The Davis Cup chose its clashes for the next season. After Argentina and Russia reached the final this year, the two lined up to find out their
1st round opponents for the 2007 Davis Cup season. Russia will have to travel to Chile for their first encounter, while Argentina should get an easy win over Austria, in Europe.
Still, the biggest clash of all announces to be Switzerland versus Spain. And that’s not because the two nations are amongst the most powerful in the Davis Cup, but because their leaders have been leading the ATP race for the past 2 years.
Roger Federer may meet rival Rafael Nadal for one more time next season, apart from their battle inside the ATP Tour. Although Nadal holds a crushing advantage over world’s no 1 in the last 2 years, Switzerland seems favorite for going into the next round. The reason is very simple: Switzerland will play on home ground.
It’s more than likely that Federer & Co will choose to play on any other court than clay, since Nadal already proved to be the best in the world on that surface. The Spaniard entered the history books earlier this year, when his win at Roland Garros meant setting up a new world record in consecutive wins on clay.
Here is the complete scoreboard for next season’s Davis Cup:
Chile – Russia
Austria – Argentina
Germany – Croatia
Switzerland – Spain
Belgium – Australia
Czech Republic – USA
France – Romania
Belarus – Sweden
This year’s final between Argentina and Russia will take place in Moscow, from the 1st to 3rd of December.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
FA Angry at Bung-Claims by Gordon
The scandal inside English football – agents claiming bungs for footballers’ transfers – very much affected the agents’ image inside the Premiership. Because less than 20 agents involved in transfers’ wrongdoings, all 289 such representatives in England have to suffer. As far as football fans are concerned, English agents are “the scum of the earth”.
And Colin Gordon was the first man to admit this, earlier this week. Steve McClaren’s and Theo Walcott’s agent stated that millions of euros have been the subject of illegal payments between clubs and agents.
“We're not talking about the £500,000 bungs, or the old brown paper envelope stuffed with a few
notes. We're talking about millions upon millions. It is a very sophisticated business - it's cleverly disguised. If I buy a player from Eastern Europe and find he is valued at £2m by his club I say ‘I can sell him for £5m in England’. The club gets £500,000 but the other £2.5m makes its way into a separate account”, said Gordon, according to BBC News.
He added: “Since the Premiership began, I would estimate that tens of millions of pounds has gone out of the game this way. It's accepted abroad. We pretend we are holier than thou. But I've spoken to people over there and the English game is considered the 'dirty man of Europe'. We are the worst - and it shouldn't be accepted. I can't argue with the public seeing us as the scum of the earth”.
The statement came as a result of the “BBC Panorama” program that revealed the bungs paid and received by football agents, in order to facilitate a player’s transfer. Among agents, there was also Sam Allardyce, manager of Bolton Wanderers.
With the Football Association (FA) already announcing a complete investigation into this matter, the Premiership officials were very angry with Gordon’s considerations and immediately asked the agent to issue public apologies on the matter.
“The Association is committed to ensuring that the integrity of football is preserved and has made it clear that corrupt practices by agents will not be tolerated. Gordon's claims were reckless and inappropriate but also potentially defamatory. We will contact Mr Gordon to seek a retraction and apology”, read a statement from the FA.
And Colin Gordon was the first man to admit this, earlier this week. Steve McClaren’s and Theo Walcott’s agent stated that millions of euros have been the subject of illegal payments between clubs and agents.
“We're not talking about the £500,000 bungs, or the old brown paper envelope stuffed with a few
notes. We're talking about millions upon millions. It is a very sophisticated business - it's cleverly disguised. If I buy a player from Eastern Europe and find he is valued at £2m by his club I say ‘I can sell him for £5m in England’. The club gets £500,000 but the other £2.5m makes its way into a separate account”, said Gordon, according to BBC News.
He added: “Since the Premiership began, I would estimate that tens of millions of pounds has gone out of the game this way. It's accepted abroad. We pretend we are holier than thou. But I've spoken to people over there and the English game is considered the 'dirty man of Europe'. We are the worst - and it shouldn't be accepted. I can't argue with the public seeing us as the scum of the earth”.
The statement came as a result of the “BBC Panorama” program that revealed the bungs paid and received by football agents, in order to facilitate a player’s transfer. Among agents, there was also Sam Allardyce, manager of Bolton Wanderers.
With the Football Association (FA) already announcing a complete investigation into this matter, the Premiership officials were very angry with Gordon’s considerations and immediately asked the agent to issue public apologies on the matter.
“The Association is committed to ensuring that the integrity of football is preserved and has made it clear that corrupt practices by agents will not be tolerated. Gordon's claims were reckless and inappropriate but also potentially defamatory. We will contact Mr Gordon to seek a retraction and apology”, read a statement from the FA.
Marseille Crash Out of Europe
The UEFA Cup finally chose its winners for the group stages. After two exhausting rounds – one qualifier and the 1st round – most of the favorites lived up to their expectations and cruised through into the groups. However, few of them were not that lucky.
West Ham, despite Palermo’s great run in the UEFA Cup last year, was considered favorite of their clash against the Italians. With newly signed Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez, Alan Pardew’s side had to recover a 1-0 disadvantage from the first leg.
The confrontation was preceded by a few awkward statements from the Palermo president, who said he would like his team to lose the UEFA 1st round, in order to better concentrate on Serie A. Still, his players got their way and beat the Premiership side 3-0, to book their place for another (at least) 4 matches in Europe.
Still, the European stunner took place in Czech Republic, where Mlada Boleslav crushed Marseille out of Europe. The French side was 1-0 up from the first leg, and seemed to have their way when scoring the opener 13 minutes into the game. After Mlada’s equalizer, Marseille started to put pressure on their opponents and took the lead one more time, in the 55th minute.
Still, despite leading 3-1 on aggregate with 35 minutes to go, Marseille couldn’t hold on. The French side crashed out in the last half-hour and conceded 3 goals, including one in the last minute. Sedlacek scored his side’s winner in injury time and gave Mlada its best European party in years.
Here are a few other important results in yesterday night’s UEFA clashes:
Red Star Belgrade – Liberec 1-2
Sevilla – Atromitos 4-0
Lens – Ethinkos 3-1
Nancy – Schalke 04 3-1
Brondby – Frankfurt 2-2
Parma – Rubin 1-0
Dinamo Bucharest – Xanthi 4-1
Kayserispor – AZ Alkmaar 1-1
Auxerre – Dinamo Zagreb 3-1
Feyenoord – Lokomotiv Sofia 0-0
Leverkusen – Sion 3-1
Newcastle – Tallin 2-1
Ajax – Start 4-0
Blackburn – Salzburg 2-0
Chievo – Braga 2-1
Celta Vigo – Standard Liege 3-0
Nacional – Rapid Bucharest 1-2
PSG – Derry City 2-0
Tottenham – Slavia Prague 1-0
West Ham, despite Palermo’s great run in the UEFA Cup last year, was considered favorite of their clash against the Italians. With newly signed Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez, Alan Pardew’s side had to recover a 1-0 disadvantage from the first leg.
The confrontation was preceded by a few awkward statements from the Palermo president, who said he would like his team to lose the UEFA 1st round, in order to better concentrate on Serie A. Still, his players got their way and beat the Premiership side 3-0, to book their place for another (at least) 4 matches in Europe.
Still, the European stunner took place in Czech Republic, where Mlada Boleslav crushed Marseille out of Europe. The French side was 1-0 up from the first leg, and seemed to have their way when scoring the opener 13 minutes into the game. After Mlada’s equalizer, Marseille started to put pressure on their opponents and took the lead one more time, in the 55th minute.
Still, despite leading 3-1 on aggregate with 35 minutes to go, Marseille couldn’t hold on. The French side crashed out in the last half-hour and conceded 3 goals, including one in the last minute. Sedlacek scored his side’s winner in injury time and gave Mlada its best European party in years.
Here are a few other important results in yesterday night’s UEFA clashes:
Red Star Belgrade – Liberec 1-2
Sevilla – Atromitos 4-0
Lens – Ethinkos 3-1
Nancy – Schalke 04 3-1
Brondby – Frankfurt 2-2
Parma – Rubin 1-0
Dinamo Bucharest – Xanthi 4-1
Kayserispor – AZ Alkmaar 1-1
Auxerre – Dinamo Zagreb 3-1
Feyenoord – Lokomotiv Sofia 0-0
Leverkusen – Sion 3-1
Newcastle – Tallin 2-1
Ajax – Start 4-0
Blackburn – Salzburg 2-0
Chievo – Braga 2-1
Celta Vigo – Standard Liege 3-0
Nacional – Rapid Bucharest 1-2
PSG – Derry City 2-0
Tottenham – Slavia Prague 1-0
Landis' Hip Operation - a Success
Floyd Landis can ride a bicycle as a normal sportsman from now on. His right hip operation went down successfully and the American should start
the physical recovery any time now. The surgery was performed in San Diego, California, by Doctor David Chao.
Landis did undergo 2 previous operations on his right hip, but this one is believed to be the last. Soon after the Toru de France ended, Landis promised that he would take some time off from cycling competitions and take care of his body.
Landis’ hip-deficit was discovered by his teammates during this season’s Tour de France. Soon after losing more than 10 minutes in the 16th stage of Le Tour to Oscar Perreiro and Carlos Sastre, he revealed the French media that he had a broken hip.
The accident took place in his home town – Murietta, California – in 2003. He crashed during a cycling practice session and broke his right hip. He has tried to fix it ever since, but the operations he underwent so far had a temporarily effect.
Floyd Landis entered a forced vacation earlier this summer, after his Tour de France victory. After testing positive for a high level of testosterone – soon after the 17th stage, where he made a remarkable comeback in the competition – the American was suspended from all international competition.
More, he was sacked by his Phonak team soon after the doping scandal and had to sit off the cycling world. He is still trying to prove his innocence, despite Tour de France officials already blasting him of “dirtying the competition”.
the physical recovery any time now. The surgery was performed in San Diego, California, by Doctor David Chao.
Landis did undergo 2 previous operations on his right hip, but this one is believed to be the last. Soon after the Toru de France ended, Landis promised that he would take some time off from cycling competitions and take care of his body.
Landis’ hip-deficit was discovered by his teammates during this season’s Tour de France. Soon after losing more than 10 minutes in the 16th stage of Le Tour to Oscar Perreiro and Carlos Sastre, he revealed the French media that he had a broken hip.
The accident took place in his home town – Murietta, California – in 2003. He crashed during a cycling practice session and broke his right hip. He has tried to fix it ever since, but the operations he underwent so far had a temporarily effect.
Floyd Landis entered a forced vacation earlier this summer, after his Tour de France victory. After testing positive for a high level of testosterone – soon after the 17th stage, where he made a remarkable comeback in the competition – the American was suspended from all international competition.
More, he was sacked by his Phonak team soon after the doping scandal and had to sit off the cycling world. He is still trying to prove his innocence, despite Tour de France officials already blasting him of “dirtying the competition”.
By 2080 the North Pole Will Be Free of Ice
Well, if we want now a beachfront house in Spain, it's possible that our grandchildren will buy it in Greenland. ‘Cause ours will surely be already on the seafloor.
The worldwide rise in temperatures has already helped agriculturists in Iceland - where twenty years ago they couldn’t grow any grain - cultivate barley and other cereal crops.
In northern Canada, they have discovered an exploitable seam of diamonds, once inaccessible due to the ice and snow. The melting ice in the Barents Sea has expanded the area for phytoplankton, which now feed increased stocks of larger fishes.
Global warming is clearly advantageous for marine plants and animals: as their territories expand, our landmass shrinks! By the year 2080, the Met Office says there will be no ice remaining at the North Pole.
So says also a group of European scientists meeting in the northern
Germany city of Bremen announced on Tuesday. "If the situation evolves as physics predicts, the Arctic Ocean's summertime ice fields will completely disappear by 2080," said Eberhard Fahrbach of the Alfred Wegner Institute (AWI), a member of the European Arctic research body DAMOCLES.
At present, the polar ice cap's size varies according to the season, with parts melting and refreezing throughout the year, but the stable zone getting smaller and smaller every year.
According to Fahrbach's prediction, there would be no permanently frozen areas in a matter of decades. "That has consequences going much further than the Arctic," he added.
Climatic change threatens the polar bears of the region, but changes in fact the entire food chain. "It also has an effect on the fish which ultimately end up on our tables," the scientist added.
The DAMOCLES programme (Developing Arctic Modeling and Observing Capabilities for Long-term Environmental Studies) is a European project aimed at monitoring and forecasting climate changes in the Arctic.
The worldwide rise in temperatures has already helped agriculturists in Iceland - where twenty years ago they couldn’t grow any grain - cultivate barley and other cereal crops.
In northern Canada, they have discovered an exploitable seam of diamonds, once inaccessible due to the ice and snow. The melting ice in the Barents Sea has expanded the area for phytoplankton, which now feed increased stocks of larger fishes.
Global warming is clearly advantageous for marine plants and animals: as their territories expand, our landmass shrinks! By the year 2080, the Met Office says there will be no ice remaining at the North Pole.
So says also a group of European scientists meeting in the northern
Germany city of Bremen announced on Tuesday. "If the situation evolves as physics predicts, the Arctic Ocean's summertime ice fields will completely disappear by 2080," said Eberhard Fahrbach of the Alfred Wegner Institute (AWI), a member of the European Arctic research body DAMOCLES.
At present, the polar ice cap's size varies according to the season, with parts melting and refreezing throughout the year, but the stable zone getting smaller and smaller every year.
According to Fahrbach's prediction, there would be no permanently frozen areas in a matter of decades. "That has consequences going much further than the Arctic," he added.
Climatic change threatens the polar bears of the region, but changes in fact the entire food chain. "It also has an effect on the fish which ultimately end up on our tables," the scientist added.
The DAMOCLES programme (Developing Arctic Modeling and Observing Capabilities for Long-term Environmental Studies) is a European project aimed at monitoring and forecasting climate changes in the Arctic.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Sports: Soccer
Washington Post soccer writer Steven Goff was online Wednesday, Dec. 14, at noon ET to take a look back at the World Cup.
Do you also have questions about D.C. United? MLS? National team? Europe?
The transcript follows.
____________________
Steven Goff: Greetings, everyone. Terps win a national title! USA in a tough group for World Cup! Most importantly, MLS draft just five weeks away! Yippee....
:-)
_______________________
SE Nest, RFK: Hey Steven
If you're free tonight (Wed, 14), DCU supporters, United for DC and Alecko Eskandarian are getting together at the Pour House on Capitol Hill from 6 pm-8 pm for some holiday cheer (and to collect unwrapped new toys for Councilwoman Norton's annual Christmas party). Your work is greatly appreciated by DCU supporters so let us buy you a pint!
Steven Goff: I need more than a pint.
