that the student athlete isn't being exploited in this situation is an understatement.

It goes way beyond that. College athletic programs rake in millions from television and advertising contracts. They also bring in millions of dollars of donations from sports boosters. Yes, salaries need to be paid to athletic directors and coaches, not to mention travel and other costs for the student athletes, and it is great that major college football and basketball programs help fund non-revenue athletic programs. However, the fact of the matter is that, compared to the amount of revenue that student athletes generate for their colleges, what they receive in return is very small.

Here's where it gets really interesting. An athlete can be "disciplined" for selling their tickets to a fan on game day, yet how much money do the directors of the NCAA earn as a result of the efforts of the student athletes? The reality is that the college athletes quite literally pay for a large portion of the salaries of every person employed by the NCAA. If an executive from the NCAA is able to drive a Mercedes, he can thank a star quarterback or running back for that, and perhaps even several walk ons.

So here is the point: if the NCAA, coaches, and athletic directors can earn huge sums of money from the student athletes, shouldn't student athletes have a piece of the pie too? This isn't to say that college athletes should get paid large amounts of money, but it would definitely be nice if their scholarships would pay them a little extra to go out for pizza every once and a while, or buy some nice clothes - just a little extra spending cash as a way of saying "thanks" for their efforts.

If for some reason college athletes could be paid, that opens up a whole new can of worms. All of the athletes on a football team with 125 players work very hard in practice, but only 11can start on offense and defense - do you only pay the starters?. Additionally, if you were to pay more to the star quarterback than you do for an "ok" receiver, you are going to run into a lot of other problems. Having said this, the first thing you want to avoid with paying college athletes is student athletes squabbling how much money they earn or should earn, which happens frequently in the NFL.

The second thing you want to avoid is an uneven playing field. While some colleges at the division I level could afford to pay athletes, many simply don't bring in enough revenue. If a student athlete knows he can earn more at USC than he will if he plays for his state university, then the playing field becomes more uneven than it already is. Athletes would almost always choose the "money schools" over other colleges. Technically, this happens today more than people realize, because colleges with the most tradition, best coaches, and the best records are usually the colleges with the most money...but, if one college could afford to pay more to athletes than other colleges, the playing field would be even more uneven.

If you are going to start paying athletes, all of the athletes need to be paid the same amount of money, and all of the colleges would need to have the same amount of money to pay their athletes with, which could be pre-determined by the NCAA. Even if this amount was a small amount like $1,000 PER YEAR, per player (which totals ($125,000 per year for a college football team with 125 players), paid every month during the school year, it would be a lot more fair to the student athletes...and most colleges at the Division I level could certainly afford it. For the few colleges that couldn't afford it, the NCAA could always put up the extra money out of the millions it generates from the bowl game. Another alternative would be to cut the salaries of every executive of the NCAA who has gotten rich off of NCAA athletics by 25%- and give the difference to the athletes...

Most of this article focused on college football programs. The revenues that are generated from basketball programs are even more staggering, considering that the teams, are smaller, the travel expenses are less expensive, and that fewer scholarships need to be handed out, making the profits that the NCAA earns from college basketball programs even more staggering.

Are you a Nebraska, LSU, or Ohio State fan? Please visit http://NebraskaFootballGear.com, http://LouisianaFootballGear.com , or http://OhioFootballGear.com

Bill Parcells - Can He Turn Around Miami?

2008-01-21T05:39:00.001-08:00

Despite not going winless, no one can really say the Miami Dolphins had a good season: a 1-15 record is only good when the numbers are reversed. Now, with the off season prematurely here, Miami has already begun making changes. Most notably, Cam Cameron has been fired and Bill Parcells has been hired.

But wait, let's not get ahead of ourselves. He might be known as one of the most prolific head coaches in NFL history, but Bill Parcells won't be coaching the Miami Dolphins...at least, not yet.

Instead, Bill Parcells has recently been named the Executive Vice President of Football Operations. What does this mean? Yeah, we really have no idea. But, it has to be good.

To put it bluntly, having Bill Parcells involved in any organization is a plus. The Big Tuna can do a lot for the Dolphins: these fish just might belong together.

Why do we say this? Well, if you're a Bill Parcells fan you probably agree with our assertion: Parcells is the NFL. Even those who don't watch football, those who opt to turn the channel to Lifetime on Sunday afternoons, know his name. Yes, he's that good.

For those who aren't Bill Parcells fans, bear with us: the following reasons are why we think if anyone can turn around Miami, it's him:

He Knows a Good Coach when He Sees One: When it comes to being a patriarch of modern NFL coaches, Bill Parcells is like a mini version of Bill Walsh. Like Walsh, several coaches who served as assistants to Parcells went on to make big names for themselves. Among the former Parcells' assistants are Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants, Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints, Eric Mangini of the New York Jets, Romeo Crennel of the Cleveland Browns, Al Groh of the University of Virginia, and Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots. Perhaps you've heard of them, especially that last team.

He has a ton of Experience: A veteran of the game, Bill Parcells is nothing if not knowledgeable. With a 183-138-1 overall record, he's obviously coached a game or two. He also has two Super Bowl victories, an AFC championship, and two NFC championships under his belt.

As for accolades, he's received enough to paper a locker room. He was named AP NFL Coach of the Year in 1986 and 1994, Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year in 1986, Pro Football Weekly NFL Coach of the Year in 1994 and 1996, Maxwell Football Club NFL Coach of the Year in 1994 and 1997, and UPI NFL Coach of the Year in 1986 and 1994. In addition, he was named to the NFL 1990's All Decade Team. All this means one thing: experience is seeping out of the Big Tuna's fins.

He Wasn't Done Yet: When Bill Parcells retired in 2006 as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, many people speculated as to why. Some thought he wanted more money from the organization, others believed he was driven out by the addition of Terrell Owens, and his attitude. Whatever his reasons, it seemed odd. Not only had Parcells helped turn around a Dallas organization, but he also found an up-and-coming star in Tony Romo: things, it appeared, were just starting to get good.

But, Bill Parcells walked away, leaving us to believe he left too soon. Now, as Vice President of Football Operations for the Miami Dolphins, perhaps he's launched his comeback tour. If that's the case, we want front row seats.

Jennifer Jordan is a senior editor for http://www.milleniumlimo.com. An avid sports fan, she likes the Miami Dolphins but her heart belongs to the Denver Broncos.

Myths of NFL Cheerleaders Unraveled

2008-01-21T05:38:00.000-08:00

So there's tons of cheerleaders out there dancing on the field and we never bother to get to know them. All we do is just stare at them dancing, think 'oh they dance good, look good, typical cheerleaders' and move on without a thought as to what really goes behind the scenes of an NFL cheerleader. Well, I am here to tell you that there is a lot more than meets the eye. All those movies you saw like "Bring it On" and those television shows that showed a bunch of drama queens as cheerleaders have got it all wrong.

Myth #1 - It's easy being an NFL cheerleader.

Um. No. There is no way that it is easy being a cheerleader. So much goes into the auditions, that you're lucky to even make it into the squad in the first place. Hundreds of girls try out and you have to be in the top 3% to make it in the squad, no kidding. They all dance good, look good, are energetic, enthusiastic, and have a great personality on top of all that. After they get into the squad, it takes hours of practice almost every day in order to get the NFL dancing routines down. It gets worse when they have to dance in the freezing cold, especially in the northern States (which some NFL teams use as an excuse for not having a cheerleading team and yes not every NFL team has a cheerleading squad). Outside of the dances, they also have to show up for charity events, make guest appearances, do photo shoots, and sometimes even travel overseas to entertain our very own US military troops to keep their morale high. Whoever said being a cheerleader was easy obviously hasn't seen one at work.

Myth: NFL Cheerleaders get to meet football stars and date them

Absolutely not. NFL Cheerleaders are not allowed to "fraternize" with the players. That means no flirting, no personal relationships, no personal "friendships", or anything that might imply a relationship outside of the professional realm of the NFL. Yes, they can interact a little bit at charity events and guest appearances but typically, you'd have better luck getting to know the football stars as a janitor cleaning their locker rooms or being some sort of groupie. Cheerleaders going out with the likes of Tom Brady and Randy Moss? Forget about it.

Myth: NFL Cheerleaders rack in the fame and fortune

How much do cheerleaders get paid in the NFL? The answer to that question is $15 to $50 a game. Heck, there are times when they don't get paid at all. They have to show up at guest appearance, photo shoots, overseas performances for US troops and all of that is most likely unpaid. Don't feel too bad for them. Some of them get out of cheerleading and find that a bunch of opportunities await them because of their NFL cheerleading elite status. Teri Hatcher from Desperate Housewives was a San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleader once and look where she is now. Making $285,000 an episode and multiply that by 10+ episodes per season. Now who wants to be an NFL cheerleader?

Myth: NFL Cheerleaders are stupid and act like valley girls

Yes, NFL cheerleaders are hot but who said you can't combine beauty with brains? People tend to associate cheerleaders with light-headed valley girls who enjoy going shopping and being the drama queens. Well these cheerleaders aren't in high school anymore for one thing. Another thing is that these cheerleaders need to be mature and intelligent so that they can answer to the media. After all, they are an important aspect of the team's public image.

NFL cheerleaders deserve a better reputation. Sure there are a few black sheep out there but in general, the NFL cheerleaders are good girls who do their best to perform for us. The least we could do is show our appreciation. Don't forget they also contribute to the community in various charity events so they do help out on a local and national level. Let's show our support for them and give them the credit they deserve.

David Court has written various articles on the issue of NFL cheerleaders. To find out more, visit his website NFL Cheerleaders Blog

2007 Elite 11 Quarterback Camp

2008-01-21T05:37:00.000-08:00

I am a former Quarterback that was 8th round draft pick with the Buffalo Bills and I want to talk about the future NFL QB's that are currently high school stars.

After the regional tryout QB Camps were held, this is the list that made the cut. These 11 high school Quarterbacks are the cream of the crop and will be all going to major college football programs.

At the invitation only camp they will be taught Quarterback Passing Drills, QB Footwork Drills.

At night they do film sessions and are taught how to read defensive pass coverages. At the end of the 3 day camp they will have a QB passing tournament to see who is the best.

EA Sports 2007 Elite 11 Quarterback Camp Roster.

#1 Dayne Crist, 6-5, 228: Signed with Notre Dame

#2 E.J. Manual, 6-4, 205: Signed with Florida State

#3 Andrew Luck, 6-4, 210: Signed with Stanford

#4 Mike Glennon, 6-6, 195: Signed with North Carolina State

#5 Blaine Gabbert, 6-4, 224: Signed with Missouri

#6 Landry Jones, 6-4, 220: Signed with Oklahoma

#7 Nick Crissman, 6-3, 193: Signed with UCLA

#8 John Weinke, 6-4, 194: Signed with Iowa

#9 Jacory Harris, 6-4, 170: Signed with Miami

#10 Kyle Parker, 6-0, 185: Signed with Clemson

#11 Sean Renfro, 6-3, 201: Sign With, No Commitment Yet? Was interested in Georgia Tech until they made a Head Coaching change.

High School players, parents and coaches fans love to talk about the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp, which is an annual clinic designed for the most promising young quarterbacks in the nation. It takes place July 23-27 in San Juan Capistrano, California.

Every year, it holds the best young arms in the nation. It was designed in the belief that quarterbacks are made, not born.

There are regional QB tryout camps that take place in the spring and summer. From those camps 11 top high school quarterbacks are invited. This is the most prestigious Quarterback Camp in the USA.

As soon as I have the 2008 Elite 11 Quarterback Camp schedule, I will publish it on my website.

If you would like to learn about these same Quarterback drills taught at the Elite 11 Camp see my website listed below.

Todd Krueger is a former NFL Quarterback that was a 8th round draft pick in 1980 by the Buffalo Bills. He also played with the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Wranglers in the USFL.

He now runs a football coaching website at http://www.footballtools.com and quarterback training website at http://www.playqb.com were they offer low cost football coaching products such as NFL Football Playbooks, Youth Football Practice DVDs, Quarterback Training DVDs, Football Scouting Software, Football Playbook Software, Free Quarterback Drills, Football Special Teams DVDs, Football Workout DVDs, Football Practice DVDs.

You can also get a free football newsletter at either of his football websites.

Football Special Teams Punt Coverage Used by Big East Football Team

2008-01-21T05:36:00.000-08:00

I was talking with a friend of mine who is a Big East Head Coach about Special Teams. Specifically, punt coverage.

This particular article is about the spread punt.

The spread punt is the easiest to teach. It can be broken down into five S's.

If you can get those five things down, I think you can build your base for putting in the punting game. Here is more detail about the five S's:

Punting and Punt Coverage

Zone or man set -

Our punter lines up 15-yards deep. You must have a snapper that can get the ball back to him. If we can get the snap and kick away in 1.9 seconds, I feel very good. If the kick is away in 2.0, we have done our job. We break that down on the snap at .8 and 1.1 for the kicker. It is difficult to block the kick if you can get the ball away in 2.0 seconds.

Let me give you the two rules for the center on our spread punt:

The center blocks away from the punter or to the right or left call.

If a man calls (3-3) he can release.

The personal protector is expected to count the defenders. He counts from our left to the right. He must declare which way he wants the center to block. Here are the rules for the personal protector on our spread punt:

The personal protector is responsible for the overload player. The personal protector will always go away from the center on a 44 call.

Only count those players whose feet are on the line of scrimmage with linemen or in a threatening position.

The personal protector reads left to right.

The personal protector scans if there is no man to pick up.

The center is always counted.

The magic number is

Again, 8

We have five defenders to our left side. We have three defenders to the right side. Left tells the center to block to the left.

The center snaps the ball then steps back to get width that keeps a seam from forming. Everybody still takes a zone step to help the player to the inside. Once the wall is formed and secure, the blockers drive out on their primary defender. The left slot has number one. The left tackle has number two. The left guard has number three. The center will always have number five in anThe center snaps the ball and then steps back to get big or wide to keep a seam from forming. Everyone still takes their zone steps and to help the player to his inside.

For example, the guards help the center, the tackles help the guards, and the slot helps the tackles. Once the wall is formed and secure, then you drive out on your primary defender. The left slot has the number one, left tackle has number two, the left guard has number three, and the center has number four to the left. The right guard has number three, the right tackle has number two, and the right slot has the number one man. The personal protector has the fourth man to the right side. If we call three it is automatic man blocking. If you are in a 33 protection you can release the center. You have them outnumbered. You are able to block them man-on-man but you never change your steps. three they yell twist alert.

It may be conceived as man protection, but you still take the zone steps. If the defense is running a three-man rush on one side, then they are going to try to run some type of game on the overloaded side. If we get a three-man, we communicate it from the guard outside to the tackle and to the slot back. When our blockers hear

This is an overload situation. The personal protector has number four to the left. We only count the players who have their feet on the line of scrimmage. We do not count stacked outside linebackers.

This is where zone and man protection come together. I have made it clear in our special teams meeting if you are on the punt team you had better get your three steps down. You handle yourself relative to the zone element. You must zone the area and stay square. You must use good three-step mechanics. Now, from there everyone is working together. If two defenders come at the blocker he is going to help inside with his hands before he works out to his primary man. The three steps help take the pressure off the man inside. After we take the three steps, then we set up to take on the primary rusher.

Most of the blockers tend to rush the block. Most of the time they want to go get their man. If they do that they leave the inside man on an island. If the slot man goes out after the number four man outside, he leaves the tackle on his own against the number three man. If the number four man comes inside, the tackle has to take on both number four and number three rushers. The tackle cannot let number three go because he has to help out inside. I try to overemphasize the zone steps before we talk about the man steps. If you talk about the man steps they'll want to one-step set and jump their man. It goes against the principles of the three-step set and keeping the shoulders square.