Advertisement
_______________________
Soccer junkie: Steve,
You've broken some big stories like the MLS salary list and Adu's staying with United for 2006 (at least for opening day, maybe he'll play for team Lalas in the 2nd half :-). Now that the MLS and college seasons are over what do you plan to write about until April?
When I open the Sports section, the first thing I look for is soccer news. Please say that you'll keep giving me my fix.
Steven Goff: Thanks for the kind words.
In the offseason, it's all about naps and snacks.
Actually, I have editing responsibilities during the long, cold winter months. In reality, though, soccer has become a 10-month sport in this country and has me on my toes year-round.
_______________________
Alexandria, Va.: How reliable are the FIFA rankings? I see that the USA's World Cup group has three teams that are ranked in the top 12. Do any other groups share that feature?
Steven Goff: FIFA rankings say the Czechs are the second-best team in the world and the USA is eighth. Both are nonsense -- as are most of the FIFA rankings.
Most observers would agree, however, that the Americans are in the second most difficult group. Only Argentina-Netherlands-Serbia-Ivory Coast is more treacherous.
_______________________
Washington: Any word on area college players leaving early for MLS or overseas? Lots of talent in the area -- and not just on this year's Terps.
Steven Goff: I read that the Indiana freshman forward, Nguyen, is leaving school. Word is, he's going overseas, not MLS. The Maryland freshman goalie has a heckuva future, but I would guess he'll stick around another year or two.
_______________________
Haymarket, Va.: Hey Steve:
Hope you enjoyed Germany! Did you bring me back a t-shirt?
Not surprised about Dema, and I'm hoping Nick is working on his decision-making on crosses during the offseason. But my question: what does Kuykendall's future look like? With Dema likely gone, does this open a spot for him?
Steven Goff: T-shirts galore!!
Kuykendall, a local kid, is an emerging player on DCU's roster and will have the opportunity to compete for serious playing time next year. The coaches seem to like him a lot.
If Dema leaves, I'm not sure Kuykendall steps directly into the lineup. Dema had been playing on the flank, and Kuykendall is a holding midfielder.
_______________________
Washington, D.C. : Steven,
Thanks for the chats.
Read with interest the United roster article today. How do you see the Filomeno, Kovalenko and Eskandarian situations shaking out for next season?
washingtonpost.com: D.C. United Makes Moves On Contracts (Post, Dec. 14)
Steven Goff: My guess -- and it's only a guess at this early stage -- is that Dema will not return, Alecko will be healthy and Filomeno will seek a club in South America. All three guesses are sure to be wrong!
_______________________
Fairfax, Va.: Do you have a sense of whether other countries feel they are in a particularly easy or hard group for the World Cup?
Steven Goff: Most of the groups seem very straight-forward, but no one got an easier draw than Spain. Brazil, Germany, Mexico, England and France also should advance without too much trouble.
The Argentina and Italy groups are the ones to watch.
_______________________
West Mifflin, Pa.: Steve,
I've seen some horrible officiating by experienced MLS refs over the years and especially in the 2005 play-offs. Who's in charge of this mess?
Steven Goff: The U.S. Soccer Federation. They're awaiting your call...
_______________________
Arlington, Va.: So in my latest poll of 5 original and continuing DC United Season ticket holders, exactly 0% think extending Rimando's contract was a good idea.
The guy is NOT a good goalkeeper, while he's got good reactions and can stop shots, he has no ability to control his area, habitually misreads balls into the box (see Chicago 4-0), and apprarently never communicates with his defenders.
And we get to look forward to him again?
Steven Goff: Unless they discover an experienced goalkeeper at a good price overseas, looks like Rimando and Perkins will compete for the starting job.
Do you also have questions about D.C. United? MLS? National team? Europe?
The transcript follows.
____________________
Steven Goff: Greetings, everyone. Terps win a national title! USA in a tough group for World Cup! Most importantly, MLS draft just five weeks away! Yippee....
:-)
_______________________
SE Nest, RFK: Hey Steven
If you're free tonight (Wed, 14), DCU supporters, United for DC and Alecko Eskandarian are getting together at the Pour House on Capitol Hill from 6 pm-8 pm for some holiday cheer (and to collect unwrapped new toys for Councilwoman Norton's annual Christmas party). Your work is greatly appreciated by DCU supporters so let us buy you a pint!
Steven Goff: I need more than a pint.
Advertisement
_______________________
Soccer junkie: Steve,
You've broken some big stories like the MLS salary list and Adu's staying with United for 2006 (at least for opening day, maybe he'll play for team Lalas in the 2nd half :-). Now that the MLS and college seasons are over what do you plan to write about until April?
When I open the Sports section, the first thing I look for is soccer news. Please say that you'll keep giving me my fix.
Steven Goff: Thanks for the kind words.
In the offseason, it's all about naps and snacks.
Actually, I have editing responsibilities during the long, cold winter months. In reality, though, soccer has become a 10-month sport in this country and has me on my toes year-round.
_______________________
Alexandria, Va.: How reliable are the FIFA rankings? I see that the USA's World Cup group has three teams that are ranked in the top 12. Do any other groups share that feature?
Steven Goff: FIFA rankings say the Czechs are the second-best team in the world and the USA is eighth. Both are nonsense -- as are most of the FIFA rankings.
Most observers would agree, however, that the Americans are in the second most difficult group. Only Argentina-Netherlands-Serbia-Ivory Coast is more treacherous.
_______________________
Washington: Any word on area college players leaving early for MLS or overseas? Lots of talent in the area -- and not just on this year's Terps.
Steven Goff: I read that the Indiana freshman forward, Nguyen, is leaving school. Word is, he's going overseas, not MLS. The Maryland freshman goalie has a heckuva future, but I would guess he'll stick around another year or two.
_______________________
Haymarket, Va.: Hey Steve:
Hope you enjoyed Germany! Did you bring me back a t-shirt?
Not surprised about Dema, and I'm hoping Nick is working on his decision-making on crosses during the offseason. But my question: what does Kuykendall's future look like? With Dema likely gone, does this open a spot for him?
Steven Goff: T-shirts galore!!
Kuykendall, a local kid, is an emerging player on DCU's roster and will have the opportunity to compete for serious playing time next year. The coaches seem to like him a lot.
If Dema leaves, I'm not sure Kuykendall steps directly into the lineup. Dema had been playing on the flank, and Kuykendall is a holding midfielder.
_______________________
Washington, D.C. : Steven,
Thanks for the chats.
Read with interest the United roster article today. How do you see the Filomeno, Kovalenko and Eskandarian situations shaking out for next season?
washingtonpost.com: D.C. United Makes Moves On Contracts (Post, Dec. 14)
Steven Goff: My guess -- and it's only a guess at this early stage -- is that Dema will not return, Alecko will be healthy and Filomeno will seek a club in South America. All three guesses are sure to be wrong!
_______________________
Fairfax, Va.: Do you have a sense of whether other countries feel they are in a particularly easy or hard group for the World Cup?
Steven Goff: Most of the groups seem very straight-forward, but no one got an easier draw than Spain. Brazil, Germany, Mexico, England and France also should advance without too much trouble.
The Argentina and Italy groups are the ones to watch.
_______________________
West Mifflin, Pa.: Steve,
I've seen some horrible officiating by experienced MLS refs over the years and especially in the 2005 play-offs. Who's in charge of this mess?
Steven Goff: The U.S. Soccer Federation. They're awaiting your call...
_______________________
Arlington, Va.: So in my latest poll of 5 original and continuing DC United Season ticket holders, exactly 0% think extending Rimando's contract was a good idea.
The guy is NOT a good goalkeeper, while he's got good reactions and can stop shots, he has no ability to control his area, habitually misreads balls into the box (see Chicago 4-0), and apprarently never communicates with his defenders.
And we get to look forward to him again?
Steven Goff: Unless they discover an experienced goalkeeper at a good price overseas, looks like Rimando and Perkins will compete for the starting job.
Wide World of EA Sports
Welcome back, everyone! It’s October, and you know what that means: Madden cover model Ray Lewis is probably nursing that injury he got due to the Madden Cover Curse, Tiger Woods is set to rock the golf world, we hope there isn’t an NHL lockout, and it’s time for some “proper football.” Sharing set space with Wil O’Neal, I’m Darren Gladstone, and this is CGW SportsCenter.
The world leader in PC-sports-game articles written in the month of October
Tonight we’re here to talk about just about the only game left in town: EA Sports. It was only a couple of years ago that everyone wanted a piece of the PC sports pie. Sierra, Microsoft, 3DO—you name it. But EA was the only one strong enough to win the title. But enough jibber-jabber…let’s hit it.
Madden NFL 2005
Advertisement
Madden has been dominating the digital gridiron for almost 14 years, and with the overwhelming lack of competition (both figuratively and literally), it seems that its dominance will no doubt continue. Loath to rest on its laurels, the playbook is changing, and 2005 is the Year of the Hit. The development team has been taking cues from current trends in the NFL, so the game’s defense is getting a makeover. Assistant producer Damion Banks acknowledged as much at a recent press conference, saying, “A good defense is what wins championships.”
How are you going to win one for the Gipper? A controller such as Logitech’s PlayStation-ish Dual Action gamepad is one of the keys to victory. While Coach Banks says that keyboard/mouse players won’t be penalized, they won’t be able to take advantage of this year’s biggest addition: the hit stick. This feature is all about timing and momentum. Get it right and BAM—you’re rewarded with unique tackles (from the 1,000-plus animations) and increased chances of causing a fumble. Screw-ups, however, will leave you with a couple of broken ankles while you retrieve your jock from the turf.
Making better use of the analog stick in this year’s PC version, the enhanced Playmaker feature will allow you to better call the shots on the fly. Defensively, you’ll be able to quickly assign individual man coverage (“locking” on or off a player) or shift back to a zone defense—great for faking out receivers. Offense hasn’t been left out, though. You’ll be able to change formations without changing the play. And that isn’t even going into the fact that you’ll be able to create your own audibles.
Another big deal this year is the ability to instill some situational awareness into your players’ brains. Option plays will have the experienced A.I.-controlled players (let’s say Randy Moss, for example) looking for different routes, while the rookies will more often than not just go long. As for going head-to-head online, Banks says EA doesn’t need Punkbuster. With fair-play settings in place, Banks says there will be fair reporting of cheats and people who punk out of losing matches.
Will you give a rat’s ass about the create-a-fan topless, face-painted, beer-gut-ridden guy you can re-create in the game? Probably not, but close-ups throughout will add flavor and indicate how good or bad you’re doing. What you probably will care about is the career mode, which is dubbed Storyline Central. Using a PDA interface, you keep track of your team, its progress, and the 20,000 different real news stories that can impact your season—and for added flavor, there’s a recorded radio show. The Tony Bruno Show gets real coaches and players to come in and comment on how your team is progressing. You get to keep going until you run the team into the ground. Fail to meet owner expectations and you’re out of a job.
NHL 2005
Time to hit the ice, Darren! Last year, the NHL franchise got a few teeth knocked out. Literally. 2004’s game was based entirely on thuggery. With all that focus on hitting and beating the snot out of Tie Domi, I forgot we were supposed to score points to win.
In typical EA fashion, assistant producer Dan Sochan is promising to build on the flash factor with authentic coliseum layouts; six hundred top players remodeled from scratch and given personalities; and more subtle touches, such as seeing the glass shake or shatter. What you’ll notice when you start playing is the focus on finesse and passing. With open-ice support, you’re not locked in to playing as the guy with the puck. So get your lazy ass into position and get yourself open for the pass. When you’re on defense, you can even call out picks. All this, and with the refined skating engine, you’ll have tighter control.
More important, the A.I. idiocy is being squashed. A pro skater knows better than to go offsides over the blue line. So should computer-controlled players. Now they do. Players side-skate by the blue line, and they behave more like their real-life counterparts. Aggressiveness, passing, and shooting biases mean that when you aren’t controlling Darien Hatcher, he’s gonna go looking for trouble (Sochan’s favorite).
The world leader in PC-sports-game articles written in the month of October
Tonight we’re here to talk about just about the only game left in town: EA Sports. It was only a couple of years ago that everyone wanted a piece of the PC sports pie. Sierra, Microsoft, 3DO—you name it. But EA was the only one strong enough to win the title. But enough jibber-jabber…let’s hit it.
Madden NFL 2005
Advertisement
Madden has been dominating the digital gridiron for almost 14 years, and with the overwhelming lack of competition (both figuratively and literally), it seems that its dominance will no doubt continue. Loath to rest on its laurels, the playbook is changing, and 2005 is the Year of the Hit. The development team has been taking cues from current trends in the NFL, so the game’s defense is getting a makeover. Assistant producer Damion Banks acknowledged as much at a recent press conference, saying, “A good defense is what wins championships.”
How are you going to win one for the Gipper? A controller such as Logitech’s PlayStation-ish Dual Action gamepad is one of the keys to victory. While Coach Banks says that keyboard/mouse players won’t be penalized, they won’t be able to take advantage of this year’s biggest addition: the hit stick. This feature is all about timing and momentum. Get it right and BAM—you’re rewarded with unique tackles (from the 1,000-plus animations) and increased chances of causing a fumble. Screw-ups, however, will leave you with a couple of broken ankles while you retrieve your jock from the turf.
Making better use of the analog stick in this year’s PC version, the enhanced Playmaker feature will allow you to better call the shots on the fly. Defensively, you’ll be able to quickly assign individual man coverage (“locking” on or off a player) or shift back to a zone defense—great for faking out receivers. Offense hasn’t been left out, though. You’ll be able to change formations without changing the play. And that isn’t even going into the fact that you’ll be able to create your own audibles.
Another big deal this year is the ability to instill some situational awareness into your players’ brains. Option plays will have the experienced A.I.-controlled players (let’s say Randy Moss, for example) looking for different routes, while the rookies will more often than not just go long. As for going head-to-head online, Banks says EA doesn’t need Punkbuster. With fair-play settings in place, Banks says there will be fair reporting of cheats and people who punk out of losing matches.
Will you give a rat’s ass about the create-a-fan topless, face-painted, beer-gut-ridden guy you can re-create in the game? Probably not, but close-ups throughout will add flavor and indicate how good or bad you’re doing. What you probably will care about is the career mode, which is dubbed Storyline Central. Using a PDA interface, you keep track of your team, its progress, and the 20,000 different real news stories that can impact your season—and for added flavor, there’s a recorded radio show. The Tony Bruno Show gets real coaches and players to come in and comment on how your team is progressing. You get to keep going until you run the team into the ground. Fail to meet owner expectations and you’re out of a job.
NHL 2005
Time to hit the ice, Darren! Last year, the NHL franchise got a few teeth knocked out. Literally. 2004’s game was based entirely on thuggery. With all that focus on hitting and beating the snot out of Tie Domi, I forgot we were supposed to score points to win.