For more information about football coaching go to my football website listed below.

Todd Krueger is a former NFL Quarterback that was a 8th round draft pick in 1980 by the Buffalo Bills. He also played with the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Wranglers in the USFL.

He now runs a football coaching website at http://www.footballtools.com and quarterback training website at http://www.playqb.com were they offer low cost football coaching products such as NFL Football Playbooks, Youth Football Practice DVDs, Quarterback Training DVDs, Football Scouting Software, Football Playbook Software, Free Quarterback Drills, Football Special Teams DVDs, Football Workout DVDs, Football Practice DVDs.

You can also get a free football newsletter at his websites.

End of the Year Awards - The Way I See It

2008-01-21T05:35:00.000-08:00

So now that our lovely regular season has been in the books for a little, it is definitely time to take a look at at the season that was. This season was far from normal in any way, shape or form. The following are the awards that I see fit. We'll start it off with the cliche one.

MVP: To be honest, when I sat down to right this piece, I was putting in Randy Moss. To me, he was the reason that Tom Brady was so ridiculously amazing. Then I did my research and found some really, really scary stats: Let's say we were to take away ALL of Moss' stats. I mean all of his near 1500 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns and pretend they never existed and no one else made up for those yards. In this world I just mentioned, Brady would STILL be in the top 9 of QBs in touchdowns and top 10 or so in passing yards. That is just about the scariest thing I've ever heard in my life. That being the case, there is no way I can make a valid argument for MVP for anyone other than Tom Brady.

Biggest Dirtbag of the Year Award: Now this was definitely a tough one. So many choices, so little time. Who am I kidding? There is one and only one choice for this award, if you want to call it that: The one. The only. Darth Hoodie himself.

Belichick: "Wow. It is such an honor to win this award. So many people I'd like to thank. First off, all of the teams that allowed me to be a scumbag and run up the score when already up 90-0. O, and all of the refs that helped pave the road towards perfection. Eric Mangini for ratting me out. I thought we were boys. That is all."

Rookie of the Year: Short and Sweet. Adrian Peterson. Next!

Out of Nowhere Player of Year: This was a tough one to decide, due to there being 2 players I felt really deserved this award. I had to go with my boy, Ryan Grant, however. Let's toss some stats at you: 986 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns. Not that impressive, right? Wrong. He did this in 10 games. Grant was not the team's starter until week 8. Do some deductive reasoning and you could put his season's totals around 1600 yards rushing and 13-14 touchdowns had he started the whole season. I can't wait to see this kid play a whole season next year.

Fantasy Stud of the Year: You probably were the #1 or #2 seed in the playoffs if you had this guy: none other than the Golden Boy himself again, Tom Brady. Back to his scary stats: Brady scored 390 fantasy points this season. The second best player? 307. That's one hell of a difference when you look at the rest of the leaders and notice their differences are about 5 points or so between them. Not 83 points.

(he only gets one picture of him. He doesn't need two)

Fantasy Surprise of the Year: As a consolation if you will for not winning the Out of Nowhere Award, Derek Anderson is a no-brainer for the fantasy surprise of the year. When he had that ridiculous game against Cincinnati way back when, no one in their right minds thought that he was going to perform at a high level all season. Well I guess score one for the people not in their right minds. With the exception for the last few weeks (when I needed him the most....damn you Anderson) Anderson was a fantasy stud.

So that wraps up another wonderful regular season of the NFL. We still have some games to be played and some New England Patriots Super Bowl Championships to be won.

My name is Justin Beegel. I am currently an MBA student at Binghamton University. Sports have always played a huge role in my life, and because of this have created a blog that I update daily to talk about everything going on in the NFL. This has been very fulfilling for me because it allows me to write about something I love to be immersed in. The website is http://www.TheOnlyFootballBlog.com

Win $5,000 Custom Super Bowl Party - New Contest

2008-01-21T05:34:00.000-08:00

There's a lot of contests to win Super Bowl parties and the like around this time of year. Most of them are pretty stupid.

I got an email from someone telling me about his sketchy website where you enter your credit card info to check whether it got stolen in exchange for a chance to win Super Bowl tickets. Possibly purchased with your stolen credit card?

I'm not going to give that guy a mention because I don't want people like that getting publicity here. The one contest that looked the most legitimate and easiest to enter (requiring no monetary actions or mail-list signups) was the $5,000 Big Game Party Idea Contest.

It includes a lot of lower tier prizes like $25 gift cards to the first entrants, but the main thing is a Super Bowl party worth $5,000. You can customize the party however you like it, because the way you win the contest is by creating the best idea for a party.

For example, some that have been submitted are Austin Style Party, Super Bowl Carnival of Games, and LA VIP Super Bowl Party.

The great thing about it is the fact that you decide what your party is going to be. With most Super Bowl party contests, the hosts decide for you. This one actually has you create the party then have it done for you at no cost.

There are so many possibilities out there for where you could be partying at the expense of Hellmann's and Best Foods.
Click here to check out the Super Bowl Party for information on how this contest work and how to enter!

Coaching Football Special Teams

2008-01-21T05:32:00.000-08:00

I called a friend of mine who is the Head Coach at a Big East Football team and we talked about how his football team coaches special teams., these are some of the comments made during that interview.

One of the first things they try to do is to let the kids know there are areas where we can achieve certain goals on special teams. Clearly the skilled players want to be on the special teams. They want to touch the football. But the question is how do you draw the interest of the other players on the special team who do not get to touch the football? How do you keep the left tackle on the extra point team interested? We came up with an award for the special team player of the year based on a point system. We went out and got the largest trophy we could find. It is about three-feet high. We wanted to get the biggest and gaudiest trophy we could find. We wanted our players to see the trophy every day. The trophy cost us about $100. The bang for our bucks came from the fact that we saw our kids change their attitude on how they could win the special teams player of the year. If you are going to emphasize something you must give the players a carrot, and we did that with the trophy.

In our team room we have three distinctive goals and the goals are displayed on banners. The banners are 12-feet wide by eight-feet tall. They are prominent in our team room. When you walk into our team room it is unmistakable that we have special team goals, offensive team goals, and defensive team goals.

Let me go over our special team goals

Win

Better than average field position after kickoff than opponent

Better net punt average than opponent

Score or set up a score

Give the offense the ball at least one time on the plus -50-yard line

Never give the opponent the ball on our side of the 50-yard line

Perfect execution on holds, snaps, and ball security

Have at least one game breaker - score, block a punt, block a kick, recover an onside kick, cause a turnover, recover a turnover, down a punt inside the 10-yard line, 60 yards of field position change

No penalties

Win the hidden-yardage game - kickoff - kickoff return - punt - punt return

First is to win. That is our first goal. The reason we try to stay away from numbers on the net punt average is the fact there are so many obstacles that may not allow us to achieve these goals.

If we get someone who kicks the ball in the end zone or there is a penalty after the kick, it can eschew the numbers relative to better kickoffs for the opponents. What we want is the average. The same thing is true with having a better punt return average than our opponents.

If you break down the film, you will find the special teams set up a lot of your scores. And a lot of the times the coaches do not even talk about that point. You do not build the creditability into your special teams. You tend to lose it in its perspective.

We want to give the ball to our offense at least one time on the plus 50-yard line.

There are several ways to make this happen. It could be by a punt, pressure, or on any of our kickoffs. We want our kids to understand what we want in this respect.

When we had all of the numbers as goals, such as getting the ball on the 25-yard line, or return the ball 25 yards, they do not remember those things.

On the other hand, we do not want to give our opponent the ball on our side of the ball.

We want to have perfect execution on all special team plays.

We want to have at least one game breaker.

The one point here that we think is big is to down a punt inside he 10-yard line. To us, that is a game breaker. If you do the job on defense you will probably set up a score or get into a potential scoring situation.

All of these are great goals. But the one goal that we work on more than any other is the last goal: win the hidden yardage game.

Let me categorize hidden yardage. Here we are talking about the kickoff, kickoff returns, punts, and punt returns.

We use the 25-yard line on kickoff returns and 35-yards net on punts and calculate the yards. Let me give you an example. If we have a team that kicks the ball out of the end zone on us, it means we would start the ball in play from the 20-yard line. This means we are at a minus 5 yards in hidden yards against our opponents. Conversely, if we had a kickoff that we returned to the 50-yard line, we would have a plus 25 yards on the hidden yardage.

We do the same thing on punts. We use 35 as the magic number.

If we had a punt that netted 50 yards, we would be plus 15 yards in the hidden yardage.

If you keep track of these hidden yards, you will find they make a difference in winning and losing.

Those numbers are going to come back to you better than some of the other numbers you may throw at your players when you put up your goals. You want to make sure when the players leave the meeting that they know what hidden yardage is. If you can get your players to understand hidden yardage, you are going to win a lot of battles.

We want to put some competitive goals into the special teams, so we came up with a point production chart.

On the chart we have team points and individual points. We feel it is important if you are on a particular team to have a chance to get points on the special teams.

Our long snapper came within four points of winning the award this year. Our left guard was in the top three for the special team award. So we have team points that we give out for punt and extra point as well as individual points. If you do not do this the skilled players will run away with the award.

TEAM POINTS - (10)

Score

Block a punt

Block a kick

Recover an onside kick

Successful fake

TEAM POINTS (3)

Stop a fake

Down a punt inside 10-yard line

TEAM POINTS (2)

Kickoff return of plus 30 yards

Punt return of plus 10 yards

INDIVIDUAL POINTS (10)

Cause a turnover

Recover a turnover

60-yard field position change

INDIVIDUAL POINTS (5)

Game winning field goal

Involved in 15 or more plays

INDIVIDUAL POINTS (3)

De-cleater

Tackle

Key block on return

Exceptional effort

4.0 hang time on kickoff or touchback

4.5 hand time on punt or 40-yards net with fair catch

INDIVIDUAL POINTS (2)

Assisted tackle

INDIVIDUAL POINT (1)

Doing your job on every play on a special team Victory award.

The coach who is responsible for that particular team grades the film. There is some flexibility in the system and we do have minus points. If you get a penalty you get minus 5 points. On any missed assignment you receive minus 5 points. The kids are going to see the chart on Sunday. That is the first thing we talk about in our team meeting.

We have the chart in our team room. You can see how we chart the players each week. On the left-hand side of the chart we have all of the players listed. We grade the film and give the players the points they earn in each area. On the left side of the chart are the team points and on the right side of the chart are the individual points. Also on the right outside of the chart we have the players' total points for the last game.

I think it is important to have this information displayed in the locker room so the kids can see how they are being graded on the special teams. We are trying to build some ownership in this team. This chart will help you build your case for special teams.

We have another chart where we keep a running total of all the games. Each week the kids can see where they rate on the chart. They can come into our meeting knowing they earned a certain number of points from the last game or knowing they lost a certain number of points. We think the chart is good because the kids can see where they stand game by game.

This system really works for us. It keeps our kids motivated each week about the ranking for winning the special teams trophy!

For more information about coaching football special teams go to the website listed below.

Todd Krueger is a former NFL Quarterback that was a 8th round draft pick in 1980 by the Buffalo Bills. He also played with the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Wranglers in the USFL.

He now runs a football coaching website at http://www.footballtools.com and quarterback training website at http://www.playqb.com were they offer low cost football coaching products such as NFL Football Playbooks, Youth Football Practice DVDs, Quarterback Training DVDs, Football Scouting Software, Football Playbook Software, Free Quarterback Drills, Football Special Teams DVDs, Football Workout DVDs, Football Practice DVDs.

Steeler's Overcome 18-Point Deficit And Still Lose The Game

2008-01-08T17:12:00.003-08:00

After watching the Steelers take the ball down and score on their opening drive I was sure we were going to win. The Steelers moved the ball into the red zone like a well-oiled machine and they actually scored a touch down and not a wimpy field goal. The only problem after scoring the td was that we had to kick the ball to the Jags and that meant our horrible kick coverage unit would be tasked with stopping Jones-Drew!

The team kicked the ball away and just as I had feared, Jones-Drew ran up the middle like an indy car on a straightaway. Got to give props to Madison who showed some speed when he ran down Jones-Drew at the 1-yard line. How about kicking the ball high enough to give the coverage unit enough time to get down field to be in position to make a tackle? The special teams has been killing us all year long and they killed us early in the playoff game.

By the end of the 1st half the team was down 21-7 and the deficit was the result of 3 Ben Roethlisberger interceptions. In my opinion, all 3 interceptions were bad throws, including the one thrown to the defensive lineman. It looked as though Ben was trying to do too much and he made some bad throws which were easy picks.

At the end of the half the Steeler's had 3 interceptions and 3 punts. The positives were we had an 80 yard scoring drive and our defense had held the Jags to only 118 total yards and they were containing Fred Taylor. Even though we were down by 14 points I felt good about our chances in the 2nd half.

I felt the offense needed to come out in the 2nd half and completely abandon the running game. Davenport was not effective and he obviously is not going to fill the shoes of Willie Parker. Davenport is a short-yardage brut but we can't use him in the role of an every down back. The defense had to keep playing the way they had in the 1st half and if we stopped throwing int's, we had a chance in the game.

During the 2nd half they showed a stat that said Big Ben was either #1 or #2 in the league in 4th quarter come back wins. I was just worried that Ben might have been rattled after throwing 3 awful picks. I was also concerned that our special teams could give up more big plays which would hurt our chances.

The Jags get the ball in the 3rd quarter and Harrison intercepts Garrard's pass at the Jag's 45 yard-line. That was just what the doctor ordered, a Jag's interception. The problem is that after the interception we drive to the 10 yard line where we have to kick a field goal. I'm tired of field goals! When we are on the 10 yard-line we need touch downs, not field goals. Now the score is 21-10 when it could have been 21-14 if we had scored a td.

The Steeler's kick the ball to the Jags who muff the catch at the 18 yard-line. We have the Jags deep in their own territory so now all we have to do is force them to punt and we will get good field position. On 2nd and 7 we sack Garrard for a 5-yard loss but Ike Taylor gets flagged for a bone head face mask penalty! That penalty was a killer. The Jags then drive down and score, making it 28-10.

With a little over 4-minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter, the Steeler's start with the ball on their 31 yard-line. Big Ben engineers a solid 10-play 69 yard drive that results in a td pass to Santonio Holmes. The score is now 28-17 and I am feeling better. The Jags get the ball back but we hold them and they punt. Now were playing solid football. The offense is scoring and the defense is shutting down the opponents offense.

Big Ben engineers another solid drive where he throws a td to Heath Miller. The score is now 28-23. Tomlin elects to go for a 2-point conversion which is converted on a Hines Ward catch at the back of the end zone.

The 2-point conversions is negated because of offensive holding. What a waste of a nice 2-point conversion pass play because of a holding penalty. We try the 2-point conversion again and we fail! I thought we should have kicked the field goal after the holding penalty but I'm not the coach.

The Jags get the ball back and on 2nd down Garrard is intercepted again by Ike Taylor. I believe Garrard only threw 3 picks all year and he had thrown 2 in the game. Taylor showed some nice moves and speed as he returned the pick to the Jags 16 yard-line. Now we're in business!

Big Ben drives us down to the 1 yard-line and Davenport come through with a td run. Holy Cow! Now we are winning 29-28. All we have to do is convert a 2-point conversion and we will be up by 3. Ben throws incomplete to Washington and the score remains 29-28. I felt real good because we were up by 1 point and our defense was playing solid. This game was our's!

We kick the ball to the Jags with a little over 6-minutes left in the game and our defense comes through by holding the Jags to 1 first down. The key play here was on 3rd and 7, Garrard is sacked by Woodley as he drops back to pass. Nice defense! The Jags are forced to punt.

This is where I have a problem with the play calling by the Steelers. We get the ball back with just under 4 minutes remaining in the game and all we need is a couple 1st downs and we win. This is a playoff game and if we lose our season is done. We are up by a meager 1 point! A field goal by the Jags wins the game so we must ensure that they do not get the ball back at any more. We have been moving the ball rather well in the 2nd half so it should be no problem to get a couple of first downs or drive down and score again.

On 1st down we run Davenport to the right for 5 yards. On 2nd down we run Davenport to the left for -1 yards. I am ok with running the ball on 1st and 2nd downs because there is less of a chance for a turnover. It's 3rd and 6 and I feel our chances of converting are superb. Ben gets in the shotgun formation and when the ball snaps he runs to the left for 1 yard. Why on earth did we run Big Ben from the shotgun against the Jags defense that stuffs the run? Hines Ward is almost a guarantee to convert the ball for us on 3rd and 6.

The Steelers punt the ball and it goes 40 yards where it is fielded and returned to midfield. Great! 2 1/2 minutes left in the game and the Jags have the ball at midfield. Our defense had been playing good so I thought we had a good chance of stopping the Jags. Garrard killed us on this drive when he ran for 32 yards on 4th and 2. A 32 yard quarterback scramble on 4th and 2 is a punch in the face and I felt it sitting on my couch.

A couple of Jones-Drew runs and it was time for a game winning field goal with 40 seconds left in regulation. J.Scobee kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 31-29. This sucks! We still have a slight chance because we get the ball back with 29 seconds and anything can happen. The Jags kick the ball to us and Navenport takes it to the 28 yard-line. A couple nice passes and we have a chance at our own game winning field goal.

Ben lines up in the shotgun and when he takes the snap he fumbles the ball when he is sacked. The game end on a sack and fumble! Horrible! I had visions of 2 deep passes and then a Jeff Reed game winning field goal attempt. I would have been ok if we had gotten Reed an attempt to kick the game winner and he had missed.

Author is the webmaster for the Steelers fansite at http://www.SteelerManiacs.com where fans can blog, join discussions, play games, and much more

St Steven Done In The Dome

2008-01-08T17:12:00.002-08:00

It is technically accurate to say the Steelers would benefit from out-ramming the Rams, but not to say they need to "out-Ram" them to win. That's enough of that.

Will the Steelers be able to contain, "Saint" Steven Jackson?

The Steelers need to take advantage of St. Louis' banged up offensive line, if there was ever a remedy for a defense having trouble getting off of blocks and getting to the quarterback, it's playing the Steelers, I mean the Rams, sorry. Lamar Woodley will play in place of the injured Clark Haggans. Let's hope the rookie can add some energy and intensity to the lethargic defense. Tyrone Carter is playing for Anthony Smith who has been benched after getting beat deep several times in the last two games. Carter should help sure up the pass defense, normally Polamalu's backup at strong safety, Carter has played free safety with Minnesota. I expect him to play a solid if unspectacular game, he's not the risk taker Smith is which makes him a good compliment to the aggressive.

I am certain ANthony Smith will be make a sweet tackle on special teams and break into a frenzied, chest-thumping celebration, possibly drawing a penalty.

A win tonight would clinch a playoff spot for Pittsburgh if either Cleveland or Tennessee lose.

There is a tangible sense of urgency for the Steelers going into the game tonight. It's disappointing that Pittsburgh has let things slide so far since beating the Browns-Reprise for the second time this season to take a three game lead on Cleveland.

The 3rd seed in the AFC appeared to be locked up when the Steelers held a 9-3 record and it's as if the team relaxed. St Louis' defense is spotty, their quarterback is injury prone and the Rams have only won 3 games this season. However, the offense of Jackson, Bruce, Holt, and Bulger has big play capability, and the Steelers defense needs to reestablish itself as a unit that can tackle. The Rams offense is the last big test of the regular season, aside from stopping Willis Magahee in Baltimore. If the defense has a chance to right itself, stopping the Rams tonight is a big the first step, the way the D responds to being pounded on last week will be indicative of how the rest of the season goes, and how long the team will last in the hopefully forthcoming post-season. The Rams will run Steven Jackson right over Aaron Smith's replacement. Someone needs to tackle him, or ram him backwards and into the ground. When the Steelers start bringing an extra guy into the box, the Rams will try to throw. It's fortunate for Pittsburgh that the Ram's line is in shambles.

The Rams will blitz. Will the Steelers line block? Where has the screen pass gone? Throw it to Heath Miller and Parker out of the backfield to counter the blitz.

Lost in the carnage of Fred Taylor's snow plow game last week was Ben Roethlisberger's record setting performance, Roethlisberger, who was recently elected to his first Pro Bowl, has set the Steelers single season record for TD passes with 29.

Check out any of the various media outlets for Roethlisberger's response when asked about the record and compare them to Hines Ward's self indulgent rant when he responded to questions about what it meant to him to break Stallworth's TD reception record. Ward talks about humility, Roethlisberger is humble.

How lucky are the Steelers and we as Steelers fans, to have a quarterback like Roethlisberger playing for Pittsburgh. In four years he has become the youngest QB to win a Super Bowl, gone undefeated as a starter in his first regular season, and set the franchise's single season TD record, he has twice tied the team record for consecutive completions with 15. He threw 3 td's last week with a shoulder injury which limited him to one day of practice in the week prior to the game. Remember when Steelers fans were complaining about the team taking Plax instead of Chad Pennington? Seems like eons ago.

I can see this turning into a shoot-out in the dome.

I'll predict the same final as the Steelers Rams matchup in Super Bowl XIV

Steelers 31, Rams 19

Blogger at the ultimate Pittsburgh Steeler's fansite at http://www.SteelerManiacs.com

At Least The Kick Coverage Was Good

2008-01-08T17:12:00.001-08:00

The Steelers (9-5) lost their second straight game 29-22 to the Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4). Jacksonville is the first team to beat the Steelers at home this season, bludgeoning the Steelers for over 200 rushing yards en route to a thrilling 29-22 victory, which was capped by a 12 yard td run by Fred Taylor with just under 2 minutes to play. The game ended when TE Heath Miller came up a yard short on fourth and 7 on the Steeler's final drive.

Pittsburgh led 7-3 late in the first half. Facing 2nd and 12 from inside their 35, Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward in the chest with a pass that would have given the Steelers a first down, and Ward let the ball bounce off his shoulder pads onto the snowy Heinz Field turf. The Steelers ended up punting, and the jags scored on the ensuing possession to go into half time with a 10-7 lead.

In the second half the Steelers defense, playing without Pro-Bowl defensive end Aaron Smith, was dominated. The Jaguars had a 20 play drive that consumed 9 minutes. Then after a three and out by the Steelers, Jacksonville scored on a 55 yard pass play over Anthony Smith and Ike Taylor. Thanks to two missed PAT's the Jags only lead by 15.

At this point fans started exiting the stadium. I don't feel like ranting about the insanity of leaving an NFL game when your home team is trailing by two scores with 20 minutes to play. The Steelers are supposed to have this "amazing fan base" which follows the team from Seattle to Miami, and when the Steelers were faced with a chance to pull off an amazing comeback, many of these fans apparently left Heinz field to get a start on their trip to Missouri, where the Steelers will play the St. Louis Rams on Thursday in a game they must win.

Anyway, things did look bleak, but when Anthony Smith intercepted a David Gerrard pass the Steelers were back in the game and Roethlisberger hit Ward on a tough seam pattern that atoned somewhat for his earlier dropped pass to make the score 22-14. Then after the defense held the Jags, Roethlisberger lead the Steelers on an amazing game tying drive. Roethlisberger was nearly in the grasp of a Jacksonville defender when he flipped a lateral to Willie Parker who ran for 27 yards. This uncanny playmaking has become vintage Roethlisberger.

The Steelers are always in the game with a QB like Ben. If the Steelers don't lock him up for the rest of his career, I may stop watching the NFL. Roethlisberger is so talented he makes Nate Washington look good. Roethlisberger hit Washington for a 30 yard TD pass to tie the game at 22, and Cedric Wilson fired a pass to Holmes for the game tying two point conversion. After 15 unanswered points, I thought they were going to snatch victory from the Jaws of Fred Taylor, but it was not to be. The defense let Roethlisberger down all game. It can be argued that the offense's inability to sustain drives left the defense on the field for too long, but I put the blame squarely on the defense.

Great teams have the ability to overcome injuries to star players, which Aaron Smith certainly is, and the defense could not overcome the loss of their D-end. On the games decisive drive, the Jaguars converted on third and ten on a draw play to RB Maurice Jones-Drew. It was the second time the Jaguars used a draw to MJD on third and long to gain a new set of downs.

Now there are some new injuries, Klint Kreidwalt, and Clark Haggans could miss the Rams game. The Steelers have two weeks to find a way to compensate for Smith, or it could be a short post-season.

Once again the Steelers offensive line looked terrible. While Willie Parker was able to get free for over 100 yards on just 14 carries, but Roethlisberger was sacked 5 times, and was running for his life most of the game.

The Steelers loss coupled with the Browns-Reprise 8-0 victory over the Bills leaves Pittsburgh and Cleveland tied atop the AFC North with two games to play. The Steelers can miss the playoffs entirely if they lose out, while the Titans win their last two, and the Browns win one of their final two games.

I'd hate to think the Steelers can't win their last two games against the Rams and Ravens, but all of the sudden the defense can't stop the run, or the pass, and has been held without a sack in the last two games. Still, Roethlisberger is the Steeler's wild card, he has the escapability to overcome the o-line's short comings and allow his receivers extra time to get open.

It would be a terrible collapse if the Steelers manage to miss the playoffs this season.

Harrison vs. Porter.

James Harrison (9-5): 8 tackles.

Joey Porter (1-13) 2 tackles, 1 sack.

Joey Porter's Dolphins finally won. Miami beat the Baltimore Ravens in OT, for their first victory of the season, which would make the Ravens the new worst team in the league, if the NFL used the BCS. If the Steelers fail to beat the Ravens in the season finally with the AFC North on the line, or God forbid a playoff spot, it would be an even bigger travesty now that the Ravens have lost to one of the worst teams in history. The future may be bright for the Dolphins, who play the New England "Pretty Hate Machine" this week. Logically speaking, the Ravens only lost by three points to New England, and the Dolphins beat the Ravens by 6, therefore, Miami is three points better than New England. Never mind the early season beating Miami took at the hands of Tom Brady and locker-room cancer Randy Moss, the disgruntled woebegone WR whom NE acquired from Oakland for a 4th round draft pick.

Battle of the 4th Round Draft Picks

The Steelers drafted two time Ray Guy Award winner, All-Universe Danny Sepulveda from Baylor with their fourth round draft pick, he put forth a stellar effort in a losing cause, kicking the ball high and far, and often with great precision. Randy Moss didn't even score a td, who says the "Steeler Way" doesn't work?

Dan Sepulveda: 7 punts, 41 yd avg., 2 inside the 20, long-55yds.

Randy Moss: 5 rec, 79 yards.

Becker Lynn blog at the Pittsburgh Steeler's Ultimate Fansite http://www.SteelerManiacs.com

Steeler's Selected To The 2008 Pro Bowl

2008-01-08T17:12:00.000-08:00

Steelers in the Pro Bowl

Alan Faneca

Ben Roethlisberger

Willie Parker

Troy Polamalu

James Harrison

There are three parts to Pro Bowl voting; the fans players and coaches all account for one third of the election process. I'm not sure how Polamalu made the Pro Bowl, he's missed several games to injury this year. Roethlisberger is clearly the third best QB in the AFC, possibly in the NFL, and in time could rise to the Brady-Favre-Manning level, especially if the Rooney's shell out some cash for a few linemen who can block, and another wide receiver who can catch. Harrison is making good on the teams decision to let Joey Porter walk. He's been somewhat quiet lately, but then again so has the defense as a whole.

I'm somewhat amazed Faneca made the team, as the O-line has been porous at best this season. It's clear many players make the team based on reputation, but to give Faneca the benefit of the doubt, I'll conclude he's probably had to cover for Mahan a lot this season. While it's hard to tell on TV who is missing their assignments, generally a lineman is told to take the inside-most rusher on passing plays, so if Mahan is beat to Faneca's side, Faneca is supposed to take the guy to his right who just blew threw Mahan. The Steelers generally run to the left side, behind Faneca and Willie Parker does lead the league in rushing.

Obviously, a good line has to work well together, profound football insight I know, but just as stark, is the realization that this Steeler's line is not greater than the sum of its parts and should be dismantled and reassembled this off-season.

I'm not sure about the intricacies of the Steelers run blocking schemes, but I do know Mahan is terrible, and should be cut after this season. The blame I place on the coaches goes back to the off-season, when Mahan, a guy who played for Tomlin in Tampa Bay, was signed instead of either a good center, or a wide receiver. I know Tomlin's not the GM, but he obviously thought Mahan was the guy to replace Hartings and he clearly is not. One could argue Faneca has been the beneficiary of playing next to all-pro centers for his entire career.

Becker Lynn is a blogger at http://www.SteelerManiacs.com which is a fansite for diehard fans of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers

Super Bowl Survival Guide

2008-01-08T06:22:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl Survival Guide
Super Bowl Sunday is perhaps the most fun Sunday of the year in the United States. It marks the ending of the NFL football season each year and the majority of Americans celebrate in some form. The Super Bowl started in 1967 as a competition between the American and National Football leagues at the end of their season. In 1970, when the two leagues merged it signified the ending of the NFL football season.

Super Bowl Sunday with all its hype can end up being very expensive and this is where I can offer tips. Whether you are planning to travel to Phoenix in 2008, hosting a party, watching it at home or celebrating with friends, here are some tips to save money.

The dream of going to watch the Super Bowl in person is usually not a realistic one for most American families. However, if you are one of the lucky ones that has disposable income here are some suggestions. Tickets for the game are hard to find and can be very expensive. Make sure you know who you are dealing with and if you are buying online, make sure the website is secure. Fans have purchased tickets on eBay or on Craigslist, traveled to the event city to pickup the tickets and sadly these deals often fall through. Know who you are dealing with, this is just common sense. Many secondary market ticket sites offer 100% guarantees to their customers, this way you have the ticket company standing behind your purchase.

If you are like the majority of Americans and will stay home for the game, here are some suggestions. Every year our church hosts a Super Bowl party and all the proceeds go to a mission in El Salvador. The event is usually really cheap, there is good food, and one can spend a fun evening with friends and family. Many churches nationwide host these type of events, check to see if your Church has a Super Bowl Party this year. Another idea is to host a Super Bowl party at home. You can provide the main dish like tacos or sloppy joes and ask your guests to bring one dish each. Don't worry about the house, remember your guests have come to visit you, not your house!! (easier said than done) Many large food companies dish out huge coupon offerings and food savings on Super Bowl munchies so be sure to check your local paper for current offers.

Many fans travel to their local pubs to watch the game on wide screen TVs. While this can be fun, please watch your amount of alcohol consumption. Local governments across the United States are increasing their vigilance on catching drivers under the influence of alcohol. I know I sound like a broken record, but this is a very serious issue across America.

In conclusion, Super Bowl Sunday can be a special event for every American family, just be careful, be sensible and remember, you can have fun by living frugally. If you are looking for Super Bowl Tickets, you can find them at Dazzling Deals Tickets or at Online Ticket Suppliers, a blog I maintain with many reputable ticket suppliers listed. http://tickets.dazzling-deals.com
Jan Prijatel is an affiliate marketer and owns several websites. She continually strives to save her readers money on all their internet purchases by passing on her advice. The author is a self-professed couponholic who refuses to pay full price for anything she buys.