In typical EA fashion, assistant producer Dan Sochan is promising to build on the flash factor with authentic coliseum layouts; six hundred top players remodeled from scratch and given personalities; and more subtle touches, such as seeing the glass shake or shatter. What you’ll notice when you start playing is the focus on finesse and passing. With open-ice support, you’re not locked in to playing as the guy with the puck. So get your lazy ass into position and get yourself open for the pass. When you’re on defense, you can even call out picks. All this, and with the refined skating engine, you’ll have tighter control.
More important, the A.I. idiocy is being squashed. A pro skater knows better than to go offsides over the blue line. So should computer-controlled players. Now they do. Players side-skate by the blue line, and they behave more like their real-life counterparts. Aggressiveness, passing, and shooting biases mean that when you aren’t controlling Darien Hatcher, he’s gonna go looking for trouble (Sochan’s favorite).
Watching the man watching: Anson Dorrance is the improbable architect of the greatest college sports dynasty ever
UNIVERSITY of North Carolina women's soccer coach Anson Dorrance's program has won an astounding 18 national championships and 94% of its games, but these numbers are not even the most incredible aspects of his story. Imagine that this sporting dynasty has been created by a man who never aspired to coach and got the job only after a case of mistaken identity; that he initially had absolutely no idea how to instruct women: and that his program is run in such chaos that Dorrance cannot remember the names of some of his own players and often arrives late for games alter getting lost in transit.
Dorrance is the first to admit that part of the mason for his success is that he never has taken his success too seriously, an approach that is embodied in the following excerpt from The Man Watching: "One day shortly alter Delaine Marbry joined Dorrance's staff as his secretary, she tracked him down and said that he had to return an urgent business call. Alter returning the call, he asked Marbry to come into his office. 'Delaine, I'm a soccer coach,' Dorrance told her. 'How could I possibly have an urgent call?'"
Ultimately, to comprehend Dorrance's attitude toward the significance of winning and losing, one has to understand his perspective on athletics. It is another thing he learned from longtime UNC men's cage coach Dean Smith, who often was quoted as dismissing the value of basketball in the real world. Whenever Smith needed to straighten out a reporter who was treating college hoops like a conflict in the Middle East, he would sigh and say; "It's just a basketball game." Listen to Dorrance. He says it all the time. "It's just a soccer game.
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"There's little about athletics that elevates you as a human being," Dorrance maintains. "If there were, there wouldn't be so many ... jerks in athletics that I've lost count. I don't think athletics is anything more than people running around, breaking a sweat, and having a good time. It's frivolous. We're not finding a cure for cancer. We're not taking serial killers and turning them into nuns. Our underlying theme has always got to be that there are a billion people in China who don't even know we're playing soccer today, so let's relax and enjoy ourselves because this isn't the end of the world."
Dorrance makes these statements as if he is reminding himself. He knows that his women do not need him to tell them it is just a soccer game. It is another difference he sees between men and women. "In our society, women value relationships, while men tend to measure their lives by athletic success and failure," he asserts. "That's why you see movies of the old high school star quarterback pumping gas somewhere, and the message is that he had a great arm, but it didn't make him a great man."
Anyone looking for a symbol of the UNC women's soccer mindset need look no further than a closet door inside the McCaskill Soccer Center. The door is decorated as a shrine of NCAA awards and lacquered newspaper articles, but from beneath it protrudes a rubber novelty foot. Whenever Dorrance is shepherding a group of visitors through the soccer office, the tour inevitably screeches to halt when a young girl shrieks at the sight of the foot and asks, "What's that?!" The coach's well-rehearsed response is, "That is the last Tar Heel who didn't pass fitness."
Comments former assistant coach Bill Steffen, "When people ask me, 'What do you remember most about working at UNC?' The first word that comes to my mind isn't winning or training or tradition, it is fun."
At the end of almost every soccer practice, assistant coach Bill Palladino looks expectantly at team manager Tom Sander and asks, "Do we have cake?" One of Sander's duties is to procure a preponderance of cakes for various occasions, everything from a player's birthday to an anomalous cake for the last day of fitness each season to a cake because they have not had one in a while. The cakes always are ceremoniously cut with one of athletic department physician Bill Prentice's tongue depressors and consumed by the fistful. In order to satisfy the players' sugar fix during games, the program developed what is very affectionately known as "the candy bag." Since 1992, before each game, Sander has filled a plastic grocery bag with candy, from Sweet Tarts to Jawbreakers to Pixy Stix, a sugary smorgasbord that he firmly believes is a lucky talisman as well as a fattening one. The candy bag briefly was banned in 1994 by Dorrance alter one reserve player who was slightly above her ideal playing weight drained the bag during a game. Two days later, the Tar Heels tied Notre Dame. snapping a long UNC winning streak. Two weeks after that, when Carolina lost at Fetzer Field for the first time ever, Sander was convinced it was "the curse of the candy bag." He surreptitiously reinstituted the candy, and it has been on the Tar Heels bench ever since. UNC players stash Starbursts in the lining of their shorts for "energy." Dorrance eats a handful of Gummi Worms before every game. Palladino favors Tootsie Rolls. Even game officials have been known to forage into the candy bag occasionally. Sander figured out that, each season, the Tar Heels consume an average of 155 pounds of sweets, and former player Robin Confer swears that her massive sugar intake led to a series of root canals shortly alter she graduated. "Whenever 1 dug into our candy bag and there weren't any Sour Gummi Worms left, then all hell broke loose," Danielle Borgman relates. "That keeps everything in perspective. What other team argues over the supply of Sour Gummi Worms?"
Dorrance is the first to admit that part of the mason for his success is that he never has taken his success too seriously, an approach that is embodied in the following excerpt from The Man Watching: "One day shortly alter Delaine Marbry joined Dorrance's staff as his secretary, she tracked him down and said that he had to return an urgent business call. Alter returning the call, he asked Marbry to come into his office. 'Delaine, I'm a soccer coach,' Dorrance told her. 'How could I possibly have an urgent call?'"
Ultimately, to comprehend Dorrance's attitude toward the significance of winning and losing, one has to understand his perspective on athletics. It is another thing he learned from longtime UNC men's cage coach Dean Smith, who often was quoted as dismissing the value of basketball in the real world. Whenever Smith needed to straighten out a reporter who was treating college hoops like a conflict in the Middle East, he would sigh and say; "It's just a basketball game." Listen to Dorrance. He says it all the time. "It's just a soccer game.
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"There's little about athletics that elevates you as a human being," Dorrance maintains. "If there were, there wouldn't be so many ... jerks in athletics that I've lost count. I don't think athletics is anything more than people running around, breaking a sweat, and having a good time. It's frivolous. We're not finding a cure for cancer. We're not taking serial killers and turning them into nuns. Our underlying theme has always got to be that there are a billion people in China who don't even know we're playing soccer today, so let's relax and enjoy ourselves because this isn't the end of the world."
Dorrance makes these statements as if he is reminding himself. He knows that his women do not need him to tell them it is just a soccer game. It is another difference he sees between men and women. "In our society, women value relationships, while men tend to measure their lives by athletic success and failure," he asserts. "That's why you see movies of the old high school star quarterback pumping gas somewhere, and the message is that he had a great arm, but it didn't make him a great man."
Anyone looking for a symbol of the UNC women's soccer mindset need look no further than a closet door inside the McCaskill Soccer Center. The door is decorated as a shrine of NCAA awards and lacquered newspaper articles, but from beneath it protrudes a rubber novelty foot. Whenever Dorrance is shepherding a group of visitors through the soccer office, the tour inevitably screeches to halt when a young girl shrieks at the sight of the foot and asks, "What's that?!" The coach's well-rehearsed response is, "That is the last Tar Heel who didn't pass fitness."
Comments former assistant coach Bill Steffen, "When people ask me, 'What do you remember most about working at UNC?' The first word that comes to my mind isn't winning or training or tradition, it is fun."
At the end of almost every soccer practice, assistant coach Bill Palladino looks expectantly at team manager Tom Sander and asks, "Do we have cake?" One of Sander's duties is to procure a preponderance of cakes for various occasions, everything from a player's birthday to an anomalous cake for the last day of fitness each season to a cake because they have not had one in a while. The cakes always are ceremoniously cut with one of athletic department physician Bill Prentice's tongue depressors and consumed by the fistful. In order to satisfy the players' sugar fix during games, the program developed what is very affectionately known as "the candy bag." Since 1992, before each game, Sander has filled a plastic grocery bag with candy, from Sweet Tarts to Jawbreakers to Pixy Stix, a sugary smorgasbord that he firmly believes is a lucky talisman as well as a fattening one. The candy bag briefly was banned in 1994 by Dorrance alter one reserve player who was slightly above her ideal playing weight drained the bag during a game. Two days later, the Tar Heels tied Notre Dame. snapping a long UNC winning streak. Two weeks after that, when Carolina lost at Fetzer Field for the first time ever, Sander was convinced it was "the curse of the candy bag." He surreptitiously reinstituted the candy, and it has been on the Tar Heels bench ever since. UNC players stash Starbursts in the lining of their shorts for "energy." Dorrance eats a handful of Gummi Worms before every game. Palladino favors Tootsie Rolls. Even game officials have been known to forage into the candy bag occasionally. Sander figured out that, each season, the Tar Heels consume an average of 155 pounds of sweets, and former player Robin Confer swears that her massive sugar intake led to a series of root canals shortly alter she graduated. "Whenever 1 dug into our candy bag and there weren't any Sour Gummi Worms left, then all hell broke loose," Danielle Borgman relates. "That keeps everything in perspective. What other team argues over the supply of Sour Gummi Worms?"
Sports Illustrated: Great Football Writing
Sports Illustrated: Great Football Writing
Rob Fleder, editor
SI Books
PO Box 362929, Des Moines, IA 50336
1933405090 $26.95 212-446-5101
Edited by Sports Illustrated magazine's executive editor Rob Fleder, and with an introduction by popular football writer Peter King, Sports Illustrated: Great Football Writing compiles classic stories about football and football players from the pages of the venerable magazine, from the modern day to the 1950's. From "The Nightmare of Steroids" to "Where Have You Gone, Joe Namath?" to "All the Way with O.J."--an article about Simpson's stellar football performance from long before his arrest and trial for murder--the articles cover the both the highlights and the low points of America's long love affair with football. An excellent compendium or giftbook especially for thoughtful football fans, who enjoy pondering at length how the sport and its telling has gradually evolved with the decades.
Rob Fleder, editor
SI Books
PO Box 362929, Des Moines, IA 50336
1933405090 $26.95 212-446-5101
Edited by Sports Illustrated magazine's executive editor Rob Fleder, and with an introduction by popular football writer Peter King, Sports Illustrated: Great Football Writing compiles classic stories about football and football players from the pages of the venerable magazine, from the modern day to the 1950's. From "The Nightmare of Steroids" to "Where Have You Gone, Joe Namath?" to "All the Way with O.J."--an article about Simpson's stellar football performance from long before his arrest and trial for murder--the articles cover the both the highlights and the low points of America's long love affair with football. An excellent compendium or giftbook especially for thoughtful football fans, who enjoy pondering at length how the sport and its telling has gradually evolved with the decades.
Good sports
PERHAPS ONLY in the U.S. would the "integrity of baseball" or any sport be the focus of political speeches and front-page newspaper articles. Surveying the massive press coverage of the congressional hearings March 17 on steroid use in Major League Baseball, Representative Bernie Sanders (1-Vt.) wondered why issues of health care and poverty don't receive the same attention. Still, Sanders was quite happy to join other members of Congress in questioning some star players and in scolding officials for ignoring the use of performance-enhancing drugs. He understands that precisely because baseball and other sports have an outsized role in this country, the ethos of sports matters a great deal.
Among those testifying were parents whose sons' suicides have been linked to the psychological effects of taking steroids. Their stories, while rare, illustrated the extreme case of what virtually all parents know from their children's encounters with organized sports: the example of professional athletes shapes behavior at every level, down to the elementary grades. They shape how young athletes look and act, and eventually what their coaches tolerate or expect. Great athletes' skills are emulated, and so are their training regimens, including the use of drugs.
Adolescents, who always find it difficult to look beyond this season or this moment of their lives, are the most vulnerable to a succeed-at-any-cost mentality. If the use of steroids or human growth hormone (whose medical dangers are well known) or other enhancements (some of whose effects are unknown) are winked at or encouraged by their peers and coaches, youngsters will get the message: taking drugs is part of being an athlete.
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Part of the charm of sports is that they offer a compelling image of virtue the spectacle of human talents channeled toward a goal. The apostle Paul naturally reached for that image when he called the congregation at Corinth to more virtuous living. "Athletes exercise self-control in all things," he observed, arguing that Christians should exercise a similar kind of discipline in their life together in pursuit of a different, "imperishable" kind of victory (1 Cor. 9:25).
The undermining of that simple example of discipline and virtue is a genuine moral loss, and given the prominence of sports in our culture, the moral loss is widely felt. That sense of loss is what fuels the front-page stories and the politicians' anger. Baseball officials, who continue to offer evasive responses and ambiguous testing policies, seem to be the only ones who don't understand.
Among those testifying were parents whose sons' suicides have been linked to the psychological effects of taking steroids. Their stories, while rare, illustrated the extreme case of what virtually all parents know from their children's encounters with organized sports: the example of professional athletes shapes behavior at every level, down to the elementary grades. They shape how young athletes look and act, and eventually what their coaches tolerate or expect. Great athletes' skills are emulated, and so are their training regimens, including the use of drugs.
Adolescents, who always find it difficult to look beyond this season or this moment of their lives, are the most vulnerable to a succeed-at-any-cost mentality. If the use of steroids or human growth hormone (whose medical dangers are well known) or other enhancements (some of whose effects are unknown) are winked at or encouraged by their peers and coaches, youngsters will get the message: taking drugs is part of being an athlete.
Advertisement
Part of the charm of sports is that they offer a compelling image of virtue the spectacle of human talents channeled toward a goal. The apostle Paul naturally reached for that image when he called the congregation at Corinth to more virtuous living. "Athletes exercise self-control in all things," he observed, arguing that Christians should exercise a similar kind of discipline in their life together in pursuit of a different, "imperishable" kind of victory (1 Cor. 9:25).
The undermining of that simple example of discipline and virtue is a genuine moral loss, and given the prominence of sports in our culture, the moral loss is widely felt. That sense of loss is what fuels the front-page stories and the politicians' anger. Baseball officials, who continue to offer evasive responses and ambiguous testing policies, seem to be the only ones who don't understand.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Livebetting with Bwin and Unibet
The fast growth of cyberspace networking brought along a new component to sports betting, by introducing the latest concept of livebetting or online betting. This opportunity is provided by Bwin and Unibet, famous sport betting bookmakers on the internet.
If you are an unexampled punter who chose sports betting, then you should know that there a lot of things to be learned. Start by finding out the names of some reliable bookmakers and learn the specific vocab of sports betting. First and foremost, make sure yourself that the name of the bookmaker chosen for online betting is trustworthy. Betting-better.com, whose purpose is to help those who want to start with sports betting, makes pertinent recommendations with regard to the best bookmakers, with a license in one of the European Union countries. The list comprises names such Bwin, Unibet, Sportingbet, or Betfair, to mention only a few.