How To Train For The Football Combine Tests

2007-12-28T04:48:00.000-08:00

How an athlete performs at a football combine can be critical in their football career. Football combines consist of the following tests: 40 yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, bench press, pro agility shuttle, three cone agility, and 60 yard shuttle. The better the athlete can perform in each of these 7 tests the better their chances of playing football at the next level whether that is high school to college, or college to the NFL.

Football combine performance enhancement is twofold. The athlete needs to train to enhance their raw strength, speed, agility power and flexibility. The athlete also needs to master the proper technique for each test, ensuring that the test is performed in the most efficient manner. This will lead to a knockout football combine performance.

Football Combine Training
Training for the football combines obviously is different than training for the sport of football. The athlete needs to be a polished blend of speed, agility, power, quickness, and athletic fluidity. Training must reflect these qualities.

Movement skill training, encompassing speed, agility, quickness and foot speed are major areas of focus when training to test at a football combine. These components can be enhanced with training using ladders, speed chutes, speed resistors, and various cones drills. This will allow the athlete to move more efficiently allowing the athlete to perform the tests with better technique.
Developing and enhancing explosive power is also a very important aspect of an athlete's combine training. Plyometrics are a training method that I use when preparing athletes for the NFL Combine. They help enhance the vertical jump, broad jump, and the 40 yard dash.
Strength development is important as it is a component of increasing explosive power. For the bench press test, both max strength and muscle endurance training should be performed to increase reps performed.

Flexibility training should be performed daily to help increase range of motion. An increased range of motion will enhance speed, agility, and power development.

Football Combine Technique Training
Regardless if you trained to enhance your speed, agility and power, technique training specifically for the combine tests can greatly lower testing times and increase jump height and bench press reps.

Specific test technique cues can limit extra steps and decrease times. By working and refining the specific proper technique for each test you will perform the test more efficiently.
When training the technique for each test, breaking the test up into phases and refining each phase is the best way to make the biggest gains to the whole test. Perfect each phase the move to the next.

Having a systematic step by step protocol for each test is essential to performing at your best. This decreases your nerves as the test becomes a routing that you have repeated hundreds of times during training.

Mental thought processes prior and during each test can limit nerves and increase performance. One two or three simple thoughts provide focus and helps block out negative thoughts and distractions.

By working on the physical and mental technique cues, perfection in each of the tests can be achieved.

Football combine training is twofold. For a knockout combine performance both training and technique refinement should be performed. By training both of these areas you will ensure that you are fully prepared for the biggest test of you life.

NFL Combine training expert Mike Gough, CSCS specializes in 40 yard dash training and football combine test preparation. Mike has just released his football combine training DVD entitled "The Combine Freak" and is available at http://www.combinefreak.com where you can signup for his free 40 yard dash and combine training newsletter.
For more information on Mike Gough's NFL Combine Training Program please visit his website at http://www.procombinetraining.com

How To Obtain Affordable College Bowl Tickets

2007-12-28T04:47:00.001-08:00

College Bowl Game season is here and with all the bowl games every college football fan dreams of going to a bowl game. However, sometimes the prices of these tickets scare fans away. I am affiliated with several large reputable ticket agencies and I have been observed some patterns when it comes to ticket availability and pricing. Hopefully, you can save a few dollars by following some of my tips.

1. Generally, big events are sold out the day they go on sale. For many college bowl games, these ticket allotment goes to students, faculty, alumni, season ticket holders and donors. For a large school such as Ohio State or USC, the chances of buying tickets from Ticketmaster are slim at best since there are so few available when they do come out. Once the tickets hit the secondary market, they are usually at a higher price for a couple of days to test the market. I watched the prices for the College Bowls this year and just about every ticket price went down after the first week with the exception of the BCS Championship between OSU and LSU. Experts estimate that the average ticket will go for approximately $1,200 for this game. Lesson #1, wait it out to see if prices drop after the first couple of days.

2. Put an ad in Craigslist or your local online newspaper stating you would like to buy tickets and name your price. When dealing with strangers, it's usually best to get your tickets from an alumni since you know their tickets are valid and most times alumni are proud of their school and don't want to make a killing on the tickets. Getting tickets from students is okay too, however, sometimes a student will promise their tickets, then change their mind and you are left without tickets. I had this happen with some of my customers for the OSU/Michigan game.
Lesson #2, Know and trust who you are dealing with.

3. Never pay more than you can afford. The hype that goes along with some of these games really drives prices up. Your local pub is open and waiting for your business and you can enjoy the game without freezing or getting wet. Even though the majority of the Bowl games are played in the Southern states, it can still get really cold in December and January. Lesson #3, Resist temptation, live frugally.

4. Check reputable online ticket sites often for your desired tickets. The inventory from these sites is constantly changing and if you are persistent, the tickets you want may be only a click away. Don't hesistate to go to Ticketmaster the week before a big game because occasionally brokers cannot sell their tickets on the secondary market and they'll list them for face value on Ticketmaster so they can get rid of them. Finding College Bowl Tickets on Ticketmaster will be rare, but it's worth a try. Just think, you'll get bragging rights for your persistence.
I've mentioned the word persistence more than a few times and I'll close this by saying, Persistence is the key to getting College Bowl Tickets you can afford. College Bowl Ticket information can be found at Dazzling Deals Tickets or at this blog about Trusted Online Ticket Suppliers.

Jan Prijatel is an affiliate marketer and owns several websites. She continually strives to save her readers money on all their internet purchases by passing on her advice. The author is a self-professed couponholic who refuses to pay full price for anything she buys.

AP Top 25 Poll Offers Clear Evidence of College Football's Current Parity - Call It Musical Chairs

2007-12-28T04:46:00.001-08:00

If you wanted clear evidence that college football's current parity is real, you have only to study the AP Top 25 Poll during the 2007 regular season. I charted the AP Poll of sports writers and broadcasters for 14 consecutive weeks and discovered some amazing facts.
Here are some eye-openers that give every college football team in America hope that next year could be their breakout year, and give you some conversation tools to impress your friends while tipping a brew at the local pub:
1) Only 10 teams that started out the 1st week were able to remain in the AP Top 25 Poll all 14 weeks. Here they are with where they started the 1st week and finished the 14th week:
Southern California (1st to 6th), Louisiana State (2nd to 2nd), West Virginia (3rd to 11th), Florida (4th to 9th), Oklahoma (5th to 3rd), Texas (7th to 17th), Virginia Tech (9th to 5th), Georgia (11th to 4th), Ohio State (12th to 1st) and Hawaii (20th to 10th).
2) Only 5 teams moved into the Poll after the 1st week and were able to stay in the Poll through the 14th and final week. Here they are with the week they started, their place and where they finished:
Boston College the 2nd week (21st to 14th), Missouri the 3rd week (25th to 7th), Arizona State the 4th week (23rd to 12th), Kansas the 6th week (20th to 8th) and Brigham Young the 12th week (23rd to 19th).
3) Three teams rose to the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll before losing-Louisiana State, Missouri and Ohio State. Only the Ohio State re-gained the No. 1 spot, and that happened on the 14th and final week of the regular season when the Buckeyes were idle.
4) No less than 6 teams rose to the No. 2 spot in the Poll before losing-West Virginia, California, Oregon, Boston College, South Florida and Kansas.
5) No less than 45 teams among the 119 Division 1A schools made it into the Top 25 during the 14-week regular season. The 45 teams represent more than one-third (37%) of the 119 schools.
6) Only 6 of the 45 teams were in and out of the poll twice (in, out, in and then out again)-California, Penn State, Rutgers, Alabama, Kentucky and Kansas State.
7) Only 2 of the 45 teams were in and out of the poll three times (in, out, in, out and then in again)-Auburn and Tennessee.
8) Only 4 of the 45 teams became what I would call one-week wonders, they appeared in the Top 25 for one week and then vanished, never to return. They were Purdue, Florida State, Texas Tech and Wake Forest.
Here is the final AP Top 25 Poll following the 14th and final week of regular season play: 1 Ohio State, 2 Louisiana State, 3 Oklahoma, 4 Georgia, 5 Virginia Tech, 6 Southern California, 7 Missouri, 8 Kansas, 9 Florida, 10 Hawaii, 11 West Virginia, 12 Arizona State, 13 Illinois, 14 Boston College, 15 Clemson, 16 Tennessee, 17 Texas, 18 Wisconsin, 19 Brigham Young, 20 Cincinnati, 21 Virginia, 22 Auburn, 23 South Florida, 24 Boise State and 25 Arkansas.
The best state for football in 2007? Clearly Virginia, with Virginia Tech finishing 5th, West Virginia 11th and Virginia 21st. No other state had 3 teams in the Top 25.
The upcoming 32 bowl games can and will change the final AP Top 25 standings when the holiday season is over.

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley
Ed Bagley's Blog Publishes Original Articles with Analysis and Commentary on 5 Subjects: Sports, Movie Reviews, Lessons in Life, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing. My intention is to inform, educate, delight and motivate you the reader.
Read my articles on "How to Predict When Teams Are Overrated and Due for an Unexpected Loss" and "The Sagarin Ratings: What They Are, How to Read Them and What to Do With Them".
Find his Blog at:http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/Sports.html

Mid-Season Head Coaching Changes In The NFL

2007-12-28T04:45:00.001-08:00

With the recent resignation of Bobby Petrino as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons (and his replacement by longtime assistant Emmitt Thomas), let's take a look at teams that replace coaches in mid-season.

As opposed to baseball, basketball, and hockey... it is somewhat unusual for an NFL team to change coaches during the season. This is mainly due to their only being 16 regular season games in the NFL where other sports have many more than that. There are 32 teams in the NFL and since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger there has been a change of coaches mid season 59 times - that's less than two in-season coaching changes for each team if you average it out.

So, which team has changed coaches during the season the most?

The list of teams that has changed coaches mid-season once or twice since 1970 is decent sized, but from there we move into the upper echelon of coaching instability.

NFL Teams That Have Changed Head Coaches In Mid-Season Three Times Since 1970:

Arizona/St. Louis Cardinals

Cincinnati Bengals

Buffalo Bills

NFL Teams That Have Changed Head Coaches In Mid-Season Four Times Since 1970:

Detroit Lions

Tennessee Titans (done while still the Houston Oilers)

New England Patriots

Cleveland Browns

But, the champions of this category are...

NFL Teams That Have Changed Head Coaches In Mid-Season Five Times Since 1970:

Atlanta Falcons (just joined the club)

New Orleans Saints

San Diego Chargers

Indianapolis Colts

There you have it, where does your team rank in coaching stability?

A couple of interesting side notes that make great trivia:

There Are Eight Teams That Hadn't Changed Coaches Mid-Season At All Since 1970:

Of these eight teams, four have a distinct advantage as they came into the league after 1995:

Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, and the Houston Texans.

But, the four longtime NFL teams that qualify:

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Pittsburgh Steelers

And a nice bit of trivia on the bad side of this issue:

There are only two NFL teams since 1970 that have changed head coaches mid-season in two consecutive years:

New York Jets (1975 & 1976)

Buffalo Bills (1985 & 1986)

IQFB gives you all kinds of great football trivia! Impress your friends and win bets in bars with all the football knowledge you'll pick up. http://IQFB.com - Get Football Smart!

College Football - Evaluating Three First-Year Coaches - Saban, Erickson and Dantonio - Part 3

2007-12-28T04:40:00.000-08:00

Unlike the hiring of Dennis Erickson at Arizona State and Mark Dantonio at Michigan State, the hiring of Nick Saban as Alabama's new head coach became a national media event.
It was not just Saban's incredible coaching record that made his signing such a big deal, it was more the fact that his 8-year, $32 million contract made him the highest paid college football coach ever.
Saban paid his dues in the trenches as a defensive assistant and/or defensive coordinator at Kent State, Syracuse, West Virginia, Ohio State, Navy and Michigan State in the college ranks and with the Houston Oilers in the pros. As a head coach, Saban:
1) Took the Toledo Rockets from a 6-5 record to a 9-2 mark and the Mid-American Conference co-championship before leaving after a year to become Defensive Coordinator for the NFL Cleveland Browns for 4 years under Bill Belichick.
The Browns went from allowing the most points in the NFL (462) prior to Saban's arrival to allowing the fewest points in the league (204) in 2004, the sixth-fewest points surrendered in NFL history at the time. In 4 years of guiding Cleveland, the Browns never allowed an average of 20 points scored for any opponent.
2) Left the Browns to return to Michigan State as its head coach. When he arrived, the Spartans had played one bowl game in the last 5 years. Saban had the Spartans in 4 bowl games in 5 years, becoming the first Spartan coach to lead his team to consecutive bowl appearances in his first 3 seasons.
In 1999, his last year, Michigan State defeated Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State in the same year for the first time since 1965, and recorded 6 home victories for the first time since the 1912 season. The Spartans were ranked 7th nationally as a team, 5th nationally in Rushing Defense and 11th in Total Defense.
3) Served another 5-year stint at Louisiana State (LSU), producing a 48-16 record (.750 winning percentage in the SEC) while winning a national championship in 2003, 2 Southeastern Conference titles, and 3 SEC West Division championships. His 48 victories in 5 years were the 3rd most among Division 1A head coaches at that time.
He was selected as the 2003 National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press, and earned both the Paul "Bear" Bryant National Coach of the Year Award, and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award by the Football Writers Association of America.
Saban promoted academic success at LSU as well as football success, producing 84 Academic All-SEC honorees in 5 seasons, including 25 members of his 2003 national championship team, which led the national in Scoring Defense and Total Defense. Twenty-eight of his players were selected in the NFL draft. Thirteen of his players from his 2003 national championship team would go on to play in the NFL.
Saban's 2001 team went 10-3 and won the program's first outright SEC title since 1986 and its first victory in a New Year's Day bowl game since 1968. And, yes, he probably could have been elected governor of Louisiana.
4) Spent 2 years as head coach of the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. Miami was 4-12 when he took over and 9-7 in his first season.
5) Moved on to the Alabama job after bolting from the Miami Dolphins 2 years into a 5-year contract. No one has questioned his success on the field but many have questioned his loyalty and coaching methods. Saban is not a big fan of mediocrity, and he does not tolerate false effort. He demands and gets a lot from his players.
He is comfortable under the klieg lights of Hollywood, and some think he is too full of himself. Given a vote at the University of Alabama, I would guess that the Crimson Tide are happy he is on their side of the field.
Among the three first-year coaches being evaluated in this article-Dennis Erickson of Arizona State, Mark Dantonio of Michigan State and Nick Saban of Alabama-Saban has had the least success.
Alabama's offense was Average in Scoring Offense, Total Offense, Rushing Offense and Passing Offense and Poor in Pass Efficiency Offense. Saban's defense, his strong suit, was Good in Scoring Defense (29th nationally), Total Defense and Pass Efficiency Defense (both 28th nationally), and Average in Rushing Defense and Passing Defense.
Overall, Alabama scored 32 of 50 possible points in my rating system, Michigan State scored 33 of 50 and Arizona State 35 of 50.
Alabama was 6-2 this year at its zenith before hitting a downward spiral in its last 4 games, losing by a touchdown to LSU 41-34, getting beat on the road at Mississippi State 17-12 (bad), losing at home by a touchdown to Louisiana-Monroe 21-14 (terrible), and then dropping its last game to Auburn by a touchdown on the road 17-10 (horrific). Friend, you just do not lose to Auburn when you coach Alabama.
Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide will have at least one shot at some redemption when they face Colorado (6-6) in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 30. A more accurate name for this bowl match-up might be the Mediocre Bowl. Despite Saban's first-year record, the smart money will still be on Alabama, at least for this game.
Editor's Note: This is the last of a 3-Part Series.
Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley
Ed Bagley's Blog Publishes Original Articles with Analysis and Commentary on 5 Subjects: Sports, Movie Reviews, Lessons in Life, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing. My intention is to inform, educate, delight and motivate you the reader.
Read my sports articles on "Nick Saban: A Great College Football Coach Who Might Bring Alabama Back to Greatness", "Dantonio Finally Arrives on the Big 10 Stage as Head Coach at Michigan State" and "Boise State Looked Oklahoma in the Eye and Showed How Belief Makes a Winner".
Find His Blog at:http://www.edbagleyblog.com/
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/Sports.html

Playing Quarterback

2007-12-27T11:47:00.000-08:00

Playing quarterback is every kid's dream growing up in football loving nations. Playing for the local team, in front of a home crowd, making that amazing match winning pass is something every little boy and girl can appreciate from an early age. From that first ball thrown in the playground, you can go along way in a very short time with hard work and commitment.