Unibet is a mature Scandinavian bookmaker, whose financial power makes it one of the most reliable bookmakers worldwide. Don’t worry! You don’t have to speak Swedish in order to be able to find odds or place livebets. You can choose one of the versions made available by the website in French, English, Spanish, Italian, or German. Unibet bookmaker policy establishes a minimum deposit of 25 €, a minimum stake of 1 € and a minimum withdrawal of 5 €. You can practice livebetting, but no betting exchange. With Unibet, punters can bet on disciplines forgotten by other bookmakers, such as tennis or mechanical sports. And what’s more, a livescore and sport statistics has been set up recently!
Another trustworthy first-rate bookmaker is Bwin, a German bookmaker most accessible for beginners especially. Bwin proposes many types of sports betting and contests. On the Bwin welcome page, the selection of betting can be done in one of the internationally used languages - French, English, Spanish, Italian, as well as in Greek, Portuguese, and Czech. The minimal placing is of only 0.1 €, and for beginners or those less inspired the bookmaker can make a selection of the 5 most popular betting. Bwin is typically recommended for beginners because it offers a large choice for the different modes of deposit available, practices low minimal placing and minimal deposits, as well as a quite high bonus for a new subscription.
The bonus given by the bookmaker is one of the guiding principles in your choice. Both Unibet and Bwin offer interesting bonuses. The 30€ Bwin bonus is granted to new customers only; it is exclusive and can be obtained only by accessing the classical link of Bwin. What is interesting with this bonus is the fact that Bwin doubles your first deposit, meaning you spent 30 €, and still you have 60€ in your player account. On the other hand, Unibet bonus for subscription is of only 15 €, offered in paid back betting. But check this out: no promotional code to enter, and if your first betting is loosing, Unibet grants you the money back.
In this industry the rewards follow the risks. Therefore, the odds from minimal placing does not compare by far with those following a bigger placing. Each bookmaker has specific rules regarding minimal and maximal placing. For maximal placing over 200€, the bankers reserve the right to run some verifications before validating the betting, which could take from a few hours to three days at the most, depending on the amount.
If you are an unexampled punter who chose sports betting, then you should know that there a lot of things to be learned. Start by finding out the names of some reliable bookmakers and learn the specific vocab of sports betting. First and foremost, make sure yourself that the name of the bookmaker chosen for online betting is trustworthy. Betting-better.com, whose purpose is to help those who want to start with sports betting, makes pertinent recommendations with regard to the best bookmakers, with a license in one of the European Union countries. The list comprises names such Bwin, Unibet, Sportingbet, or Betfair, to mention only a few.
Unibet is a mature Scandinavian bookmaker, whose financial power makes it one of the most reliable bookmakers worldwide. Don’t worry! You don’t have to speak Swedish in order to be able to find odds or place livebets. You can choose one of the versions made available by the website in French, English, Spanish, Italian, or German. Unibet bookmaker policy establishes a minimum deposit of 25 €, a minimum stake of 1 € and a minimum withdrawal of 5 €. You can practice livebetting, but no betting exchange. With Unibet, punters can bet on disciplines forgotten by other bookmakers, such as tennis or mechanical sports. And what’s more, a livescore and sport statistics has been set up recently!
Another trustworthy first-rate bookmaker is Bwin, a German bookmaker most accessible for beginners especially. Bwin proposes many types of sports betting and contests. On the Bwin welcome page, the selection of betting can be done in one of the internationally used languages - French, English, Spanish, Italian, as well as in Greek, Portuguese, and Czech. The minimal placing is of only 0.1 €, and for beginners or those less inspired the bookmaker can make a selection of the 5 most popular betting. Bwin is typically recommended for beginners because it offers a large choice for the different modes of deposit available, practices low minimal placing and minimal deposits, as well as a quite high bonus for a new subscription.
The bonus given by the bookmaker is one of the guiding principles in your choice. Both Unibet and Bwin offer interesting bonuses. The 30€ Bwin bonus is granted to new customers only; it is exclusive and can be obtained only by accessing the classical link of Bwin. What is interesting with this bonus is the fact that Bwin doubles your first deposit, meaning you spent 30 €, and still you have 60€ in your player account. On the other hand, Unibet bonus for subscription is of only 15 €, offered in paid back betting. But check this out: no promotional code to enter, and if your first betting is loosing, Unibet grants you the money back.
In this industry the rewards follow the risks. Therefore, the odds from minimal placing does not compare by far with those following a bigger placing. Each bookmaker has specific rules regarding minimal and maximal placing. For maximal placing over 200€, the bankers reserve the right to run some verifications before validating the betting, which could take from a few hours to three days at the most, depending on the amount.
Play Blackjack - Why Bother When You Can Make Millions in a Different Game
If you can play blackjack successfully, you have the skills to play in a higher stakes game where the rewards can be millions of dollars!
I
If you play blackjack successfully you have EXACT skills required for this game and you will then play with a much greater edge on your side.
Blair Hull was a good blackjack player and well known for making big profits.
He changed “games” and started to win huge profits.
He used his skills to turn $25,000 into $500,000 in just 3 years!
He then started with $1 million in his own financial company in 1985, and by 1991 had $90 million!
So what was he Playing?
He traded financial markets using his skills. He had no experience when he started but learned quickly and never looked back.
If you’ve never considered financial trading then consider the following:
Everything about trading financial markets can be learned.
Many of the world’s best traders came to financial trading after playing blackjack and poker successfully as they transferred the skills they already had and simply piled up bigger profits.
When you play blackjack you use a system and then place bigger bets when the odds are on your side and it’s the same in financial trading and bet properly.
In gambling, most players don’t win because they don’t have a system that can do this and they trade by “shooting from the hip” rather than using an odds based system.
And it’s the same in trading.
Traders just like gamblers are ruled by fear and greed and this causes their downfall.
Trading can be learned by anyone
In 1984, Richard Dennis conducted to convince his partner traders where not born they were made.
The experiment taught 14 people from diverse backgrounds a trading system and it took just 2 weeks.
They were then told to apply the system and made huge gains straight off the bat, with many going on to become trading legends.
Why are blackjack playing skills useful?
If you play blackjack you have a non-emotional disciplined approach and that’s exactly what you need in trading.
To win you play the odds with no emotion and have the discipline to follow a system.
The key difference is:
The rewards are much higher.
Take a look at the checklist below:
• Play with discipline
• Use money management
• Play with confidence
• Don’t get emotional
• A focus on the odds above all else
* You are playing to win above all else
If you agree with the above statements and recognize their significance then you can become a financial trader and play for higher stakes in one of the most exciting and lucrative “games” around.
Think about it.
Shouldn’t you be playing for higher stakes with the skills you have.
Remember:
Everything about trading can be learned, other blackjack players have made millions, so why not take a closer look at this idea for yourself and see how much you could make!
I
If you play blackjack successfully you have EXACT skills required for this game and you will then play with a much greater edge on your side.
Blair Hull was a good blackjack player and well known for making big profits.
He changed “games” and started to win huge profits.
He used his skills to turn $25,000 into $500,000 in just 3 years!
He then started with $1 million in his own financial company in 1985, and by 1991 had $90 million!
So what was he Playing?
He traded financial markets using his skills. He had no experience when he started but learned quickly and never looked back.
If you’ve never considered financial trading then consider the following:
Everything about trading financial markets can be learned.
Many of the world’s best traders came to financial trading after playing blackjack and poker successfully as they transferred the skills they already had and simply piled up bigger profits.
When you play blackjack you use a system and then place bigger bets when the odds are on your side and it’s the same in financial trading and bet properly.
In gambling, most players don’t win because they don’t have a system that can do this and they trade by “shooting from the hip” rather than using an odds based system.
And it’s the same in trading.
Traders just like gamblers are ruled by fear and greed and this causes their downfall.
Trading can be learned by anyone
In 1984, Richard Dennis conducted to convince his partner traders where not born they were made.
The experiment taught 14 people from diverse backgrounds a trading system and it took just 2 weeks.
They were then told to apply the system and made huge gains straight off the bat, with many going on to become trading legends.
Why are blackjack playing skills useful?
If you play blackjack you have a non-emotional disciplined approach and that’s exactly what you need in trading.
To win you play the odds with no emotion and have the discipline to follow a system.
The key difference is:
The rewards are much higher.
Take a look at the checklist below:
• Play with discipline
• Use money management
• Play with confidence
• Don’t get emotional
• A focus on the odds above all else
* You are playing to win above all else
If you agree with the above statements and recognize their significance then you can become a financial trader and play for higher stakes in one of the most exciting and lucrative “games” around.
Think about it.
Shouldn’t you be playing for higher stakes with the skills you have.
Remember:
Everything about trading can be learned, other blackjack players have made millions, so why not take a closer look at this idea for yourself and see how much you could make!
Play Poker – Play This New Game & Make Huge Profits
If you can play poker then you try a different game where the competition is less and the profits are unlimited.
The skills you need to play poker are applicable so if know the significance of playing the odds and playing with discipline you could make far more money.
So what is the game?
It’s trading global currency markets where the profit potential is huge.
Many of the top millionaire traders are
You probably guessed it:
Great poker and blackjack players and made the switch to make bigger profits with less competition.
Trading is not a god given skill it can be learned by anyone and you can start with small amounts of money and “play” online easily.
Leverage your winnings
The advantage is the profit potential. Put down say $3,000 and your broker will let you trade 10 times this amount or more so $30,000 +.
Of course, this leverage means you have to trade the odds cut losers and maximize winners and play with a discipline.
Does that sound familiar?
In trading 90% of people lose as they don’t know how to play the odds and trade with the emotion greed to the fore. Just like these people lose in cards so to do they lose in trading.
You compete in an arena where 90% of people lose and 10% win and some of these winnings are huge.
How easy is it to learn?
To give an example. Legendary trader Richard Dennis took 14 people with no trading experience and taught them to trade in 14 days and they went on to make millions.
Methods
The best way to trade is via a char based method and look for recurring chart patterns.
As human nature is repetitive so to are these chart patterns and you can trade them for profit.
There is not enough room here to explain how this is done but when you look at the logic and the results people achieve the logic makes total sense and is proven to make profits.
Do you have the following traits in your character?
You know you must play the odds to win
You know that to win you must be disciplined
You play to win
You are open minded
You are patient to wait for the right opportunity
You are willing to learn
If you have the above traits you are well on your way to becoming a successful trader, playing in one of the highest stakes games in the world that can give you far bigger winnings for your talent than poker ever can.
Take a look at trading yourself and you may be surprised how similar they actually are in terms of winning.
The skills you need to play poker are applicable so if know the significance of playing the odds and playing with discipline you could make far more money.
So what is the game?
It’s trading global currency markets where the profit potential is huge.
Many of the top millionaire traders are
You probably guessed it:
Great poker and blackjack players and made the switch to make bigger profits with less competition.
Trading is not a god given skill it can be learned by anyone and you can start with small amounts of money and “play” online easily.
Leverage your winnings
The advantage is the profit potential. Put down say $3,000 and your broker will let you trade 10 times this amount or more so $30,000 +.
Of course, this leverage means you have to trade the odds cut losers and maximize winners and play with a discipline.
Does that sound familiar?
In trading 90% of people lose as they don’t know how to play the odds and trade with the emotion greed to the fore. Just like these people lose in cards so to do they lose in trading.
You compete in an arena where 90% of people lose and 10% win and some of these winnings are huge.
How easy is it to learn?
To give an example. Legendary trader Richard Dennis took 14 people with no trading experience and taught them to trade in 14 days and they went on to make millions.
Methods
The best way to trade is via a char based method and look for recurring chart patterns.
As human nature is repetitive so to are these chart patterns and you can trade them for profit.
There is not enough room here to explain how this is done but when you look at the logic and the results people achieve the logic makes total sense and is proven to make profits.
Do you have the following traits in your character?
You know you must play the odds to win
You know that to win you must be disciplined
You play to win
You are open minded
You are patient to wait for the right opportunity
You are willing to learn
If you have the above traits you are well on your way to becoming a successful trader, playing in one of the highest stakes games in the world that can give you far bigger winnings for your talent than poker ever can.
Take a look at trading yourself and you may be surprised how similar they actually are in terms of winning.
Sports betting – going even more deep into the fascinating world of sports
There are various opinions about gambling. Regardless of what some people might say, the gambling industry is on constant rise with the help of the Internet and it attracts more and more dedicated players every year.
Not many people know that gambling origins are in ancient China. The Chinese started the culture of gambling games and today’s lottery is known to have from Keno, a famous Chinese game. Aside from China, many other countries contributed to the history and tradition of gambling adding a lot of new concepts and versions.
One of the most popular forms of gambling is sports betting. There are a lot of devoted fans out there, who know extremely well the players, the teams and of course the odds. They love placing a bet, developing complicated schemes and making profit. Of course, 10% of the betting is all about luck.
A lot of websites offer the possibility of online sports betting. There are various sports you can place a bet on, including: basketball, football and boxing. No matter the sport you choose, the most important thing is to be thorough and gather all the information you can about the team, the proper moment to bet and the amount to be bet.
Odds and betting lines are probably the most important thing about sports betting. They never stay the same so they change the rules of betting also. Depending on the moment you choose to bet, you might wake up making a very nice profit or on the contrary lose everything.
Sports odds rely on various factors including: team records, athlete’s possible injuries and atmospheric conditions for outside sports. This is why is important to choose an expert and discuss all the details about sports betting with him. Sure, you have your own instincts, you know a thing or two about sports but if you really want to place a successful bet then it is for the best to seek professional help.
Gambling in the field of sports can be tricky. There is so much information to be grasped and so many little details that can really make a difference. Specialists in the field do your work for you. They collect all the information, analyze it and recommend you possible betting options. The final call is yours but after relying on them you will surely take a better decision.
As it was mentioned before, the Internet has had a crucial part in introducing sports betting worldwide. Today, millions of people enjoy the opportunity of placing a bet online and checking out gambling odds for each sports event.
Football is an all-time favorite game throughout the world. In the past few years, sports betting and especially football betting has taken a new turn and managed to captivate even more fans. Now, bets are placed mainly on the outcome of the game. Still, there are other special bets that can be made such as: correct score, first goalscorer, half time/full time forecast and possible number of corners. It’s fun and it can bring a lot of money if you know the game.
Another game that has particulalry attracted more fans in the line of betting is boxing. Bets on boxing matches have been made since the 18th century, in the United Kingdom. Nowadays, the rules have slightly changed as there various wagering options and so many factors to consider before placing a bet.
When it comes to betting on a boxing match, you can put your stakes on who you think is likely to win the game or if you’re feeling really lucky on a draw. You can also place a bet on the number of rounds, choosing the round when the match will end and how it will end, by conclusion or knockout.