As we get older, most of us don't follow through these dreams as we become tangled in academia and career-centric. However, by playing quarterback for your local team, you can realize your dream, albeit on a slightly less grand scale. Even the best had to start somewhere, and by getting involved in your local area, you can give yourself the best possible chance of making a career out of football, or stepping up to a semi-professional level.

Playing quarterback demands skill and dexterity when it comes to ball handling, and you should also be fairly competent as an all-rounder to cement your position in the team. In addition to that, you should also be swift on your feet, and have a great eye for the game and perception of player movements and psychology. All in a day's work for a start quarterback...

If you're interested in playing quarterback, your best bet is to join a local team and start working your way up. Go to training, and try your hardest. Don't just settle for one training session with the team a week. If you want to go far, you're going to need to completely change your diet and lifestyle. Get down to the local gym and work on your physical fitness and strength by using a variety of different training mechanisms. Additionally, try circuit training in order to build your stamina. All the dedication, hard work, sweat and tears should eventually pay off as you notice an improvement in your overall game, which is the first step to playing quarterback.

Playing football is not only a great sporting endeavour, but it also helps improve your confidence and social skills. Sport is an essential aspect of personal and social development, and by sticking at it, you could achieve some level of personal success, as well as benefiting from the other life skills it can provide. All in all, football is a great sport, and if you work hard, and are committed to the task in hand, you might play quarterback one day like your heroes on the field.
Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Games, Travel, and Tennis

Acting Like a Maniac When Coaching Youth Football, Should You Ever?

2007-12-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

All people are different, God made us unique for a purpose. Hence, no two youth football coaches are going to have the same exact sidelines demeanor. Some coaches are humorous and animated, some are quietly confident, some are aggressive and loud and some are just soaking it all in and enjoying the moment. All of these expressions of who we are probably have a time and place when you are coaching youth football, but there are some expressions you should keep to yourself. Many of these won't do your reputation or your team much good.

Here are a few examples:
About 16 years ago I started coaching youth football as an assistant coach on an age 8-10 expansion team. Like most expansion teams with all rookie players and rookie coaches, we struggled that first year. We knew we were going to struggle from the start, as most expansion teams in the league usually lost every game. Our head coach was a very well respected Real Estate Executive with the largest firm in the state. He had given presentations to large crowds and had dozens of direct reports, a pretty savvy guy. Our first game our players were nervous as you might expect with all first year players. Before the game I saw the Head Coach kind of doubled over near the sidelines with a grimace on his face and a near greenish color hue on his mug. I asked him if he was sick, he said his stomach was killing him and he was nauseous. I asked him if he had been sick this week, he replied no, that it was the game that was making his stomach cramp and making him nauseous. This grown man, a big shot was letting a youth football game get to him.

The head coach leads by example, the players are always taking their cues from him and our head coach was nervous and sick before our first game. This was a time when our kids were feeling the same emotions, needless to say we got blown out that day. Our coach was so wrapped up in how the team would do, he made himself sick that day and it hurt his teams performance and enjoyment of the game.

Another youth football coach I know of actually is so emotional before his games that he goes off in his car, sits in a park and cries before the games to let all his emotions out. Obviously this guy may need some type of professional help and I wouldn't let a guy like that coach with me, but many youth football coaches let their emotions get the best of them.

While it's normal to feel some angst before games, if you're making yourself sick or are overly emotional before games you are taking this far too seriously. Do some of us get up in the morning and on the way to work think about football plays to run or ways to improve our youth football teams? Yes. Do many of us put a lot of time and effort into our teams and improving as coaches? Sure. But thinking about youth football and making yourself a better coach have little to do with letting your emotions get the best of you before a game.

We all want our teams to do well and that the kids have a great experience, but life isn't going to change dramatically and the earth won't stop spinning if you don't coach the perfect game. If you put the time in and learn from others and your own experiences and are a good football coach. your teams will eventually play well. Over time if your teams are well coached and they play well, the wins will take care of themselves. As a head football coach all you can control is your teams preparation and the schemes and adjustments, you can't control the weather, the refs or the other teams performance.

Does this mean you are obsolved if your youth football team loses? No, it means you are in control of what you can control and as long as your team executes and plays well, that's all you can hope for. In the end, playing well usually equates to winning games, but fretting over it accomplishes nothing and actually hurts your teams performance. If the kids see you aren't enjoying the experience, they aren't going to enjoy it either and a team without smiles on their faces is a team that plays poorly.

Don't forget to get a good meal in you before the game and bring some Gatorade for yourself as well. I pray on my way to games or in the morning of the game asking God for wisdom, patience and for me to have a long term focus on my actions. I also ask that God may be glorified by my actions and the actions of my team that day. I'm not sure God takes sides in youth football games, I never pray to win, but I do pray that all my kids show up and that no one from either team is injured that day. For those not so inclined, maybe looking at how you will be remembered 10 years after the game is finished is a good perspective to take on guiding your actions for the day. Of course I'm also reviewing in my mind my game plan, keys adjustments and substitution plans for the day as well.

For most of us the level of discomfort in any task is inversely related to how well we have prepared ourselves for for the task. The first few public clinics I did I was pretty nervous, I had never done any large clinics before strangers and the presentations were with new material. ( Kind of like having a new team or playing your first game) I had not had time to practice the presentations or gotten feedback as to where there would be additional questions or even if the presentations would be well received ( Kind of like not doing lots of fit and freeze reps or even having a scrimmage). As you would expect, the first few clinics were ok but they could have been much better. Now I always practice the presentations live and now even in front of crowds of 190 skeptical youth football coaches in Boston, I'm cool and confident.

As this relates to your youth football team, the better your team is prepared the less nervous you will be. The more thorough you have prepared yourself and your youth football team, the less nervous you will be. Easy enough to say, hard to do for some. Either way, once you've put in the effort into yourself and your team, you have to tell yourself that's all you can do. As the book about De LaSalle High Schools 151 game winning streak says, "There is comfort in knowing you have given all you have". In the end you just have to let the game play out and see the results. If you've done the research and put the time in, like any other Endeavour, you're probably going to be a successful youth football coach.

This premise is probably made most clear by my teams opening game results, we are always well prepared, calm and confident. Even at our first game, our football plays look crisp, our alignments are perfect, we always have 11 on the field, we block and tackle well, we even go in motion well and are seldom penalized. We almost always win our opening games by huge margins, even against the best youth football teams in our league

Past Years Scores
We are able to do this because of our wise use of practice time, our integrated schemes and the progression nature of the teaching methods we use to develop our teams. We go into these games with a lot of confidence. Quite often we are literally months ahead of our competition that first game. We have been told many times by our opponents that our kids seem to be pretty carefree and very confident. My thoughts are we appear so because we are, the kids know they are prepared to play that first game. Our coaches are all calm, cool and confident before the games because as we all know, the kids are all taking their cues from us, that calm demeanor is part of coaching youth football well. If your coaches are fretting and worried, the kids will be too. Even if deep inside you aren't confident any of your football plays will even work that day, you need to appear so on the outside for your youth football players and your team.
For 150 free youth football practice tips from Dave or to sign up for his free newsletter: Coaching Youth Football
Dave Cisar-
Dave has a passion for developing youth coaches so they can in turn develop teams that are competitive. His teams have won over 94% of their games in 5 different leagues. He is a Nike "Coach of the Year" designate and his book has been endorsed by Tom Osborne.
Clips of his 2006 team in action: Youth Football Plays
Copyright 2007 Cisar Management and winningyouthfootball.com

Creating Awesome Permanent Memories in Youth Football

2007-12-27T11:43:00.000-08:00

Creating Awesome Permanent Memories in Youth Football

Kids say the darndest things and when you are coaching youth football some of the things your youth football players say are jewels that bring a smile to your face and even go into long term memory. As many of you may know the University of Nebraska has fired their head coach, Bill Callahan and are now in the process of looking for a new head coach. That process is in the news here in a big way here to put it mildly.

Tom Osbornes every move and comment as Athletic Director is chronicled, analyzed and debated to the atomic level. Everyone wants to be clued in on who the candidates are. Every plane passenger coming in and out of Lincoln Nebraska is being scrutinized for coaching candidates much like security scanning for Arab terrorists. In other words, it's big news here, you can't escape it, speculation is rampant as to who the next coach for the Cornhuskers will be.

This weekend one of my own children suggested to me that I should be the next head coach for the Huskers. In all sincerity, they told me I should apply and that I would do a great job. After laughing so hard I nearly coughed a lung up, I thought it was great that one of my kids thought so highly of my coaching skills that they felt I would be qualified to coach a College team that has the third most wins in NCAA College Football history. I went on to explain to them the qualifications of a college football coach and why I was not qualified to coach the team. I also explained the huge time commitments required, as most of the coaches around here work from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm and that working those type of hours would mean missing out on a lot of the special things we do together. After mulling it over, my child said "Dad I think you should just stick to coaching the Eagles".

It seems my own child is not the only one with the same opinion. Here is an e-mail received this Monday from one of my youth football parents:

Dave,

After hearing the news on Saturday, XXX is of the opinion that you should be the next Nebraska Head Coach. I asked him how that would work, since you also were coaching the Screaming Eagles. He said that would be no problem, you already coach two teams, so one more should not be a problem.

Should I let Coach Osborne know you are interested?

XXX

You can't buy these kind of moments, youth football kids you got to love them. One of the benefits of coaching kids are the laughs and memories you get from impressionable young people. But on a more serious note, if your youth football players think as highly of you as your own children, you have a huge responsibility to be a great role model. Your players eyes are on you every moment you are on the field and don't think they aren't paying attention to you off the field as well. I still remember the names of my youth football coaches and carry around memories of those days in mind to this day. I can't seem to remember my computer passwords or the entry code to the garage lock, but I can remember my youth football playing days. Don't think your players won't be in the same shoes 35 years from now.

For 150 free youth football practice tips from Dave or to sign up for his free newsletter: Football Plays

Dave Cisar-

Dave has a passion for developing youth coaches so they can in turn develop teams that are competitive. His teams have won over 94% of their games in 5 different leagues. He is a Nike "Coach of the Year" designate and his book has been endorsed by Tom Osborne.

Clips of his 2006 team in action: Youth Football Plays

Copyright 2007 Cisar Management and winningyouthfootball.com

Developing Mental Toughness in Youth Football Players

2007-12-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

As a youth football player I was one of those odd kids that loved to go to football practice. We all have some of those type of kids on our teams every year, but in todays world of unlimted choices and instant gratification, we see less and less of these kids these days. As a youth football player, I dreaded those first few weeks of torture and deprivation, but knew in the end that we would eventually get into learning the game and actually playing. Other youth players on my teams often never got to that point, they didn't know there was an end result that was worth waiting for, some would sour on the game or quit during those first miserable 2 weeks.

As time went on, I ended up playing High School, then College Football. The physical portion of the game became less important than the mental toughness needed to perform well. Being perfect with technique and assignment as well as the "mental toughness" of the individual was more important than just dominating physically at these upper levels. As a player moves up the ladder of competition, the disparities in talent are less and less pronounced and the mental portion of the game becomes more important.

At the youth level, the higher the level of competition the greater the importance of mental toughness is to the success of your team. If you have a stud player or two that has carried your team all season, when you get to the upper levels of competition, the other teams are going to have two to three studs as good or better than yours. You can rarely get by on talent alone when you play at the highest levels of youth football especially when you got to the playoffs or travel out of town to play. Your team has to be prepared to play in dogfights where they may have to play from behind or be matched up against far superior teams.

Many youth coaches that are now in their playoffs or traveling to National Tournaments are looking for edges, physical, emotional and mental edges. Traveling out of state to play games against unfamiliar teams can be very challenging mentally for your football team. Maybe you are from a primarily white suburban area and you are matched up with an all-black inner-city team or you play a team that outweighs your offensive line by over 60 pounds per player, it happens all the time in playoff and tournament games. If your kids don't have a lot of mental maturity, it's going to be very difficult for them to succeed in these type situations. Often when faced with this type of challenges, many youth players develop mysterious illnesses or injuries. In boxing terms we call this "looking for a soft place to land". Many of you youth coaches that have not gone to these tournaments would be surprised at how poorly some teams perform. Teams that have been bullies in their own leagues face adversity or a quality match-ups for the first time and fold like a cheap deck of cards. I'm speaking of teams that come in with amazing records, but get smacked in the mouth for the first time and crumble. But there are techniques you can use when coaching youth football, to prepare your team for these inevitable challenges.

I've found there is no last minute magic bullet or speech that can help your kids over this type of hump. There are some pre-game tips listed here on the blog that can help lessen some of the stress, see "Beating the Bully Team" entry. But helping your kids develop some mental toughness throughout the season is what's needed to tame this ghost. We try and create pressure situations during practice all year that will show our kids they can perform well under lots of pressure.

Some of the tactics we use:

20 Perfect Offensive Football Plays in a row. We run our offensive plays out on air. Our backs and pullers run everything out 20 yards, our linemen take their first two steps and freeze, then on a whistle sprint 20 yards to a designated spot for the next play. Needless to say the kids get pretty winded as I'm calling out both the plays and cadence to keep the pace very fast. Each play must be executed flawlessly for it to "count" and we don't quit until we get 20 perfect plays in a row. Perfect means the alignment and stances of all the players is perfect, each linemen has led and finished with his correct foot, each back has performed his responsibilities either blocking, faking or running perfectly and that we have 100% effort from everyone on the play. This includes the back-ups running with the group at full attention and effort. If one player breaks down, we start over again at 1.

The kids need to understand that this is an 11 player game and if one player fails his responsibility, our football plays will fail and then our team will fail. The kids need to be trained that every detail is important and non-negotiable. Peer pressure is a very important tool in youth football, the kids will police themselves in this drill, they don't want to have to run endless 20 yard sprints.

After a few start and stops, eventually the kids will embrace this drill as a challenge and look forward to it. Kids on our team actually ask for this drill, they like to see how many perfect plays they can do in a row, they want to set new records. After you've run this drill for 20 minutes in 90 degree heat there is no greater pressure than to be on play number 18, the kids don't want to start over again at 1. To add even more pressure to the situation, call a pass play on the 20th play. You never know when a game can come down to a very last second pass play that you have to make under huge pressure.

Another great way to build mental maturity is to Scrimmage against teams that are out of your league. There are multiple youth football leagues in our area and we try and develop relationships with teams in all of them. Set up mid-season scrimmages against teams that are the exact opposite of your team or the teams you typically face. If you are an inner-city team, scrimmage a rural or suburban team. If your league is a run dominated league, play a spread passing team. If your team is good but small, scrimmage a huge team or even a team that is an age bracket or classification higher. Doing this shows your kids you can play against anyone, the more extreme the differences, the better it is for your football team.

We also like to create pressure situations for our kids during practice. We will often wrap practice up by practicing field goals. In our youth football league the extra point kick is worth 2 points, the run or pass is just 1 point, hence the kicks are very important. If you play a team that can't kick extra points and your team can and you score a touchdown, you in essence have a 2 score lead if you can make your extra point kick. We put our field goal team on the practice field then put all the other kids on the team opposite them, they jump up and down, yell, scream etc to distract the kicker. After a few kicks we then tell the kicker if he makes the next kick, we get 10 minutes of "game time", if he misses we will run plays out 20 yards for the next 10 minutes. Obviously he's under a lot of pressure here, we may even add a player or two behind the line of scrimmage near the holder spot and have them yell at the kicker as well.

We do the same with some of our pass catching drills. We will line up our offensive formation right in front of where the parents are that have come to watch our football practice. We let the kids and parents know that if we complete the next pass, practice is over, if we don't complete it, we get 10 more minutes of team offense with 20 yard football plays being run out. Again we are creating pressure situations with positive and negative team consequences based on the results and effort of the team. We may even place 4-5 players at the catching point of this pass, having the kids yelling and waving their arms to distract the reciever to train him to handle pressure.

When doing team offensive reps on air in practice I often require that we get a play off every 20 seconds. I will call the cadence to set the pace and tempo. Getting everyone into position and running a perfect play every 20 seconds creates pressure, but also shows the kids they can run lots of plays quickly in time sensitive situations. Since we are always a no-huddle team, we are always in hurry-up mode.

While my teams over the last 7 years have rarely trailed in many games, we have had a number where we did and had to make a comeback. We often scored right before the half in time sensitive situations. This season my age 7-9 kids scored on the last play of the first half in 3 separate games and in the last minute of the half in 5 of 9 games. We all know that scoring right before the half is a back breaker in youth football. We did this by running a lot of plays in a small amount of time, our kids just didn't panic when the clock was winding down, they fully expected to score.

We have played out of league and out of state tournament games against much larger and more athletic competition. Our teams mental maturity is what helped us compete in these games. Don't neglect developing mental maturity with your kids especially if you expect to play in a big game or travel out of town to play in one of the many youth football tournaments out there.

For 150 free youth football practice tips from Dave or to sign up for his free newsletter: Football Plays
Dave Cisar-

Dave has a passion for developing youth coaches so they can in turn develop teams that are competitive. His teams have won over 94% of their games in 5 different leagues. He is a Nike "Coach of the Year" designate and his book has been endorsed by Tom Osborne.

Clips of his 2006 team in action: Youth Football Plays

Copyright 2007 Cisar Management and winningyouthfootball.com

Dont Let Trick Plays Blow Up in Your Face In Youth Football

2007-12-26T07:03:00.000-08:00

Trick Play Problems
This week I received a nice e-mail from a youth football coach down south that has an age 12-13 year old team running my system. They are a second year program in an intensely competitive youth football league and have shown marked improvement. They were playing a playoff game and were looking for that extra late season edge and turned to running one of the simple "trick" football plays in their playbook.

They ran a trick football play, the 32 wedge "fumble". This play is in essence a fake fumble where the two deep backs pretend the ball is snapped over their heads,they do a great acting job of diving on the "fumble", in the meantime the ball is snapped short and the up-back runs a wedge play. When this team ran the play, the up-back took the ball to the house for a 60 yard touchdown. Unfortunately the fake was so good, that the referees had blown the play dead, thinking the two deep backs had fumbled the snap and were lying on the football.

With the tight formation and bunched backs of this system, this offense is extremely deceptive even to experienced referees. I've had High School refs with over 20 years experience lose the ball in our games. They tell me they hate doing our games because they just can't follow the ball with all the misdirection and spinning ball fakes, multiple snap targets and low snaps. To ref one of our games, you really have to be on your toes. Throw in the fact that many youth football referees are not terribly experienced and you have a recipe for some major problems.

Before the game, make sure and demonstrate your trick plays to the officials so this type of thing does not happen to you. If you are worried about the other team watching, block their view with your backup players standing in a body to body tight line to obscure their view and run your offense perpendicular to the sidelines.

Fortunately my friends team won this game 26-25, but it could have been the difference in the game. Don't let this happen to you, be proactive and discuss your trick plays with the referees beforehand and even demonstrate them to the referee crew. Most crews really appreciate it and doing so could save you both from a pile of grief.

For 150 free youth football practice tips from Dave or to sign up for his free newsletter: Football Plays
Dave Cisar-Dave has a passion for developing youth coaches so they can in turn develop teams that are competitive. His teams have won over 94% of their games in 5 different leagues.
Clips of his 2006 team in action: Youth Football Plays
Copyright 2007 Cisar Management and winningyouthfootball.com

Giants Focus Now Shifts Towards Eagles

2007-12-26T07:02:00.000-08:00

The commotion of last week's game against the Bears has settled down as the Giants prepare for their upcoming battle against division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.

Last week the Eagles were in an uproar with a QB controversy after AJ Feely had a mediocre game in a losing effort to the New England Patriots. After he sputtered even harder against the Seahawks, fans in Philly are realizing that their 5 time pro bowl QB named McNabb, you know the guy who lead them to 4 NFC championship games and a Superbowl, should really be their starter.

Coming off of an ankle and thumb injury, McNabb claims he is ready to play. This match up against the Eagles will be far different then the one a few weeks back when the Giants defense completely dismantled the Eagles offense with 12 sacks, 6 of them by Umenyiora. Westbrook will be in this game, where he was out the last time as will LJ Smith and Brian Dawkins. More importantly the Eagles will have their pro bowl left tackle, William Thomas playing, and already that should slow down the Giants pass rush from the last time these two teams met.
Regardless of who is playing, the Eagles are a mediocre team, barely hanging in the playoff race. The Giants have an opportunity to put them away this week and end their season, something they didn't do last year when they had the chance.

Giants have a stronghold on the first wild card spot while the Eagles are dead last in all tie breakers for the final spot. A Giants win this week will all but assure them a spot in the January tournament while the Eagles start talking about what went wrong.
The win against the Bears was a huge one for the Giants. It has breathed life back into a team that seemed to sputter the last few games. The defense is doing well, and Manning actually showed some enthusiasm on the sideline after the touchdown call to Toomer was reversed in the Giants favor.

Maybe that win was the spark the offense needed to get out of its slump and start getting on a roll as they head to the playoffs. Last year the Giants limped in on the heels of now retired running back, Tiki Barber. This year, according to Antonio Pierce on WFAN's Mike & the Mad Dog show Tuesday afternoon, the goal is to roll into the playoffs, have momentum and carry it through the first week.
This Sunday will mark a huge game for both teams. A win by the Giants and they are pretty much in, rolling along, sending the South Philly team packing for warmer weather and some golf clubs. A loss, and the Giants just gave life to a team, who has the post season experience, to do some damage, if given the chance.
By: Michael C. Podlesny
About the Author:Michael C. Podlesny is the co-host of the Big Blue Review, a weekly podcast featuring the latest news on The New York Giants. The podcast can be downloaded from Michael's blog at http://BigBlueReviewPodcast.Blogspot.com.

Alamo Bowl Gets Ready

2007-12-26T07:01:00.000-08:00

The college football regular season has finally twisted and turned its way to conclusion, and the bowl games are finally set. Needless to say, for all fans of the game, the year has been one of the strangest on record. San Antonio is once again set to host the Alamo Bowl, which will feature Penn State versus Texas A&M. The match-up should be an interesting one, with coach Joe Paterno coaching in what could be his last game (when you are still coaching at 128 year old, every game could be your last), and is his 500th career game. On the other sideline, the Aggies will be managed by interim coach, Gary Darnell, who will be filling in for the fired Dennis Franchione. A&M has named former Green Bay Packers' coach and current Texans' coordinator, Mike Sherman as head man, but he will not take over duties until after the NFL season wraps up.
The two teams have met before in the Alamodome, as Penn St. took the Aggies apart 24-0 in 1999.
A&M is coming off a lackluster 7-5 season overall, but did end on a high note, beating arch-rival Texas 38-30 in Coach Fran's last game as an Aggie. The Aggies have certainly had their ups and downs this season, but getting a win over Penn State would be a nice way for the team to get an 8th win for the year, and to start preparing for 2008.
Before the season, Penn State was expected to contend for the Big 10 title, but although they did win 8 games, and put together some terrific games-a 38-7 mauling of Wisconsin, and a 27-7 victory over Iowa-the Nittany Lions were never in contention for the title.

The storylines will be deep and interesting in the game. PSU coach, Joe Paterno, certainly doesn't have many years left coaching, but the past few years have seen him do what many thought was impossible, which was to turn the program around. While PSU isn't contending for BCS slots, the program is in good shape these days, after winning only 7 games in the 2003-2004 seasons. Coach Paterno is coaching in his 42nd year, and has won 371 games.

The Aggies are a program looking to the future, after having fired Franchione for a newsletter scandal in which he sold inside information regarding players health and practice habits to boosters, as well as barely winning more than half his games at the school. Coaching aside, the Aggies have plenty of talent, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Jack-of-all-trades QB Stephen McGee leads the team in both passing (57.7% completion, 12 TD) and rushing (858 yds, 5 TDs), but also has big, bruising running back Jorvorskie Lane (746 yds, 16 TDs) to complement him.

This year's Alamo Bowl will feature two storied and proud programs from two of America's finest conferences. In addition to the action on the field, the Bowl will also host several other events, such as a Pep Rally (Dec. 27, 6:00 PM) at the Arneson River Theater, where players coaches, bands, and cheerleaders from both schools will get together to fire up the fans. Also, be sure to check out the AT&T Fan Zone at Sunset Station, which will feature more school spirit, multimedia exhibitions, and games for the whole family.

Randy Watson a San Antonio Real Estate Agent writes regularly about all things good in San Antonio including sports, arts, events and tourism. Visit my weblog at: SATX Blog or go online for San Antonio Homessearch

West Virginia vs Missouri - Good For College Football

2007-12-26T06:59:00.002-08:00

There is still a week left in both the seasons of Missouri and West Virginia and in that week Missouri has to beat a strong Oklahoma team and West Virginia has to avoid looking past Pitt. But if both teams win on Saturday they will finish #1 & #2 in the polls and the match-up for the national title would be good for college football much to the dismay of fans of others schools like Ohio State, et al who are bemoaning how they should be in the national title game even after losses to unranked opponents throughout the season and other pitfalls.
Why would WVU facing Mizzou be good? Because maybe, just maybe, it will get some of the people holding up an actual playoff system for the national title off the dime.
Every year I hear bitching and moaning from teams out of the national title hunt complaining about how they should be considered. But this year the pitch is fevered, fed by the vast number of discontented fans of other legitimate title contenders from OSU, LSU, USC to Kansas just to name a few.
Mizzou (then #4) beats Kansas (then #2) and Missouri moves to #1 while Kansas fans decry a drop to fifth and no hope at all of a national title? Hey, I've never liked the way that the voters punish a quality team for playing and loosing to another quality team. But it's not like the drop is that unfathomable and Kansas should be lower than Mizzou. What ticks Kansas fans off is that they are now behind the 10-2 Bulldogs of Georgia who weren't even "good enough" in their mind to make their conference title game.
Ok, maybe. Yes, the Bulldogs have two losses. One was to the Gamecocks who are always eager to play anyone in the nation and one tough team every year. The other was to then unranked, but now #14 Tennessee. They beat then #16 Alabama, then #11 Florida, then #18 Auburn, and then #23 Kentucky. They've earned that #4 ranking no matter what you believe.
LSU fans are tweaked because after loosing to Arkansas they fell from first to seventh behind Ohio State, Georgia, Kansas, and Virginia Tech and are so far out of title contention that the only way they are going to the game this year is to buy tickets. That drop isn't that awful considering both that it was their second loss of the season and came to an unranked foe.
Then there are the Ohio State fans are seething because they still believe the Buckeyes are the best team in the nation. That may well be, but the same was thought last year and it did not pan out quite the way OSU fans hoped. This year they lost to then unranked Illinois who, despite beating two top five teams also lost twice to unranked teams and also a very questionable Michigan squad.
Hawaii fans? I don't feel your pain that much but I think you should be higher than 12th. I'd put your team somewhere around 8th if I had a say. Listen, if the champion of Conference USA was undefeated would anyone who is sane say they deserve a shot at the national title? No. Well, the WAC is in that same league as that conference.
Mizzou's only loss so far came at the hands of then #6 Oklahoma who they have to play once again on Saturday. They beat an overrated #25 Nebraska team, a tough then #24 Texas Tech team (who beat then #2 Oklahoma) and also #2 Kansas. Remember this too, Missouri wasn't even ranked to start the season! That tells you that they made some serious impressions along the way. Missouri is probably the feel good story of the season pending the outcome of Saturday's games.
West Virginia? Well their single loss was to a ranked South Florida team who was unbeatable until their self destruction. Remember, this is an SFU team that debuted at #2 in the BCS after that victory. WVU also beat then #25 (and probably over ranked) Rutgers, then #22 Cincinnati, and most recently #20 UConn who is certainly not as weak of a team as some of the naysayers hope for you to believe they are. They also defeated Louisville who, despite not being a contender now, was picked very high in the preseason and whose aerial attack gives the best defenses in the NCAA fits.
So before anyone starts whining about who doesn't deserve to be where they are right now, just remember that we can go through all of the "so and so" lost to "so and so" who beat "so and so" who beat "so and so" scenarios you want. In the end it's just a wash however. You can sit there as an OSU or LSU fan and bellyache all you want about how neither Missouri nor West Virginia could beat you if you were in the national title game. And you probably thought the same about Illinois and Arkansas when they played you too. But we see how well that theory worked out huh?
So Mizzou versus Vest Virginia would be good for the championship series. And it would be even better if the "big boys" each and every year for the next five or six years are shut out and we see teams like these continue to end the season one and two.
If that happens? Well, you will see a lot of schools and conferences who are fighting against a playoff today getting on board with the idea of such a system. It's not fun to be on the outside looking in. Of course all you will hear from these people decrying a possible WVU Mizzou match up in the title game IF it happens will be about how the game is illegitimate and the BCS is busted ... but just this year. When they win it, it's legitimate of course.
But don't fret. Mizzou and West Virginia still have to win one more game each. But if they don't and a team like Ohio State gets back to the dance? Well it will just prolong the establishment of a real and meaningful playoff system.
Jeff Jackson is the owner of A Great Day For Hockey, a Pittsburgh Penguins fan site. He is also the owner of Funny When Wet T-shirts and American Infidel T-shirts.