No matter the sport you prefer to bet on, the most important thing to keep in mind is that analyzing and developing strategy skills is vital. Accumulate as much information as possible about the teams or respective athletes, always keep your eye on the odds and have a little bit of courage. Bear in mind that luck has very little to do with gambling, it’s mostly strategy and caution that matter.
Not many people know that gambling origins are in ancient China. The Chinese started the culture of gambling games and today’s lottery is known to have from Keno, a famous Chinese game. Aside from China, many other countries contributed to the history and tradition of gambling adding a lot of new concepts and versions.
One of the most popular forms of gambling is sports betting. There are a lot of devoted fans out there, who know extremely well the players, the teams and of course the odds. They love placing a bet, developing complicated schemes and making profit. Of course, 10% of the betting is all about luck.
A lot of websites offer the possibility of online sports betting. There are various sports you can place a bet on, including: basketball, football and boxing. No matter the sport you choose, the most important thing is to be thorough and gather all the information you can about the team, the proper moment to bet and the amount to be bet.
Odds and betting lines are probably the most important thing about sports betting. They never stay the same so they change the rules of betting also. Depending on the moment you choose to bet, you might wake up making a very nice profit or on the contrary lose everything.
Sports odds rely on various factors including: team records, athlete’s possible injuries and atmospheric conditions for outside sports. This is why is important to choose an expert and discuss all the details about sports betting with him. Sure, you have your own instincts, you know a thing or two about sports but if you really want to place a successful bet then it is for the best to seek professional help.
Gambling in the field of sports can be tricky. There is so much information to be grasped and so many little details that can really make a difference. Specialists in the field do your work for you. They collect all the information, analyze it and recommend you possible betting options. The final call is yours but after relying on them you will surely take a better decision.
As it was mentioned before, the Internet has had a crucial part in introducing sports betting worldwide. Today, millions of people enjoy the opportunity of placing a bet online and checking out gambling odds for each sports event.
Football is an all-time favorite game throughout the world. In the past few years, sports betting and especially football betting has taken a new turn and managed to captivate even more fans. Now, bets are placed mainly on the outcome of the game. Still, there are other special bets that can be made such as: correct score, first goalscorer, half time/full time forecast and possible number of corners. It’s fun and it can bring a lot of money if you know the game.
Another game that has particulalry attracted more fans in the line of betting is boxing. Bets on boxing matches have been made since the 18th century, in the United Kingdom. Nowadays, the rules have slightly changed as there various wagering options and so many factors to consider before placing a bet.
When it comes to betting on a boxing match, you can put your stakes on who you think is likely to win the game or if you’re feeling really lucky on a draw. You can also place a bet on the number of rounds, choosing the round when the match will end and how it will end, by conclusion or knockout.
No matter the sport you prefer to bet on, the most important thing to keep in mind is that analyzing and developing strategy skills is vital. Accumulate as much information as possible about the teams or respective athletes, always keep your eye on the odds and have a little bit of courage. Bear in mind that luck has very little to do with gambling, it’s mostly strategy and caution that matter.
Sports betting – fresh form of gambling
Gambling in the form of sports betting has created a lot of controversies. Even so, there are many sustainers of anticipating the outcome of sporting events by placing a bet. Sports gambling is not regarded as something bad; on the contrary, it shows how passionate are true sport fans when it comes to their favorite team or player.
Perhaps one of the most important roles in the development of gambling industry was played by the Internet. The gaming revolution took a new shape online and more profitable bets were made. Today, gambling is not looked upon as a forbidden subject. It is a form of expressing ones heat for the preferred sport and earning some money by knowing when and where to place a bet.
Discovering the secrets of gambling is not such an easy job as it requires special skills and a lot of dedication. With every day that passes, more and more concepts appear that may sometimes seem hard to understand and follow. The basic fact is that sports gambling depends and probably will depend forever on odds comparison. After all that is what every game is about, who is the best and who is going to win.
Naturally there is more to sports betting than odds comparison and placing a bet. But it is for the best to learn elementary components and then go for something more complicated. Experts in the field recommend that constant odds comparison must be made because odds are changing perpetually. Knowing the perfect moment to place a bet is a difficult thing to accomplish but definitely worth it.
The amount of the bet is also determined by the odds comparison. Keep in mind that these odds are essential information in order for you to know the favorite teams in a sporting event. Aside from odds comparison, online sports gambling referrs to checking out the team’s evolution in the season and consulting with experts in the field for possible options.
People who are really into online sports betting recognize the importance of odds comparison. They rely on it in order to place careful but successful bets and collect various information about different sporting events such as handball, football or hockey. True fans are aware that team statistics and history are also significant factors in placing a bet. Other crucial things to consider are the possibility of injuries and weather conditions.
One must never forget that there are many sides of sports gambling. Sports fans throughout the world enjoy the possibilities they were offered by the Internet and declare that having a hobby in predicting sports results is legal and fun. They have a favorite sport and are in constant watch of their team/athlete. The team’s record are extremely important for them and they are ready to bet significant sums in order to win.
Today gambling is not seen anymore as having a harmful impact on the society. People are fully conscious of their own decisions and money. Placing a bet after taking enough time to consider all the opportunities and compare the odds is easy and can bring quite a little bit of profit.
The charm of the game combined with the quick rewards offered and the advent of the Internet lead to the spread of gambling worldwide. Sports betting is enjoyed by a multitude of fans everywhere around the globe and huge profits are made on a daily basis. This growing industry is likely to bring new things with every day that passes.
Perhaps one of the most important roles in the development of gambling industry was played by the Internet. The gaming revolution took a new shape online and more profitable bets were made. Today, gambling is not looked upon as a forbidden subject. It is a form of expressing ones heat for the preferred sport and earning some money by knowing when and where to place a bet.
Discovering the secrets of gambling is not such an easy job as it requires special skills and a lot of dedication. With every day that passes, more and more concepts appear that may sometimes seem hard to understand and follow. The basic fact is that sports gambling depends and probably will depend forever on odds comparison. After all that is what every game is about, who is the best and who is going to win.
Naturally there is more to sports betting than odds comparison and placing a bet. But it is for the best to learn elementary components and then go for something more complicated. Experts in the field recommend that constant odds comparison must be made because odds are changing perpetually. Knowing the perfect moment to place a bet is a difficult thing to accomplish but definitely worth it.
The amount of the bet is also determined by the odds comparison. Keep in mind that these odds are essential information in order for you to know the favorite teams in a sporting event. Aside from odds comparison, online sports gambling referrs to checking out the team’s evolution in the season and consulting with experts in the field for possible options.
People who are really into online sports betting recognize the importance of odds comparison. They rely on it in order to place careful but successful bets and collect various information about different sporting events such as handball, football or hockey. True fans are aware that team statistics and history are also significant factors in placing a bet. Other crucial things to consider are the possibility of injuries and weather conditions.
One must never forget that there are many sides of sports gambling. Sports fans throughout the world enjoy the possibilities they were offered by the Internet and declare that having a hobby in predicting sports results is legal and fun. They have a favorite sport and are in constant watch of their team/athlete. The team’s record are extremely important for them and they are ready to bet significant sums in order to win.
Today gambling is not seen anymore as having a harmful impact on the society. People are fully conscious of their own decisions and money. Placing a bet after taking enough time to consider all the opportunities and compare the odds is easy and can bring quite a little bit of profit.
The charm of the game combined with the quick rewards offered and the advent of the Internet lead to the spread of gambling worldwide. Sports betting is enjoyed by a multitude of fans everywhere around the globe and huge profits are made on a daily basis. This growing industry is likely to bring new things with every day that passes.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Jet Ski Kawasaki Short Overview
The story of Jet Ski began when Clayton Jacobson II, the known inventor of the original personal water craft, sold the rights to his patent to Kawasaki.
The company began developing this personal water craft and in 1973, came the launch of their WSAA and WSAB models. These 2 are known to be the world's first Jet Skis. They were produced on a limited basis, powered by 2-stroke twin-cylinder engines. The WSAA was distinguished by a flat haul while the WSAB had a V-type hull.
The year 1976 brought Kawasaki to mass-produce their Jet Ski. This year gave birth to the JS400 (JS400-A) model. When the racers and water sport enthusiasts demanded for power, Kawasaki responded and gave them the JS440 (JS440-A). This model was one of the longest-selling Jet Skis made.
In the 80's, Jet Ski was more powerful with additional features. This era brought the JS550. It was the first Jet Ski model to come out with revised high-capacity mixed-flow pump that gave it more power for people who wanted to have more than the usual thrill. The JS550 had 531 cm3 2-stroke Twin. Feature included the automatic rpm control.
The 80's also gave birth to the JS300 (1986) that was hailed to be the beginner's Jet Ski, 650SX (1987) powered by a 635 cm3 2-stroke Twin, 300SX (1987) with 294 cm3 reed-valve Single with CD ignition, and the very first Kawasaki Jet Ski sit-down water craft, the two-seater Tandem Sport
The Highest Parachute Measured By An Altimeter Watch
Joseph Kittinger set the record for the highest parachute jump in 1960.He was investigating high altitude escape as part of his involvement in the Aerospace Medical Research Laboratories of the United States Air Force (USAF).The jump took place at 102.800 ft the highest parachute jump ever attempted.
With staggering speeds of around 714 mph and freezing temperatures of -94 degrees Kittinger free fell for 4
With staggering speeds of around 714 mph and freezing temperatures of -94 degrees Kittinger free fell for 4
20 Mistakes Sports Parents Make With Their Kids: Don't Fall Into These Sports Parenting Traps
How is your sports relationship with your child? Are you supporting your child in their sport the way they need to be nurtured? Do you understand your child's sport experience? Do you create an environment that helps develop your child through their sport career? As founder and President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association I certify coaches, coach kids and adults and consult to parents, coaches and officials. I continually hear about parents who make numerous mistakes in their desire to achieve sports success. I've been coaching for over 35 years and have seen these issues up close and personal. Take a look at these common mistakes parents make with their child's sports experiences. How many of these would your child say you make? How many of these can you avoid making?
As President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association, one of my goals is to spread the concepts of mental toughness and self-coaching throughout the world. I want children to become more self-reliant, have higher self-esteem, make better decisions, learn better judgment, manage their stress, engage the zone in performance and achieve to their full potential.
20 Mistakes Parents Make With Their Kids In The World Of Sport
1. Lecturing their child about the sport's techniques and strategies when they never played the sport, or played at a low level.
2. Criticizing, judging or lecturing their child about their performance under pressure when they themselves have never competed, or competed at a low level, and do not understand the pressures of competition.
3. Failing to create a supportive, organized environment the day of competitions.
4. Treating officials and staff with less than full respect.
5. Rushing their child's early sport technique development, when that should be the slowest, most careful period of all, to gain solid fundamentals that last a lifetime, which don't need to be corrected later in their career.
6. Placing unwanted pressure on their child by framing competitions as being "Must win", "Can't lose", "An important event", "Critical competition", and the like.
7. Pushing their child into a sport or competition before they are ready.
8. Failing to see the value of sports lessons as preparation for life itself.
9. Allowing their child to get away with poor behavior by making excuses for it, or by failing to exert parental standards.
10. Failing to match their child's sport choice to their temperament, sensibilities, talents and values.
11. Projecting their own insecurities, worries and nervousness about their child's performance onto their child, especially before a competition.
12. Not allowing their child to own their sport experience, and thereby learn from their mistakes, and instead doing everything for their child.
13. Performing a post-competition analysis sooner than their child would like it.
14. Asking "Did you win?" after a competition, rather than saying something that carries less pressure.
15. Failing to listen and to allow their child to process their feelings after a difficult practice or stressful competition.
16. Smothering their child, by hovering around every sport activity their child attends, from practices to training session to competitions (known as being a Helicopter Parent).
17. Failing to support or respect the coaching staff.
18. Displaying poor sportsmanship.
19. Failing to be a role model for the behaviors they want their children to display.
20. Taking it as personal criticism when their child makes requests for them to modify their parenting behavior.
As President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association, one of my goals is to spread the concepts of mental toughness and self-coaching throughout the world. I want children to become more self-reliant, have higher self-esteem, make better decisions, learn better judgment, manage their stress, engage the zone in performance and achieve to their full potential.
20 Mistakes Parents Make With Their Kids In The World Of Sport
1. Lecturing their child about the sport's techniques and strategies when they never played the sport, or played at a low level.
2. Criticizing, judging or lecturing their child about their performance under pressure when they themselves have never competed, or competed at a low level, and do not understand the pressures of competition.
3. Failing to create a supportive, organized environment the day of competitions.
4. Treating officials and staff with less than full respect.
5. Rushing their child's early sport technique development, when that should be the slowest, most careful period of all, to gain solid fundamentals that last a lifetime, which don't need to be corrected later in their career.
6. Placing unwanted pressure on their child by framing competitions as being "Must win", "Can't lose", "An important event", "Critical competition", and the like.
7. Pushing their child into a sport or competition before they are ready.
8. Failing to see the value of sports lessons as preparation for life itself.
9. Allowing their child to get away with poor behavior by making excuses for it, or by failing to exert parental standards.
10. Failing to match their child's sport choice to their temperament, sensibilities, talents and values.
11. Projecting their own insecurities, worries and nervousness about their child's performance onto their child, especially before a competition.
12. Not allowing their child to own their sport experience, and thereby learn from their mistakes, and instead doing everything for their child.
13. Performing a post-competition analysis sooner than their child would like it.
14. Asking "Did you win?" after a competition, rather than saying something that carries less pressure.
15. Failing to listen and to allow their child to process their feelings after a difficult practice or stressful competition.
16. Smothering their child, by hovering around every sport activity their child attends, from practices to training session to competitions (known as being a Helicopter Parent).
17. Failing to support or respect the coaching staff.
18. Displaying poor sportsmanship.
19. Failing to be a role model for the behaviors they want their children to display.
20. Taking it as personal criticism when their child makes requests for them to modify their parenting behavior.
Top Ten Sports Parenting Success Strategies to Help Maximize your Child's Sports Experience
Do you have strategies in place to help your child succeed in their sport? Do you have a plan to be the best sports parent possible? What are you doing now that helps your child reach their fullest potential?
As President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association, one of my goals is to spread the concepts of mental toughness and self-coaching throughout the world. I want children to become more self-reliant, have higher self-esteem, make better decisions, learn better judgment, manage their stress, engage the zone in performance and achieve to their full potential. As their parent, you are an integral part of this success path.
Here are some sports parenting success strategies you can use to help your child.
1. Create a supportive, organized environment the day of competitions.
2. Help them get enough practice before games to make their performance automatic and confident.
3. Manage their schedule so they have balance between sports, school and social activities.
4. Reduce their overall life stress so they can be refreshed and relaxed going into practices and games.
5. Help them create and maintain realistic expectations about their sport.
6. Be a great listener and be empathic when they need to share strong emotions, especially after a loss.
7. Get to know their coaches, and understand their coaching styles, systems and expectations, and help your child work within these.