The Dallas Cowboys Are A Team Of Destiny In 2007

2007-12-26T06:59:00.001-08:00

Let the good times roll!
The Dallas Cowboys 2007 season has proved that this years Cowboys are a team of destined to win it all. This years Dallas Cowboys began the 2007 football season by winning a tough fought game at home against the New York Giants by winning a high scoring first game of 45-35. The first game started with an explosion by high scores by both teams. The team had six touchdowns and 478 yards total offense. The teams quarterback, Tony Romo passed for four touchdown passes which averaged 23 yards on his 15 completed passes.
After their first win their next opponent was the Miami Dolphins. For a second week in a row the Dallas Cowboys offense proved to to be tough as nails and rise to the occasion as they defeated the Miami Dolphins 37-20. Tony Romo completed the game with two touchdown passes and also was the team's second leading rusher. Terrell Owens led the Dallas receivers with five catches for a total of 97 yards and Marion Barber rushed for a total of 89 yards on 14 carries.
They are about sixty percent through the regular season and they remain on top of the Eastern Division. There is a strong sense of optimism as the 2007 Cowboys prepare their remaining schedule. With only one loss and eleven victories to date, Cowboy fans can begin the celebration because they know they have a season worth getting excited about. Many fans from all around the country are saying this is a season of destiny. The chemistry between the entire team hasn't been this good for many years and both the players and the fans can sense it.
Great football teams aren't built in a single season. It takes a lot of time to build and cultivate a team into a successful winning unit where they have a real chance to go all the way. The 2007 season is shaping up to be such a season and all the fans are being treated with some spectacular play for their past patience and continued loyalty to the team.
It has become quite rare for fans to remain loyal to a losing team. Many fans of losing football teams fail to show their loyalty or confidence in the team or team management. Quite Often, many talented coaches and their staff are forced out of the city by the power of unhappy fans, before they even get a real chance to plug in their new systems, and have the team learn and implement those systems. Another head coach will then come in, and the whole process will have to start all over again with nothing to show for the time and effort of the parting coach. The fact that this has not happened in Dallas, is a clear indicator as to Why Dallas Cowboys Fans are some of the very best fans in the NFL.
Find more information about the Dallas Cowboys Season of destiny by visiting http://www.cboys.net a popular site loaded with more information about the 2007 NFL Season of the Dallas Cowboys.

College Football - Lessons to be Learned From Playing Football

2007-12-26T06:57:00.001-08:00

Many people will watch the college bowl games and criticize the game of football for being violent. However, there are many lessons that can be learned by participating in football.

As a football coach and the father of four boys, I think every young man who is able to play football should play football. Even though my sons have many interest, I believe they need to play football in order to learn the lessons that football teaches about life. Such as:

perseverance

commitment

responsibility and

life isn't fair

"That's not fair!", is one of the most common statements repeated continually by young people today. Well, it's time our young men learned that life isn't fair. You will get knocked down, people will cheat and the call will not always go your way. But, you must get up and get back into the game or lose. If you stay down, you can't win.

Young men need to learn that being the best means preparing, persevering, and practicing whether you want to or not. They need to understand that things will be difficult at times, there will be trials and tribulations. It's all part of life. But quitting is not an option.

Our young men need to regain a sense of responsibility, loyalty and commitment. The most important of these being commitment. Imagine the change in our world, if young men kept their commitments not because a court told them to do it, but because they believed it was the right thing to do.

The structure and discipline of football allows a coach to model, teach and reinforce all of the above traits. But, the coach must make each and every player accountable to the team.

I invite you to check out more articles from Coach Causey at http://CoachCausey.com

College Football - If You Thought SEC Was the Toughest NCAA Conference, Think Again

2007-12-26T06:55:00.001-08:00

There is so much buzz and hype about the Southeast Conference-better known as the SEC-you would think there are no other NCAA football conferences that can compare.
Even Jeff Sagarin in his Sagarin Ratings lists the SEC as the top conference with a central mean (that is Sagarin math talk) of 79.89 with the Pacific 10-better known as the Pac 10-second at 79.19. On a scale of 100 the difference is 70/100ths of 1, or close enough to not make a difference in my mind.
Ranked 11th among Division 1A conferences is Conference USA at 58.88. Three 1AA conferences are then rated above the last 1A conference-the Sun Belt-at 58.26.
Sagarin rates all of the 242 individual 1A and 1AA teams and then combines them among conferences to arrive at these figures.
I read other factors into his mathematical formula for deciding which conference is the toughest (best) conference.
Knowing that the SEC is legion for scheduling Division 1AA teams in its non-conference schedule, I suspect that the SEC's strength of schedule (the quality of its opponents) may not be as strong. Turns out that I am right.
The "tough" SEC played exactly 10 Division 1AA opponents this season, more than any other conference in the country. By comparison, the Big 12 played 10, the ACC and Big Ten played 7 games, the Big East 6, and the Pac 10 only 2.
When I add up the strength of schedule for the 12 SEC teams I get an average of 30 compared to an average strength of schedule of 14 for the Pac 10. Who plays the tougher schedule between the top two dogs? It is easily the Pac 10.
If you are wondering, the team that has played the toughest schedule during the first 12 weeks of the 2007 college football season is the Washington Huskies, and that is why they are ranked No. 1 among the 242 Division 1A and 1AA schools.
For the record, Nebraska is No. 2, Stanford No. 3, California No. 4 and Colorado No. 5, so 3 of Top 5 teams in strength of schedule are from the Pac 10.
Please, do not give me this garbage about the SEC playing the toughest schedule. The facts and statistics say otherwise.
Another interesting fact of note is this: Since the NCAA established the Division 1A and 1AA separation in 1978, only 5 Division 1A schools have not played a Division 1AA school: Washington, Southern California, UCLA, Michigan State and Notre Dame. Again 3 of the 5 teams come from the Pac 10.
The SEC already has 7 of its 12 teams with 7 or more wins and bowl eligible by NCCA standards, and now you know one of the reasons why.
It is the same reason why Hawaii is unbeaten at 10-0, having defeated two 1AA schools in fattening up its impressive win record while racking up the 153rd toughest schedule against the other 119 Division 1A schools.
Sometimes a 1AA school can beat a 1A school (like Appalachian State beating Michigan at home 34-32), not because they are necessarily better but because the 1A school did not take them seriously.
Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley
Ed Bagley's Blog Publishes Original Articles with Analysis and Commentary on 5 Subjects: Sports, Movie Reviews, Lessons in Life, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing. My intention is to inform, educate, delight and motivate you the reader.
Read my article on "College Football: Only 8 Teams Now Vie for BCS Title Game, Sagarin Reveals a New View of the Rivals" and "The Sagarin Ratings: What They Are, How to Read Them and What to Do With Them".
Find my Blog at:http://www.edbagleyblog.com http://www.edbagleyblog.com/Sports.html

Mini Football Helmet - Small And Perfect, Fits In Your Pocket

2007-12-26T06:54:00.000-08:00

Mini football helmets make the ideal curio pieces in a home or office space which belongs to a sports lover. There are so many fans out there who enjoy collecting and displaying sports related memorabilia and collectibles, even the mini football helmets. For a person who is an ardent fan of the NFL, national Football leagues, he would give anything to own a helmet or a jersey worn by the player or that has their autograph on it. But for those, who cant afford those, but want a piece of the sport with them, these mini football helmets are a way of satisfying this urge. Since these helmets are small in size and don't occupy much space, they can be displayed anywhere. There are some fans who have these in their car, proudly showing off that they support that particular team. Also, the helmets are a genuine replica of the original ones that the players wear and so these are as valuable as the bigger helmets.
Off late there have been as spurt in the number of websites that have come up where sports memorabilia and items are available for sale. The sports enthusiasts can check them out, and make a purchase online and it will be delivered to their doorstep within couple of days. The helmets look exactly like the bigger ones, right down to the color and patterns. If you are an Arizona Cardinals fan, you will find that the small helmet has the same white color on it, with the eagle's picture printed on it. These helmets are made with the same material, polycarbonate shells that are used in making the players' helmets. And so they are as strong and sturdy and wont get damaged easily. The detailing on these is amazing because attention is paid from the coloring to the chin strap. Every helmet has a chin strap made of fine leather with an adjustable buckle at the end. There is no difference between these and their larger counterparts but for the size.
Some of the helmets available have an autograph by the player or might have a player's photo on them. So, if there are fans who like a particular player, they can pick up those helmets. These are a unique way of displaying one's loyalties towards the sports. In fact there are some companies which have begun making display cases for these mini football helmets. These are perfect as they prevent the helmet from getting dusty and helps keep the shine on longer. There are also display cases available for footballs, which is another common collectible item among sports fans. When a person visits the office or home of a sports fan, and he sees this mini football helmet sitting proudly in the mantle, he will develop new respect for the home owner. For a person to be in possession of a sports related product is something to be excited about and they will remember the game that helped their team win the championship.
Article written by Cassaundra Flores, owner of Sports Fan Store, skyfireproducts.com.

Giants On Pace To Make Franchise History

2007-12-26T06:52:00.000-08:00

Less than a year ago, fans and the NY Media were calling for the head of Tom Coughlin. We heard names like Charlie Weiss (How's ND doing this year Charlie?), Bill Cowher, Bill Parcells and a slew of others. Now Tom Coughlin is set to do for this team that hasn't been done since Parcells was the coach last century.

At the conclusion of Sunday's contest, and chalking up a victory over the Lions, the New York Giants are on the verge of doing something this franchise hasn't done in a very long time, go to the playoffs three consecutive years.

Holding with a 7 - 3 record, staring down a Viking's opponent that is about as inconsistent a franchise can get, the Giants truly control their own destiny.

Over the next 6 weeks the Giants schedule stands as follows:

.vs. Minnesota (4-6)
at Chicago (4-6)
at Philadelphia (5-5)
.vs. Washington (5-5)
at Buffalo (5-5)
.vs. New England (10000 - 0)

Obviously being a bit facetious about the Pats, but you get the point. For now lets say the Pats game is a loss (although I think they are going to win that one). Each of the other remaining 5 games are very winnable, and two are against teams they have already beaten, in Philly and Washington.

By the end of the season the Giants could easily be 12 - 4. Now in most seasons that would account for a first place finish, and in 2000 that was worth the #1 seed in the conference. However, the way Dallas and Green Bay are playing (two teams that have already beaten the Giants), the division and a 1st round bye pretty much went out the window 2 weeks ago when the Giants lost to the Cowboys at home.

If we go by the Giants track record this season, where they beat up on the slop in the NFL and struggle against the good teams, then this team should without a doubt finish at 12 - 4.

With the announcement of Kiwianuka now out for the year and Jacobs on a week to week basis, how much will these two injuries affect the Giants going forward? Without a doubt the bigger of the two losses is Kiwianuka. The Giants are losing a really good pass rusher, and the pass rush of the Giants is what hides the mediocre secondary they have.

Jacobs isn't a huge loss, because if you remember he went down early in the season and Ward was able to step in and do a real nice job. However, the Giants do not have that luxury going forward, since Ward is out also. In steps Mr. Droughns. Giants GM Jerry Reese is now looking like a genius for the trade that sent never seen WR Tim Carter to the Browns for Droughns. Droughns will fill in nicely, and with rookie 7th round draft choice, Ahmad Bradshaw showing his speed last Sunday, he will definitely give the running game a nice lift as well.

Regardless of injuries, the fact remains, this Giants team like last year's team, controls its own destiny. If they fulfill their destiny, come season's end, they will have made history and Coach Coughlin is sure to get a nice extension.

By: Michael C. Podlesny

About the Author:
Michael C. Podlesny is the co-host of the Big Blue Review, a weekly podcast featuring the latest news on The New York Giants. The podcast can be downloaded from Michael's blog at http://bigbluereviewpodcast.blogspot.com

College Football Mini Helmet - Small But Trendy Gear

2007-12-26T06:50:00.000-08:00

College football mini helmet is a cute memorabilia to have since they are half the size of the original helmets worn at matches. These are also innovative gift articles to a person fond of sports and of a particular team. In sports, most people are keen on having some form of memorabilia in their house, and the college football mini helmets are an affordable option to many. They are small in size, so take up less space in your house or apartment, and are as good as the big thing, so completely totally worth having one. And then, when you have made enough money to afford for a normal sized helmet, you can always buy that. There are many websites, from where you can buy your mini helmet and if you are interested in any other product, can purchase them as well. However, the price quoted by the sites could be different, so it is better to do some research before going ahead with your purchase. Also check on their authenticity and if the helmets are made using reliable sturdy plastic shells, else they will break by the time they reach you. Since the sites require you to make the payment online, be wary of scams or frauds.
For those who are into collecting of sports related products, they might go overboard at times with their hobby. For such people, there are offers available whereby if they are to buy more than 4mini helmets, they might get the 5th free or they could get a discounted deal on 5helmets. They normally take about 2 working days to deliver the products, if they don't make sure to check with them on the same or ask for a refund. The graphics on the miniature helmets are pretty specific and very clear, and some have autographs by a player. Either the quarterback or their captain, these might be priced higher than others, so check on all these details while making your selection.
The NCAA teams and the others who play in the Big 12 matches are all teams favored on miniature helmets by fans. The vinyl coating on the helmets, the details on the straps and face mask, the kind of colors used will also reflect on the quality of the helmets themselves. For children who are passionate about sports, but are just learning to play, these college football mini helmets make thoughtful gifts, and this might be the beginning of a long journey playing the sport. Football is a sport that is worshiped in the United states and since there are numerous college teams, students and others alike enjoy playing, watching and possessing a piece of the sport. The college football mini helmets make for cute curio items and don't require any sort of maintenance as they are small and just need to be dusted every now and then and last for nearly a decade. Make a dash for a sports websites and grab your mini helmet before it gets sold out.
Article written by Cassaundra Flores, owner of Sports Fan Store, skyfireproducts.com.

Miniature Football Helmet - Tiny And Cute, As Good As The Real

2007-12-26T06:49:00.000-08:00

Miniature football helmets are a way of bringing home a piece of your favorite team and preserving the same. There are plenty of teams playing in the NFL leagues and people can choose the team they root for and pick up a miniature football helmet from the souvenir store. It is also easier to collect and display these around the house or office as they don't occupy much space. The Arizona Cardinals, or the Clemson tigers might be the team you support, and you can pick up their mini helmets from any website or store which sports the team colors or names on it. It would make a wonderful addition to your growing collection of sports collectibles.

There are some mini helmets available which can be included in your Christmas decorations, you can hang them on the Christmas tree. A fun way to include your favorite sport as part of the festive celebrations. These mini helmets are a smaller version of the big helmets worn by the players, these are all of 3inches in height and is made of good quality products and so last long time. These are available not only for National Football league teams but also for the smaller college football teams. And for the bigger Super bowl teams too, there are miniature helmets available. These helmets are exactly like the bigger ones, right down to the detail in the face mask or the buckle on them. A person could get hooked on collecting these tiny helmets, because they are affordable, not as expensive as the bigger ones. They also take up lesser space and can be kept away in a cupboard along with other curio items. Or one can make a neat little collection of these miniature helmets. If in a family, there are four members, each supporting a different team, they can buy helmets of all their favorite teams and this way each one's loyalties will be displayed.

Be it the Indianapolis Colts Pink Riddell team or maybe the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, the miniature helmets are all made with the best material , with foam padding on the inside and leather strap in the chin area. The players' autograph will also be there on some, but the team logo will appear on the back of the helmet. Taking from this idea, there are companies that have created a mini helmet mp3 player as well. The sports fan can carry a miniature football helmet sporting the colors or logo of his team and listen to music at the same time. This is a fun way of incorporating sports interests with music and marketing a product that serves dual purpose.

The miniature football helmets are a interesting and innovative method of promoting a college team or giving the sports enthusiast a chance to possess a piece of the game he loves at an affordable price. For those who yearn for a piece of football apparel or accessory, this is the ideal solution making them popular among peers.

Article written by Cassaundra Flores, owner of Sports Fan Store, skyfireproducts.com.

Single Wing Football at the College Level Today

2007-12-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard "I don't see your offense being run in the pros or college"?
Well if you look hard enough you do see it lots of places. They may not call it the Single Wing, but it's part of nearly every football game you watch on Saturdays and even a few on Sundays. Mind you there are lots of fundamentals that do not change at any level of football, but youth football is not High School football, High School football is not College football and College football is not the pros. Each has its own different set of goals and limitations and should never be compared as equals.