8. Make sports participation fun and stress learning and life lessons.
9. Allow your child to make as many of their own sports decisions as possible, and to learn from those decisions. Don’t shield them from the reality of their behaviors. Allow natural consequences to teach them about the world.
10. View sports as a life-long learning process, one that you and your child can share.
So there you have it, the top 10 success strategies sports parents can use to make their kids experiences in sport excellent.
To read our companion article, The Fears Kids Have In Sport: How Parents Can Help Their Child Succeed In Sports By Identifying And Processing Their Child's Mental And Emotional Concerns, go here:
As President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association, one of my goals is to spread the concepts of mental toughness and self-coaching throughout the world. I want children to become more self-reliant, have higher self-esteem, make better decisions, learn better judgment, manage their stress, engage the zone in performance and achieve to their full potential. As their parent, you are an integral part of this success path.
Here are some sports parenting success strategies you can use to help your child.
1. Create a supportive, organized environment the day of competitions.
2. Help them get enough practice before games to make their performance automatic and confident.
3. Manage their schedule so they have balance between sports, school and social activities.
4. Reduce their overall life stress so they can be refreshed and relaxed going into practices and games.
5. Help them create and maintain realistic expectations about their sport.
6. Be a great listener and be empathic when they need to share strong emotions, especially after a loss.
7. Get to know their coaches, and understand their coaching styles, systems and expectations, and help your child work within these.
8. Make sports participation fun and stress learning and life lessons.
9. Allow your child to make as many of their own sports decisions as possible, and to learn from those decisions. Don’t shield them from the reality of their behaviors. Allow natural consequences to teach them about the world.
10. View sports as a life-long learning process, one that you and your child can share.
So there you have it, the top 10 success strategies sports parents can use to make their kids experiences in sport excellent.
To read our companion article, The Fears Kids Have In Sport: How Parents Can Help Their Child Succeed In Sports By Identifying And Processing Their Child's Mental And Emotional Concerns, go here:
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
How Do I Catch Bass
If you've done any bass fishing, then you'll already know that it's not as simple as just putting a line in the water and waiting for them to bite. One of the best things about bass fishing is that it requires skill and patience to be successful. So it's important to put as many factors in your favor as possible, so that you have the best chance of catching a bass. Let's take a look at a few tips for successful bass fishing.
The weather matters! In the cooler weather, such as early spring and fall, bass are much more responsive to top water lures. They're also more likely to be found in shallow water, such as along the shoreline where there are overhanging trees. When it gets hotter, though, bass retreat to deeper, cooler holes, and you need a change of strategy. Basically you need to dredge the bottom, and use something like a plastic worm to get the bass to respond.
Time of day is also important, with dawn and dusk the best times to catch the biggest bass. Look for ambush spots where bass might be lurking in wait for baitfish. They like to pounce on their prey, and these bait fish are most active early morning or evening. This method works best when the water is warmer, above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, because a lot of baitfish aren't active in cooler temperatures.
The quality of the water you're fishing in makes a difference to your bass fishing tactics too. In muddy water, for example, bass use their sonar to locate food. So choose lures that vibrate well and perhaps make some noise. In clear water, though, bass are very cautious and wary of anything unusual. So you need light lines, and lures that closely resemble local food sources. Spinners can work, but you may find a black spinner blade will reduce the flash and be more successful.
In normal water quality, with some algae and plankton to filter out sunlight, most types of lures can be used. It's often a good idea to set up three outfits, using a different lure for each one, to see which one is working the best. For example, you could use a deep diver on one, a surface lure on the next, and a plastic worm on the third.
A large survey of bass fishing enthusiasts found that the plastic worm was considered the most effective lure by a big margin, so when in doubt, try a plastic worm and see what happens. It's also good to talk to local fishermen if you're not familiar with the area, and ask them what they recommend. Most bass fishing enthusiasts are happy to find another enthusiast to swap stories with.
The weather matters! In the cooler weather, such as early spring and fall, bass are much more responsive to top water lures. They're also more likely to be found in shallow water, such as along the shoreline where there are overhanging trees. When it gets hotter, though, bass retreat to deeper, cooler holes, and you need a change of strategy. Basically you need to dredge the bottom, and use something like a plastic worm to get the bass to respond.
Time of day is also important, with dawn and dusk the best times to catch the biggest bass. Look for ambush spots where bass might be lurking in wait for baitfish. They like to pounce on their prey, and these bait fish are most active early morning or evening. This method works best when the water is warmer, above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, because a lot of baitfish aren't active in cooler temperatures.
The quality of the water you're fishing in makes a difference to your bass fishing tactics too. In muddy water, for example, bass use their sonar to locate food. So choose lures that vibrate well and perhaps make some noise. In clear water, though, bass are very cautious and wary of anything unusual. So you need light lines, and lures that closely resemble local food sources. Spinners can work, but you may find a black spinner blade will reduce the flash and be more successful.
In normal water quality, with some algae and plankton to filter out sunlight, most types of lures can be used. It's often a good idea to set up three outfits, using a different lure for each one, to see which one is working the best. For example, you could use a deep diver on one, a surface lure on the next, and a plastic worm on the third.
A large survey of bass fishing enthusiasts found that the plastic worm was considered the most effective lure by a big margin, so when in doubt, try a plastic worm and see what happens. It's also good to talk to local fishermen if you're not familiar with the area, and ask them what they recommend. Most bass fishing enthusiasts are happy to find another enthusiast to swap stories with.
Four Steps to an Enjoyable Hike
Some people have fought many years of their lives to preserve the rich heritage of the outdoors and nature we now enjoy. That dedication and effort have been rewarded by fantastic hiking opportunities in our local, state, and national parks systems. In honor of their efforts, let's break out of our winter hibernation and venture into the crisp, clean outdoor air and hit some of those dirt trails.
Here are 4 steps to an enjoyable hike, no matter where your feet decide to take you.
1. Know the area you will be going into. Although many states, like California, Colorado, or Wyoming have exceptional hiking hot spots, even your local park will have some kind of useful information. Whether it's a website with information and trail details, or a map at the park office, trailhead, or visitor center, always check before you head out on your hike so you know what to expect.
2. Know the conditions you will be facing, wherever you go. Nothing is worse than traveling to a hiking destination only to miss the hike, because it was raining or freezing and you weren't prepared. If the trail is flooded out, or snowy conditions have shut it down for an extended period, you should be able to find this out as well. It is also good to know if there are any plants or animals to watch out for at your hiking location. Wiping with poison ivy won't feel good in the morning.
Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about hike? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?
3. Wear clothing that works and fits the terrain and hike conditions. There are many options in your clothing arsenal, to keep yourself comfortable, here are a couple of pointers:
- Try and stay away from cotton. Instead, look for synthetic and natural fibers that pull moisture away from your body, or at least stay warm when wet. - Also, go for layers to keep yourself warm, versus carrying around a huge parka, in case you are hit by a freak snowstorm. - The two most important pieces of clothing for any hiker, are good socks and good shoes. Don't underestimate the pain a hike can cause with uncomfortable shoes and socks. Finally, a hat in cold weather is a great addition, since your body loses over half its heat through your head.
4. In addition to knowing the weather conditions, you will need to be prepared with a first aid kit that matches the hiking you will be doing. In most cases a simple kit will do. You can pick up a simple first aid kit at a local department or sporting goods store. Or you can build you own, which should include these basics: - Different sizes and shapes of bandages and gauzes. - Various types of tape for wounds or fixing tools. - Suntan lotion. - A light emergency blanket (preferably with some kind of water resistance). - Aspirin, allergy, laxative, and anti-diuretic medications. - Small multi-use tool with a knife, scissors, and a needle and thread. - A cell phone can come in very handy in emergencies. It is recommended that you pack all of this in a waterproof bag or container.
These tips should ensure a comfortable, short hiking adventure.
Here are 4 steps to an enjoyable hike, no matter where your feet decide to take you.
1. Know the area you will be going into. Although many states, like California, Colorado, or Wyoming have exceptional hiking hot spots, even your local park will have some kind of useful information. Whether it's a website with information and trail details, or a map at the park office, trailhead, or visitor center, always check before you head out on your hike so you know what to expect.
2. Know the conditions you will be facing, wherever you go. Nothing is worse than traveling to a hiking destination only to miss the hike, because it was raining or freezing and you weren't prepared. If the trail is flooded out, or snowy conditions have shut it down for an extended period, you should be able to find this out as well. It is also good to know if there are any plants or animals to watch out for at your hiking location. Wiping with poison ivy won't feel good in the morning.
Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about hike? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?
3. Wear clothing that works and fits the terrain and hike conditions. There are many options in your clothing arsenal, to keep yourself comfortable, here are a couple of pointers:
- Try and stay away from cotton. Instead, look for synthetic and natural fibers that pull moisture away from your body, or at least stay warm when wet. - Also, go for layers to keep yourself warm, versus carrying around a huge parka, in case you are hit by a freak snowstorm. - The two most important pieces of clothing for any hiker, are good socks and good shoes. Don't underestimate the pain a hike can cause with uncomfortable shoes and socks. Finally, a hat in cold weather is a great addition, since your body loses over half its heat through your head.
4. In addition to knowing the weather conditions, you will need to be prepared with a first aid kit that matches the hiking you will be doing. In most cases a simple kit will do. You can pick up a simple first aid kit at a local department or sporting goods store. Or you can build you own, which should include these basics: - Different sizes and shapes of bandages and gauzes. - Various types of tape for wounds or fixing tools. - Suntan lotion. - A light emergency blanket (preferably with some kind of water resistance). - Aspirin, allergy, laxative, and anti-diuretic medications. - Small multi-use tool with a knife, scissors, and a needle and thread. - A cell phone can come in very handy in emergencies. It is recommended that you pack all of this in a waterproof bag or container.
These tips should ensure a comfortable, short hiking adventure.
One Can Know About Cricketing Events Information From Cricket News
Everyone in this world knows that cricket is the game of passion that involves action and speed. And this makes it all the more necessary to get yourself informed about the latest happenings in the field of cricket. Well, it is the cricket news that keeps on informing about the latest happenings. In fact, this is the most updated source of information for cricket enthusiasts to keep themselves abreast of the latest things. Cricket news has a special value for fans as they are able to know more and more about their favorite player or team.
Is it that you are do not enough time to catch up the entire tournament and still do not wish to miss any information? Cricket news is surely going to help you in this case. It is because cricket news tells not only about the ins and outs of cricket field; it also provides detailed information on scores and position of the team in a tournament too. Regular updations in the cricket news help the cricket enthusiasts to know that facts about cricket. Knowing about latest happening in the field of cricket seems to be the only thing left for cricket enthusiasts.
Many times fans are on a constant watch for cricket controversies that keep on adding spice to the daily monotonous life of fans. Usually, controversies have the ability to raise discussions and this makes it possible for the fans to talk out something related to their interests. Cricket news always has a special value for fans because this is the main thing that acts as the information data for fans. With the help of such sources, cricket fanatics can enhance their knowledge and prove that they are the most special fans of the game.
News is meant to inform the people about some new incident in the field of cricket. Latest cricket news creates awareness among fans because news helps to tell about the things to happen in near future. Such news can be seen in newspapers, on news or sports channels and on the cricket sites too. Everyone tries to access that means which is convenient for them to gain information on cricket events. After all, it is the importance of cricket that has made the fans crazy for each and every detail of things related to cricket.
The game of cricket has got so much praise that people have started living and thinking that action. The actual pleasure is seen with the opening of a match. It is the actual time that entire nation is packed with excitement and thrill. During this period of time, latest and updated cricket news holds much significance as fans are eager to know the details of the happening. With the increasing passion of fans, cricket news has become demandable. It is the best thing with which fans can keep in touch with on-field and off-field moments.
Is it that you are do not enough time to catch up the entire tournament and still do not wish to miss any information? Cricket news is surely going to help you in this case. It is because cricket news tells not only about the ins and outs of cricket field; it also provides detailed information on scores and position of the team in a tournament too. Regular updations in the cricket news help the cricket enthusiasts to know that facts about cricket. Knowing about latest happening in the field of cricket seems to be the only thing left for cricket enthusiasts.
Many times fans are on a constant watch for cricket controversies that keep on adding spice to the daily monotonous life of fans. Usually, controversies have the ability to raise discussions and this makes it possible for the fans to talk out something related to their interests. Cricket news always has a special value for fans because this is the main thing that acts as the information data for fans. With the help of such sources, cricket fanatics can enhance their knowledge and prove that they are the most special fans of the game.
News is meant to inform the people about some new incident in the field of cricket. Latest cricket news creates awareness among fans because news helps to tell about the things to happen in near future. Such news can be seen in newspapers, on news or sports channels and on the cricket sites too. Everyone tries to access that means which is convenient for them to gain information on cricket events. After all, it is the importance of cricket that has made the fans crazy for each and every detail of things related to cricket.
The game of cricket has got so much praise that people have started living and thinking that action. The actual pleasure is seen with the opening of a match. It is the actual time that entire nation is packed with excitement and thrill. During this period of time, latest and updated cricket news holds much significance as fans are eager to know the details of the happening. With the increasing passion of fans, cricket news has become demandable. It is the best thing with which fans can keep in touch with on-field and off-field moments.
Heifery Thing Must Go
Deep down, i’m just an old romantic. I always hold the wife’s hand when we go out together; it restricts her swing.
It’s somewhat clichéd to speak of the ‘romance of the cup’, but even I’m going weak at the knees at the prospect of Chelsea v Macclesfield.
My heart yearns for the Silkmen, but my head is saying Chelsea; and I refuse to argue against head. You can’t back the champions at odds as short as 1/40, but covering the 1-0 / 2-0 / 3-0 / 4-0 correct scores can land an even money coup.
They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; there’s been a lot of love for Frank Lampard. The plump midfielder looks the best bet for the first goal at 4/1.
I found it absolutely outrageous that Wayne Rooney was caught singing anti-Scouse songs in a boozer with Gary Neville. Why on earth would anyone go out with Gary Neville? Everyone wants to pal-up a Man U win over Villa at 3/10.
I’m not superstitious, but i can’t shake the feeling that Henrik Larsson is destined to net the opening goal against his former mentor. I’ll be crossing fingers, touching wood and kicking black cats in the hope of a 9/2 payout.
I was shocked to see that Liverpool were ‘odds on’ to beat Arsenal; the Scousers’ record against ‘the big 3’ is so poor, it’s been claiming benefits. The Gunners are simply too big to miss at 11/4.
Thierry Henry danced on the touchline when he found the net on his midweek comeback; i’ll be having a hoedown if Henry opens the scoring at 11/2.
My problem is I love too much, although admittedly, for not very long. I’m currently infatuated with the 6/5 on offer for Fulham to hunt down the Foxes.