While Mr. Tebow may look like your typical spread passing attack QB, he is just an old fashioned Single Wing Tailback. Look at his power off tackle runs, jump pass and isos. He has 16 rushing touchdowns so far this season and he still has 3-4 games left to play. He is a prototypical Single Wing tailback and he is running many staples from the olds Single Wing playbooks.
Is his coach some old codger from the 40s or 50s, the heydays of Single Wing football? No Urban Meyer is considered to be the offensive guru of this decade. Back to the future so they say, whats old is new.

Tim Tebow may very well be this years Heisman Trophy winner, with over 20 rushing touchdowns and 20 passing touchdowns, an NCSS first.

Here are a few clips from that offensive guru Urban Meyer:
College Single Wing Clips
For more youth football coaching tips or to sign up for Dave's free newsletter please go to his website.
For 150 free youth football practice tips from Dave or to sign up for his free newsletter: Football Plays
Dave Cisar-
Dave has a passion for developing youth coaches so they can in turn develop teams that are competitive. His teams have won over 94% of their games in 5 different leagues. He is a Nike "Coach of the Year" designate and his book has been enforsed by Tom Osborne.
Clips of his 2006 team in action: Football Practice

Cool Year End Events For Your Youth Football Team

2007-12-26T06:45:00.000-08:00

Remember that when you are coaching youth football, part of your job is to help your players fall in love with the game. Events like end of season banquets and awards ceremonies can help you do just that. It's a time of reflection and encouragement as well as a recruiting and retention tool for the kids you already have on your squad.

Most youth football coaches try to make their players youth football experience one the players remember and cherish. At the end of season most have an awards get together that can go from informal to the outlandish. Our program probably lands somewhere in-between. Here is how we tried to make the end of season get together special for the kids:

When I had the Omaha inner-city program and we were small and had little money, we would just go to a local pizza restaurant that had a private room. We would buy a few pizzas and pitchers of pop and hand out trophies there. I would always bring each individual player up to the front and speak briefly about the players accomplishments. We always did a special award for each player which was a paper football cut out inscribed with the date, the team name and his "award" The awards went from most improved defensive end, to most valuable player or to humorous awards based on a players silly actions during practice or games. At the end of the event the players would autograph these footballs and keep them as keepsakes.

As my organization grew, we had to go to bigger venues. We eventually did large buffet banquets in large halls with MCs, guest speakers and music. We would also hand out our academic awards at this event which at the time were used computers.

In the small rural area I now coacat, I only have two teams. We do get help putting this all on in comparison to doing it all myself when I had the huge inner-city program. We have been able to get a bit more elaborate with the smaller group. I now make up certificates on the computer for the awards portion of the event. It's simple to insert a digital team photo onto the certificate as well as the players name, number and award. The certificates can be downloaded from the internet for free or are even in the Microsoft Works package on your computer. You can frame these yourself in frames you get at Wal-Mart for about $2 each. The kids love these, a very big bang for your buck.

I also hand out a season DVD that has a team photo of the kids on the cover of the DVD as well as the DVD itself. We also add all the players names and the teams accomplishments to the back of the DVD cover. I know lots of teams do highlight DVDs but we like to do a full season DVD so everyone can get a chance to see their kids play. Too often highlight DVDs feature just a player or two. The first year I did this we had film that was shot by a dad, the last two years it was shot by a professional photographer.

It is fairly easy to do this with todays computer technology. If you don't have the skills to do it yourself ask your parents, it is likely at least one of them have the skills to do this for your team. This is a huge benefit for everyone and something the player can look back on 30 years later with his own kids. If you've ever tried to watch a game and shoot video at the same time, you know what I'm talking about, shooting video is a pain. Everyone wants to have their kids youth football memories, but no one wants to shoot the video. If you offer this, it may be the difference in a player playing for you or someone else the following year.

We now do our event at the local High School, using their cafeteria. We display the team trophies from years past for everyone to view on their way in, as well as the kids trophies. When families enter they see game film being shown on a big screen along with the Christian Music we use as background music.

Some do these events as pot luck, some don't do food at all. We have a local Italian place cater a meal is for about $6 per head and let the team moms take care of it. We also provide a t-shirt that has our team name, the year and team emblem on the front as well as the teams record. On the back of the shirt are the scores from all the games as well as the names and numbers of the players on that team.

This year part of our concession money went to getting team jackets for the kids that will be too old to play in they program next year. For less than $40 each we had nice jackets made. On the jackets is the players name and all the accomplishments his team had over the players youth football "career" with us. This is a great reward for sticking it out to the end as well as a nice way to advertise your program around town.

According to our parents, their favorite part of these events is the personal stories we tell about each player, when he picks up his award in front of the group. No matter who the player is or what value he added to our youth football team, we make sure he feels special when introducing him and his accomplishments for the year. We try and add something that the player did that was humorous to keep the whole event upbeat rather than sappy.

Personally I love seeing the weaker kids that were borderline but have become real "football players" get excited about playing the game as they talk excitingly about what they are going to do next season. I don't like getting gifts like some parents like to do, but really enjoy reading the personal cards and letters that the parents and kids often give me. I would rather have one well written letter from a player or parent than 10 more gift certificates to Applebees.

For more youth football coaching tips or to sign up for Dave's free newsletter please go to:
Coaching Youth Football

Dave Cisar-Dave has a passion for developing youth coaches so they can in turn develop teams that are competitive and well organized. He is a Nike "Coach of the Year" Designate and speaks nationwide at Coaches Clinics. His book "Winning Youth Football a Step by Step Plan" was endorsed by Tom Osborne and Dave Rimington.
With over 15 years of hands-on experience as a youth coach, Dave has developed a detailed systematic approach to developing youth players and teams. His personal teams to using this system to date have won 97% of their games in 5 Different Leagues. His web site is:
Football Plays

How to Level the Playing Field Against a Bully Team in Youth Football

2007-12-26T06:41:00.001-08:00

A youth football coach using my system has a pretty good team but this week he plays the league bully. You know them, the team that hasn't lost in 3 years and beats everyones brains out every week. This team has over twice as many kids on their team as our hero.
This team played the bully team earlier in the year and got beat. His kids were so scared of this team that several of his kids left the game early with "stomach aches". Some parents even were telling his playerws how great this team was.
The bully team has its defenders in very unsound 2 point stances and they have the stud of the league sitting right in the strong side off-tackle hole. He also claims their defensive tackles were quickly penetrating his wedge play. He also has a very small and weak Wingback. He was asking me what football plays he should run out of the playbook, but I think he needed more than X and O advice.
This is the advice I gave him:
#1) They are jumping your snap count, use plenty of "no plays" to get them to jump, then they will sit on the count. That is the only way they are penetrating your wedge play.
#2) IF your kids get it down in practice, run some first sound wedge plays. The wedge works real well against kids in 2 point stances. See above as the defense will be sitting on the snap count.
#3) Crab block your Left End and Left Guard on every play but wedge ( and 31 trap). Rep the heck out of it this week using the progression in the book and have your best kid go against them live so they see it works.
#4) Don't get to the park until 30 minutes before the game and face away/stay away from the other team until kickoff. Less time to think about it means less time for your kids to frett.
#5) Be confident and talk in past tense terms of your success, when we score our 3rd TD, after we win, meet in xyz place. etc
#6) Aggravate the defense into making mistakes by using up every second of the 25 second clock on offense as well as before you call timeouts.
#7) Run the same play over and over again until they over adjust, overcompensate and get sloppy, then run the complementary play. Don't panic and go away from your game plan if at first it's not working.
#8) Don't kick deep and make sure your onside kick is great.
#9) Tell your parents to be quiet and stop helping intimidate your team.
#10) On the off-tackle power strong side, use your Fullback to block their stud Linebacker and have the Wingback block the corner, or double him and leave the corner unblocked and run it tighter, instead of how it is in your playbook. Or better yet, use the nasty/split tunnel call, block the Defensive End out with your Right End, Corner out with your Wingback and double team the Linebacker with your Blocking Back and Fullback, just like it shows you in your adjustments section of the book. Practice that adjustment and call it with a tag to the play like the book says.
#11) Make sure and play to the gun, those kind of teams make a habit of scoring right before half and at the end of the game.
#12) No big time rah rah stuff before the game, signs, banners etc, less pressure, less to think about.
For more youth football coaching tips or to sign up for Dave's free newsletter please go to: Youth Football
For 150 free youth football practice tips from Dave or to sign up for his free newsletter: Football Plays
Dave Cisar-
Dave has a passion for developing youth coaches so they can in turn develop teams that are competitive. His teams have won over 94% of their games in 5 different leagues. He is a Nike "Coach of the Year" designate and his book has been enforsed by Tom Osborne.
Clips of his 2006 team in action: Youth Football Plays
Copyright 2007 Cisar Management and winningyouthfootball.com Republishing this article is allowed if all links are kept intact, without them it is copyright infringement.

Watch Live NFL Football - How To Watch NFL Football For Free?

2007-12-26T06:38:00.000-08:00

NFL fans should have wondered if there is actually a way to watch NFL football for free. In this information technology era, that is not impossible. Watching NFL football online could be the answer for NFL fans, who are searching for a way to watch their favorite game for free. Free does not mean that they will not spend money to achieve that.

What does free really means?

Considering the fact that the software you need to watch NFL games online requires only a low one time payment for unlimited lifetime access, you could say that it is literally free.

Not to mention the fact that you can save the money you pay for your monthly TV subscription. Saving $500 is not unachievable.

what are the other advantages?

Subscribers are getting access to more than 3,000 channels and 1,500 radio stations
Users are allowed to watch the NFL games they missed by using the on demand feature
It is accessible anywhere in the world as long as there is a reliable internet connection
Subscribers are given access to unlimited download

Treat it as your portable satellite TV receiver since there is a way to connect a PC or laptop to a TV by using a TV-PC card

I personally like the on demand feature because i might miss some NFL games when i have business to deal with. What if we see from other funs that users can actually get not only being able to watch NFL, but TV shows, movies, soccer, music videos, and more. Certainly for a NFL fans, the other does not matter, however it is worth considering since it is the value of the offer.

I will never have to worry about not being able to watch my favorite NFL team anymore while being on vacation.

I certainly hope i have shared a valuable information. Please visit Watch NFL Football For Free for more details about the software.

Mike Shanahan And The Denver Broncos' Amazing Success With Running Backs

2007-12-26T06:28:00.000-08:00

After a rough start in a season and a quarter as the head coach of the Raiders, Mike Shanahan has gone on to become one of the more successful head coaches in the league while coaching the Denver Broncos.

One of Shanahan's acknowledged strengths is his ability to assess running back talent. He has had a number of successful running backs and gotten most of them as castoffs from other teams or late in the NFL Draft. There is debate whether the running backs have been that good or if the Broncos "system" is what allows them to excel, but there can be no debate regarding their productivity.

Let's take a look at the history of Shanahan's running backs:

1995 Season - Terrell Davis Comes To Town

1995 saw rookie running back Terrell Davis shred defenses as he came out of nowhere (actually he came out of the University of Georgia, but wasn't drafted until the sixth round) to run for over 1,000 yards and catch almost 50 passes. Davis' backup that year was journeyman Aaron Craver who had his most productive season gaining over 300 yards and also catching over 40 passes.

1996-1998 - TD's Continued Excellence

With each year, Shanahan's late round steal Terrell Davis seemed to get stronger. Rushing for over 1,700 yards in 1997 and breaking the 2,000 yard mark in 1998. In 1996, Shanahan was even able to get a 5+ yard per carry average out of castoff running back Vaughn Hebron in a backup role, along with another productive year from Aaron Craver as a backup as well.

1999 - Olandis Who?

The wheels came off the Terrell Davis bus hard in 1999 with a serious injury. The Broncos were still able to get another 1,000 yard performance by a running back though, this time from Olandis Gary who in 12 games during his rookie season ran from 1,159 yards. Olandis Gary had been taken in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, passed on by many teams before being selected by the Broncos.

2000 - Who's Next?

The year 2000 saw another Broncos rookie running back have a 1,000 yard season. This time it was Mike Anderson's turn, he gained 1,487 yards and averaged 5 yards a carry doing it. Mike Anderson took after Terrell Davis in another respect, he too wasn't drafted until the sixth round.

2001 - Running Back By Committee

2001 was the first year since 1994 that the Broncos lacked having a 1,000 yard rushing performance (leading rusher that year was Leonard Russell with 620 yards). Time was split in 2001 between Mike Anderson (687 yards) and a recuperating Terrell Davis (701 yards). As a team, it was still a very productive year running the ball.

2002 - Clinton Portis Bursts Onto The Scene

The Broncos finally used a high pick on a running back in 2002 (albeit a second rounder, still not a first round pick) and took Clinton Portis out of the University of Miami. Portis exploded onto the scene with 1,508 yards and a yards per carry average of 5.5 yards. Portis was backed up by two other former 1,000 yard rushers in Olandis Gary and Mike Anderson, both averaging four or more yards per carry.

2003 - Another Term For Clinton

Clinton Portis proved his rookie season was no fluke by again rushing for over 1,500 yards and averaging 5.5 yards a carry for the second straight season. Portis backup that season was, among others, Rueben Droughns who would play a significant role for the Broncos during the next season.

2004 - Rueben's Year

With the trade of Clinton Portis to the Washington Redskins for cornerback Champ Bailey, the Broncos were in need of someone to step up and exert their dominance from the running back position. Rueben Droughns, a former third round draft pick by the Detroit Lions out of the University of Oregon, would be that man. Droughns had backed up behind Portis, Quentin Griffith, and Mike Anderson the year before, but in 2004 he would run for over 1,200 yards with a 4.5 yards per carry average.

2005 - M.A. Part 2

The 2005 season would see Rueben Droughns again rush for over 1,000 yards, the only problem was that this time he did it for the Cleveland Browns after an offseason team change. Mike Anderson, who had rushed for over 1,000 yards for the Broncos during his rookie season in 2000 (5 years earlier) and been a backup for the Broncos since then, would return to the starting role and put up over a thousand yards for the second and final time of his career. Tatum Bell, a second round pick out of Oklahoma State University, had also done quite well putting up 921 yards with a 5.3 yards per carry average. Also of note on the 2005 Denver Broncos team was former Heisman Trophy winner and New York Giants running back Ron Dayne. Dayne played in a limited role, but had some key runs, gained over 250 yards and averaged over 5 yards a carry.

2006 - Ringing Of The Bells

2006 was Tatum Bell's year to lead the Broncos in rushing as he put up just over 1,000 yards while averaging a very respectable 4.4 yards per carry. Backing up Bell that year was Mike Bell, an undrafted free agent, who although he rushed for less yards (677 yards), scored six more touchdowns than the starter Tatum Bell.

Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan has gotten more out of different players from the running back position than many people thought he'd be able to, and rarely did he give up something too valuable or use a high round draft pick to get the personnel he used.

1,000 Yard Rushers During Mike Shanahan's Tenure (Through 2006)

Mike Anderson - 2000, 2005 - 6th Round Draft Pick

Tatum Bell - 2006 - 2nd Round Draft Pick

Terrell Davis - 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 - 6th Round Draft Pick

Rueben Droughns - 2004 - Free Agent

Olandis Gary - 1999 - 4th Round Pick

Clinton Portis - 2002, 2003 - 2nd Round Draft Pick

Find out more information like this at IQFB.com! Football Facts and Trivia are a great way to impress your friends or just learn a little something you didn't know, IQFB's goal is to provide you a steady dose of "Hey, I didn't know that" type information from the world of football.