Tottenham would not have been happy about drawing Cardiff away, it’s in Wales. The Bluebird’s form has dipped dramatically in recent weeks; Spurs can romp in at a sheepish 4/5.
Hossam Ghaly lost four teeth after being kicked in the face on New Years Day; he’ll feel at home amongst the Welsh. It’s a toss up between Berbatov and Defoe for the first goal; they do things a little differently in the valleys.
In football, as in life, nobody wants to go to Doncaster. The League One outfit have only lost once at home all season, and have won their last five without conceding in front of their own supporters. Bolton have drawn the short straw, the Rovers can land the upset at 5/1.
Paul Heffernan has scored in six of his last seven games for Donny; not for the first time, I’ll be getting on a Heffer at 9/1 to score first.
Portsmouth v Wigan is a rematch of the six-pointer they shared earlier in the season. It wasn’t a relegation scrap; the Premier League awarded Pompey the extra points because Benjani scored the winning goal. Portsmouth are good things at 4/5 for a repeat.
It’s better to have loved and lost, than to end up with a Sweaty. The draw has been priced up at 7/2 between West Ham and Brighton; I’m besotted.
I’m beginning to feel sympathy for Andy Johnson. The only way he’ll be awarded a penalty against Blackburn is if Robbie Savage were to run him over with his motor, home. Everton will run all over Blackburn at 11/10.
The wife has got to go. She told me that I had a face that only a mother could love, I think she suspects something. I’m highly suspicious about the rather large 7/4 about a Birmingham win over Newcastle.
It’s somewhat clichéd to speak of the ‘romance of the cup’, but even I’m going weak at the knees at the prospect of Chelsea v Macclesfield.
My heart yearns for the Silkmen, but my head is saying Chelsea; and I refuse to argue against head. You can’t back the champions at odds as short as 1/40, but covering the 1-0 / 2-0 / 3-0 / 4-0 correct scores can land an even money coup.
They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; there’s been a lot of love for Frank Lampard. The plump midfielder looks the best bet for the first goal at 4/1.
I found it absolutely outrageous that Wayne Rooney was caught singing anti-Scouse songs in a boozer with Gary Neville. Why on earth would anyone go out with Gary Neville? Everyone wants to pal-up a Man U win over Villa at 3/10.
I’m not superstitious, but i can’t shake the feeling that Henrik Larsson is destined to net the opening goal against his former mentor. I’ll be crossing fingers, touching wood and kicking black cats in the hope of a 9/2 payout.
I was shocked to see that Liverpool were ‘odds on’ to beat Arsenal; the Scousers’ record against ‘the big 3’ is so poor, it’s been claiming benefits. The Gunners are simply too big to miss at 11/4.
Thierry Henry danced on the touchline when he found the net on his midweek comeback; i’ll be having a hoedown if Henry opens the scoring at 11/2.
My problem is I love too much, although admittedly, for not very long. I’m currently infatuated with the 6/5 on offer for Fulham to hunt down the Foxes.
Tottenham would not have been happy about drawing Cardiff away, it’s in Wales. The Bluebird’s form has dipped dramatically in recent weeks; Spurs can romp in at a sheepish 4/5.
Hossam Ghaly lost four teeth after being kicked in the face on New Years Day; he’ll feel at home amongst the Welsh. It’s a toss up between Berbatov and Defoe for the first goal; they do things a little differently in the valleys.
In football, as in life, nobody wants to go to Doncaster. The League One outfit have only lost once at home all season, and have won their last five without conceding in front of their own supporters. Bolton have drawn the short straw, the Rovers can land the upset at 5/1.
Paul Heffernan has scored in six of his last seven games for Donny; not for the first time, I’ll be getting on a Heffer at 9/1 to score first.
Portsmouth v Wigan is a rematch of the six-pointer they shared earlier in the season. It wasn’t a relegation scrap; the Premier League awarded Pompey the extra points because Benjani scored the winning goal. Portsmouth are good things at 4/5 for a repeat.
It’s better to have loved and lost, than to end up with a Sweaty. The draw has been priced up at 7/2 between West Ham and Brighton; I’m besotted.
I’m beginning to feel sympathy for Andy Johnson. The only way he’ll be awarded a penalty against Blackburn is if Robbie Savage were to run him over with his motor, home. Everton will run all over Blackburn at 11/10.
The wife has got to go. She told me that I had a face that only a mother could love, I think she suspects something. I’m highly suspicious about the rather large 7/4 about a Birmingham win over Newcastle.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Mental Toughness Training for Sports
To reach full potential, any athlete needs mental toughness. That's a combination of mental, emotional and physical toughness. How do you achieve that? You need to get out of your comfort zone and regularly expose yourself to difficulties that stretch your limits. Pride yourself on being able to handle tough circumstances, without whining or feeling self-pity. Top athletes are great role models for this. Who else can we learn this from? Right. Military people. They are all about mental toughness.
SIX MILITARY SPECIAL FORCES MIND STRATEGIES
United States Army Ranger training is one of the toughest special forces military programs on the planet. Mind skills are as important as physical and soldering skills. All but the toughest wash out. About 60% of all applicants fail during indoctrination. This failure rate is purposefully designed into the initiatives to weed out all but the very toughest and best people. Attendees who graduate have the confidence and mental toughness of knowing they passed through the virtual gates of torture and lived. How many of these Ranger mind tools do you possess?
1. Rangers train to expect the unexpected. Do you love unpredictability or are you a creature of habit who gets thrown off-balance with every change of wind?
2. Rangers train against enemy capture exploitation and political indoctrination tactics. Do you have a plan for handling workplace politics?
3. Rangers are the only military unit that mandates physical training five days a week, 48 weeks a year. Are you making yourself fit to do battle in the workplace?
4. Rangers are trained to believe that there is more than one way to do almost anything. Are you a flexible and adaptable thinker?
5. Rangers must be ready to deploy anywhere in the world on 18-hours notice. Do you maintain a ready state of mind for any eventuality?
6. Rangers are expert at infiltrating by air, sea or land into any kind of terrain, under any type of condition. Do you consider yourself well-rounded in your tactics and abilities?
Do you want the mental abilities of a Ranger? Toughen your mind.
Be a mentally tough athlete. Adopt the mental strategies of the Rangers and toughen your mind and body.
This article covers only one small part of the mental game. A complete mental training program includes motivation and goal-setting, pre-event mental preparation, post-event review and analysis, mental strengthening, self-regulation training, breath control training, motor skill training, mental rehearsal, concentration training, pressure-proofing, communication training, confidence-building, breaking through mental barriers, slump prevention, mental toughness training, flow training, relaxation training, momentum training, psych-out proofing and media training.
SIX MILITARY SPECIAL FORCES MIND STRATEGIES
United States Army Ranger training is one of the toughest special forces military programs on the planet. Mind skills are as important as physical and soldering skills. All but the toughest wash out. About 60% of all applicants fail during indoctrination. This failure rate is purposefully designed into the initiatives to weed out all but the very toughest and best people. Attendees who graduate have the confidence and mental toughness of knowing they passed through the virtual gates of torture and lived. How many of these Ranger mind tools do you possess?
1. Rangers train to expect the unexpected. Do you love unpredictability or are you a creature of habit who gets thrown off-balance with every change of wind?
2. Rangers train against enemy capture exploitation and political indoctrination tactics. Do you have a plan for handling workplace politics?
3. Rangers are the only military unit that mandates physical training five days a week, 48 weeks a year. Are you making yourself fit to do battle in the workplace?
4. Rangers are trained to believe that there is more than one way to do almost anything. Are you a flexible and adaptable thinker?
5. Rangers must be ready to deploy anywhere in the world on 18-hours notice. Do you maintain a ready state of mind for any eventuality?
6. Rangers are expert at infiltrating by air, sea or land into any kind of terrain, under any type of condition. Do you consider yourself well-rounded in your tactics and abilities?
Do you want the mental abilities of a Ranger? Toughen your mind.
Be a mentally tough athlete. Adopt the mental strategies of the Rangers and toughen your mind and body.
This article covers only one small part of the mental game. A complete mental training program includes motivation and goal-setting, pre-event mental preparation, post-event review and analysis, mental strengthening, self-regulation training, breath control training, motor skill training, mental rehearsal, concentration training, pressure-proofing, communication training, confidence-building, breaking through mental barriers, slump prevention, mental toughness training, flow training, relaxation training, momentum training, psych-out proofing and media training.
What Can Sports Psychology Do for You
Sport psychology is one of those cutting-edge disciplines poised on the edge of art and science. The mind game is one of the most important, yet often most elusive and ineffable elements in all of sport.
Having a strong mental game is the Make-It-Or-Break-It skill that separates the winners from the You-Came-So-Close crowd. The mental game is the ultimate X-factor, that hidden dimension of sport that winners possess and losers wish for.
I don't know if you are happy with your mental skills, but my guess is, you probably think you could improve your sport by improving your mind, and that's the reason you're reading this.
Perhaps you're a middle school or grade school athlete, competing in your chosen sport, yet you want that extra edge to help you make the school team, or to get your ranking higher, or to compete at a higher level. Maybe you are looking ahead to making the high school team soon.
Perhaps you're a high school athlete, frustrated with knowing that with just a little better mental approach to your sport, you could be great. Maybe you're struggling with controlling your mind, and with some specialized help, you believe you could really take things to the next level. Maybe even get that college scholarship.
Perhaps you're a college athlete, competing at a high level, yet your performances are inconsistent, and lack the deep focus required to succeed at such rarified stratas. You are looking for better mental preparation that will regularly catapult you into the zone. You want to reach your goals before you graduate. Maybe you're thinking about playing pro afterwards.
If you're a professional athlete, it's a slam-dunk that you need a solid mental game approach--every day, all day. Anything less, and you're sunk. Need we say more?
And of course, every athlete, at every level must have mental toughness.
Here is a quick overview of why people seek the services of a sport psychology coach. They typically want to:
1. Learn how to psych up for every practice, coaching session and competition.
2. Make mental toughness a strength in their sports performance.
3. Stop mentally beating themselves up and self-destructing when they perform below expectations.
4. Know how to get into the performance zone, naturally and easily, every time.
5. Handle the dreaded mind games opponents launch at critical times.
6. Harness the secrets of game momentum to win more.
7. Gain more satisfaction from their sport.
8. Reach new levels of performance.
9. Transfer lessons learned in sport to the rest of their life and business.
What are YOUR reasons for seeking sports psychology help?
This article covers only one small part of the mental game. A complete mental training program includes motivation and goal-setting, pre-event mental preparation, post-event review and analysis, mental strengthening, self-regulation training, breath control training, motor skill training, mental rehearsal, concentration training, pressure-proofing, communication training, confidence-building, breaking through mental barriers, slump prevention, mental toughness training, flow training, relaxation training, momentum training, psych-out proofing and media training.
Having a strong mental game is the Make-It-Or-Break-It skill that separates the winners from the You-Came-So-Close crowd. The mental game is the ultimate X-factor, that hidden dimension of sport that winners possess and losers wish for.
I don't know if you are happy with your mental skills, but my guess is, you probably think you could improve your sport by improving your mind, and that's the reason you're reading this.
Perhaps you're a middle school or grade school athlete, competing in your chosen sport, yet you want that extra edge to help you make the school team, or to get your ranking higher, or to compete at a higher level. Maybe you are looking ahead to making the high school team soon.
Perhaps you're a high school athlete, frustrated with knowing that with just a little better mental approach to your sport, you could be great. Maybe you're struggling with controlling your mind, and with some specialized help, you believe you could really take things to the next level. Maybe even get that college scholarship.
Perhaps you're a college athlete, competing at a high level, yet your performances are inconsistent, and lack the deep focus required to succeed at such rarified stratas. You are looking for better mental preparation that will regularly catapult you into the zone. You want to reach your goals before you graduate. Maybe you're thinking about playing pro afterwards.
If you're a professional athlete, it's a slam-dunk that you need a solid mental game approach--every day, all day. Anything less, and you're sunk. Need we say more?
And of course, every athlete, at every level must have mental toughness.
Here is a quick overview of why people seek the services of a sport psychology coach. They typically want to:
1. Learn how to psych up for every practice, coaching session and competition.
2. Make mental toughness a strength in their sports performance.
3. Stop mentally beating themselves up and self-destructing when they perform below expectations.
4. Know how to get into the performance zone, naturally and easily, every time.
5. Handle the dreaded mind games opponents launch at critical times.
6. Harness the secrets of game momentum to win more.
7. Gain more satisfaction from their sport.
8. Reach new levels of performance.
9. Transfer lessons learned in sport to the rest of their life and business.
What are YOUR reasons for seeking sports psychology help?
This article covers only one small part of the mental game. A complete mental training program includes motivation and goal-setting, pre-event mental preparation, post-event review and analysis, mental strengthening, self-regulation training, breath control training, motor skill training, mental rehearsal, concentration training, pressure-proofing, communication training, confidence-building, breaking through mental barriers, slump prevention, mental toughness training, flow training, relaxation training, momentum training, psych-out proofing and media training.
Are you Hamstrung Before you Start
One of the most common injuries in running is to the hamstrings. Or typically, the pain often presents itself in the hamstrings due to biomechanical load from another area that is not functioning correctly. Even if you tear the hamstring during sprinting, the underlying cause is usually biomechanical, and unless that cause is addressed the problem will become recurrent or simply just not go away. You could even just have a hamstring that feels tight or won’t stretch out properly, either way the cause is usually biomechanical.
Often these biomechanical causes are due to the pelvis. A ‘rotated’ pelvis, (which is where the pelvic bone gets stuck in an abnormal position) can go unnoticed for many years until the compensations start to cause problems. Typically this is caused by unaccustomed lifting or carrying, performing a repetitive movement abnormally or perhaps compensating for another biomechanical issue elsewhere in the body. When the pelvis rotates, the piriformis muscle on the outside of your hip goes into a protective spasm. This spasm effectively prevents the joint from functioning correctly and so other areas have to compensate. If the problem is caught early enough, treatment will help. If however the problem is left for more than 6 weeks, the muscle will change its composition and become fibrotic and be unable to function normally. In theses cases treatment will help in the short term, but whenever you start training again, the problem recurs.
This background commonly affects the hamstring – this is how. The problem is that when the piriformis muscle goes into spasm, it causes the sciatic nerve to become tight. It does this because the pelvis doesn’t move as well as normal, so the nerve becomes stiff and also because the nerve can run through the very muscle that’s in spasm. The body cannot allow damage to the sciatic nerve, its one of the main nerves in the body, so the muscles that would protect it go into a protective spasm. One of which is the hamstring group.
This protective spasm of the hamstrings can cause a number of problems that cause symptoms in the hamstring itself. It can make the hamstring feel tight and stiff. It can make the hamstring feel inflexible as it’s under constant tension. It can also cause a functional muscle imbalance. In other words, if the hamstrings are found to be ‘weak’ in comparison to the quadriceps (quads), one of the causes of this muscle imbalance could be the inability of the hamstring to fire correctly due to its state of tension, rather than it being fundamentally weak.
To manage this cause we first have to return the abnormal muscle tone in the piriformis muscle to normal. In other words you have to do ‘anti-spasm’ exercises for the muscle. Stretching or flexibility work just won’t cut it. You need to return the muscle to normal function, not just stretch it. That is why stretching the hamstrings isn’t always the answer to your hamstring problems. In fact stretching or mobilising your sciatic nerve is far more effective in these cases. Once the spasm is eradicated as much as possible, then you have to perform exercises to stabilise the pelvis. In other words exercises that allow your muscles to control your pelvis and trunk without them needing to go into spasm. Part of this process is achieved by so-called ‘core stability exercises’, but also you need to speak to your physio about plyometric exercises for pelvic muscles that you can do in the gym.
This is usually sufficient to eradicate the hamstring pain is gradual in onset. In the case of a hamstring tear which was caused by a high velocity movement like sprinting; it may well be necessary to follow this with a progressive hamstring rehabilitation programme as well. But unless the biomechanical cause have been eradicated, then that process is unlikely to be successful.
There are other causes of hamstring pain, this is only one, but it is common enough for you to need to understand it, especially if you problem is not going away.
Often these biomechanical causes are due to the pelvis. A ‘rotated’ pelvis, (which is where the pelvic bone gets stuck in an abnormal position) can go unnoticed for many years until the compensations start to cause problems. Typically this is caused by unaccustomed lifting or carrying, performing a repetitive movement abnormally or perhaps compensating for another biomechanical issue elsewhere in the body. When the pelvis rotates, the piriformis muscle on the outside of your hip goes into a protective spasm. This spasm effectively prevents the joint from functioning correctly and so other areas have to compensate. If the problem is caught early enough, treatment will help. If however the problem is left for more than 6 weeks, the muscle will change its composition and become fibrotic and be unable to function normally. In theses cases treatment will help in the short term, but whenever you start training again, the problem recurs.
This background commonly affects the hamstring – this is how. The problem is that when the piriformis muscle goes into spasm, it causes the sciatic nerve to become tight. It does this because the pelvis doesn’t move as well as normal, so the nerve becomes stiff and also because the nerve can run through the very muscle that’s in spasm. The body cannot allow damage to the sciatic nerve, its one of the main nerves in the body, so the muscles that would protect it go into a protective spasm. One of which is the hamstring group.
This protective spasm of the hamstrings can cause a number of problems that cause symptoms in the hamstring itself. It can make the hamstring feel tight and stiff. It can make the hamstring feel inflexible as it’s under constant tension. It can also cause a functional muscle imbalance. In other words, if the hamstrings are found to be ‘weak’ in comparison to the quadriceps (quads), one of the causes of this muscle imbalance could be the inability of the hamstring to fire correctly due to its state of tension, rather than it being fundamentally weak.
To manage this cause we first have to return the abnormal muscle tone in the piriformis muscle to normal. In other words you have to do ‘anti-spasm’ exercises for the muscle. Stretching or flexibility work just won’t cut it. You need to return the muscle to normal function, not just stretch it. That is why stretching the hamstrings isn’t always the answer to your hamstring problems. In fact stretching or mobilising your sciatic nerve is far more effective in these cases. Once the spasm is eradicated as much as possible, then you have to perform exercises to stabilise the pelvis. In other words exercises that allow your muscles to control your pelvis and trunk without them needing to go into spasm. Part of this process is achieved by so-called ‘core stability exercises’, but also you need to speak to your physio about plyometric exercises for pelvic muscles that you can do in the gym.
This is usually sufficient to eradicate the hamstring pain is gradual in onset. In the case of a hamstring tear which was caused by a high velocity movement like sprinting; it may well be necessary to follow this with a progressive hamstring rehabilitation programme as well. But unless the biomechanical cause have been eradicated, then that process is unlikely to be successful.
There are other causes of hamstring pain, this is only one, but it is common enough for you to need to understand it, especially if you problem is not going away.
Choosing a Tennis Racquet
If you are in the market to buy a new tennis racquet, it is no longer as simple as choosing a brand name and a look you like. You need to understand the type of racquet you need, the technology that will best improve your game and you should have a comprehensive understanding of the parts of a tennis racquet and what they mean to overall performance on the tennis court. For instance, you should understand features like:
· Racquet Weight
· Balance
· Head size
· String Pattern
In this article, we will discuss these features and others that impact you tennis racquet selection. We'll also talk about a few types of tennis rackets including Control Racquets, “Tweener” Racquets and Power Racquets and which are appropriate for what level of player.
We'll begin with tennis racquet head size. There are three main options in Head Size which include:
· Mid-Size Head: 90-95 square inches
· Mid-Plus Head : 95-105 square inches
· Oversize Head : 105 square inches and up
The head size is a very noticeable characteristic of a website and has a huge impact on tennis racquet behavior. The head size has a huge impact because the larger the surface area, the more power you can get from your racquet. Many people feel this is analogous to a trampoline where the smaller trampoline is firmer and offers minor bounce and the larger trampoline, with the same force applied will propel you much further. Therefore, the larger the head size, the more strings can yield and bend and the more power you can get from the frame.
The next aspect of a tennis racquet would be the length. Tennis Racquets offer a variety of lengths including:
· Standard length tennis racquet- 27 inches
· Extended length tennis racquet - 27.25 inches
· Extended length tennis racquet - 27.5 inches
· Extended length tennis racquet - 27.5 + inches
The length of a tennis racquet also has a profound effect on its power. While the standard tennis racquet length offers good control and power, the longer racquet will allow more force and a longer reach.
You also need to consider the weight of your racquet. Standard unstrung* tennis racquet weights include:
· Light Weight- < 9 ounces
· Medium Light Weight - 9.1 to 9.6 ounces
· Medium Weight- 9.7 to 10.3 ounces
· Medium Heavy Weight - 10.4 to 10.8 ounces
· Heavy Weight - 10.9 ounces and above
*Strung vs. Unstrung weight is something to consider when reviewing racquet weight.
The weight of your tennis racquet is obviously going to play a critical role in your game play. The heavier the racquet, the more potential momentum you can build up with your swing but if you get a tennis racquet that is too heavy, you may impede your game play rather than augmenting it. Generally, it is accepted that the heavier the racquet frame the more control and stability the tennis racquet will offer but in turn the lighter the frame, the more that same power and maneuverability that can be utilized.
Balance:
The balance of the racquet related to the overall weight distribution. For instance, in some racquets, the weight may be more in the head of the racquet while in others it may rest in the frame. In many cases, lighter head weight racquets are easier to maneuver and position while those heavier in the head can provide additional stability and power. Everything is a trade-off on some level, so you need to assess your own strengths as a player and purchase accordingly.
String Pattern:
The string pattern of a racquet related to the number of horizontal* and vertical* strings a racquet uses.
· Dense String Pattern (Closed) : 18 vertical strings x 20 horizontal strings
· In The Middle (Medium): 16 vertical strings x 19 horizontal strings
· Less Dense String Pattern (Open): 16 vertical strings x 18 horizontal strings
*Vertical strings are also sometimes called mains while horizontal strings are sometimes called crosses.
Generally, a more dense string pattern will yield a firmer more controlled response from your tennis racquet, while a more open string pattern will give you more power. The more give and bend offered by the string pattern, the more power you get.
Getting a good “spin” on the ball is also affected by the string pattern. A more open string pattern offers more opportunity for the strings to catch on the ball and create desirable spin on a return shot.
Finally, its important to understand how all of these factors can come together to create the perfect tennis racquet for you. We'll talk about just a few main categories of tennis racquets here.
Tennis Racquet Categories:
Power Racquets Characteristics:
· Lighter in weight (8 to 9.5 ounces)
· Larger head size (105 sq inches and above)
· Open (less dense) string pattern
· Wider frame width
This tennis racquet is made for power. This is for the player who does not use a fast or full length swing but instead one who takes more limited and relaxed swings and wants the racquet to yield the power boost they need.
“Tweener” Racquets Characteristics:
· Medium in weight (9.6 to 11 ounces)
· Medium in head size (100 to 105 sq. inches)
· String pattern varies
· Medium frame width
“Tweener” racquets are for people who want something “in between” power and control - or rather some of both characteristics. These racquets are great for tennis players with medium to long swing speeds and who tend to take medium to long cuts at the ball. Many players who are making the transition from junior to full length tennis racquet have success with this category.
Control Racquets Characteristics:
· Heavier in weight (11.1 ounces and above)
· Smaller in head size (90 to 98 sq. inches)
· String pattern varies
· Thinner frame width
The control racquet category is really meant for players who like to take long and fast swings at the ball - they don't need the power from the racquet since they generate that on their own - they need control to ensure their power places the ball correctly.
· Racquet Weight
· Balance
· Head size
· String Pattern
In this article, we will discuss these features and others that impact you tennis racquet selection. We'll also talk about a few types of tennis rackets including Control Racquets, “Tweener” Racquets and Power Racquets and which are appropriate for what level of player.
We'll begin with tennis racquet head size. There are three main options in Head Size which include:
· Mid-Size Head: 90-95 square inches
· Mid-Plus Head : 95-105 square inches
· Oversize Head : 105 square inches and up
The head size is a very noticeable characteristic of a website and has a huge impact on tennis racquet behavior. The head size has a huge impact because the larger the surface area, the more power you can get from your racquet. Many people feel this is analogous to a trampoline where the smaller trampoline is firmer and offers minor bounce and the larger trampoline, with the same force applied will propel you much further. Therefore, the larger the head size, the more strings can yield and bend and the more power you can get from the frame.
The next aspect of a tennis racquet would be the length. Tennis Racquets offer a variety of lengths including:
· Standard length tennis racquet- 27 inches
· Extended length tennis racquet - 27.25 inches
· Extended length tennis racquet - 27.5 inches
· Extended length tennis racquet - 27.5 + inches
The length of a tennis racquet also has a profound effect on its power. While the standard tennis racquet length offers good control and power, the longer racquet will allow more force and a longer reach.
You also need to consider the weight of your racquet. Standard unstrung* tennis racquet weights include:
· Light Weight- < 9 ounces
· Medium Light Weight - 9.1 to 9.6 ounces
· Medium Weight- 9.7 to 10.3 ounces
· Medium Heavy Weight - 10.4 to 10.8 ounces
· Heavy Weight - 10.9 ounces and above
*Strung vs. Unstrung weight is something to consider when reviewing racquet weight.
The weight of your tennis racquet is obviously going to play a critical role in your game play. The heavier the racquet, the more potential momentum you can build up with your swing but if you get a tennis racquet that is too heavy, you may impede your game play rather than augmenting it. Generally, it is accepted that the heavier the racquet frame the more control and stability the tennis racquet will offer but in turn the lighter the frame, the more that same power and maneuverability that can be utilized.
Balance:
The balance of the racquet related to the overall weight distribution. For instance, in some racquets, the weight may be more in the head of the racquet while in others it may rest in the frame. In many cases, lighter head weight racquets are easier to maneuver and position while those heavier in the head can provide additional stability and power. Everything is a trade-off on some level, so you need to assess your own strengths as a player and purchase accordingly.
String Pattern:
The string pattern of a racquet related to the number of horizontal* and vertical* strings a racquet uses.
· Dense String Pattern (Closed) : 18 vertical strings x 20 horizontal strings
· In The Middle (Medium): 16 vertical strings x 19 horizontal strings
· Less Dense String Pattern (Open): 16 vertical strings x 18 horizontal strings
*Vertical strings are also sometimes called mains while horizontal strings are sometimes called crosses.
Generally, a more dense string pattern will yield a firmer more controlled response from your tennis racquet, while a more open string pattern will give you more power. The more give and bend offered by the string pattern, the more power you get.
Getting a good “spin” on the ball is also affected by the string pattern. A more open string pattern offers more opportunity for the strings to catch on the ball and create desirable spin on a return shot.
Finally, its important to understand how all of these factors can come together to create the perfect tennis racquet for you. We'll talk about just a few main categories of tennis racquets here.
Tennis Racquet Categories:
Power Racquets Characteristics:
· Lighter in weight (8 to 9.5 ounces)
· Larger head size (105 sq inches and above)
· Open (less dense) string pattern
· Wider frame width
This tennis racquet is made for power. This is for the player who does not use a fast or full length swing but instead one who takes more limited and relaxed swings and wants the racquet to yield the power boost they need.
“Tweener” Racquets Characteristics:
· Medium in weight (9.6 to 11 ounces)
· Medium in head size (100 to 105 sq. inches)
· String pattern varies
· Medium frame width
“Tweener” racquets are for people who want something “in between” power and control - or rather some of both characteristics. These racquets are great for tennis players with medium to long swing speeds and who tend to take medium to long cuts at the ball. Many players who are making the transition from junior to full length tennis racquet have success with this category.
Control Racquets Characteristics:
· Heavier in weight (11.1 ounces and above)
· Smaller in head size (90 to 98 sq. inches)
· String pattern varies
· Thinner frame width
The control racquet category is really meant for players who like to take long and fast swings at the ball - they don't need the power from the racquet since they generate that on their own - they need control to ensure their power places the ball correctly.
Express Your Personality With A Beach Cruiser Or Lowrider
New car models come out every year. When you look at them, can you really tell the difference between them? You could do that in the 1950s, for sure, but today? No, they mostly look the same.
That isn't the case with bicycles. Bicycling is more popular than ever, and new models are being brought out every year for any type of interest from road bikes to mountain bikes and everything in between.
Two of the newest styles gaining interest among a larger group of fans are the beach cruisers and the lowriders.
A lowrider bike is exactly what it sounds like - a bike that hugs the ground. The highest points these kinds of bikes are the handgrips, and the seat is down at wheel level. Indeed, the pedals are sometimes higher than the seat. It looks like a Harley Davidson! That's why it's also called a "chopper bike" or a "muscle bike."
These lowriders got their start in the Chicano-American community, but are starting to pick up their popularity with the mainstream. It's all about style. Most lowriders have the banana seat made famous by the Schwinn Stingray of yore, "excessive" chrome, "overspoked" wheels, and fur. Lowriders have a culture of their own and their bikes are custom creations to show off their personalities.
Aztlan Bicycle is the world's number one lowrider bike company - at least according to their website. They certainly were one of the first companies to come out with the lowrider.
Similar to the lowrider is the beach cruiser. Remember the Stingray bike of the 1950s and 60s? That's the forerunner of the beach cruiser. It's usually a single speed bicycle, and the brake levers aren't on the handlebars, they're at your feet. The pedals, that is to say. They're called coaster brakes, which means you have to reverse pedal to slow down or stop. Cruiser bikes have what's called balloon tires to go over packed sand - hence the name, beach cruiser.
Like any other bike you care to name, the beach cruiser comes in styles designed for men, women and children.
Nearly every major bike manufacturer makes at least one cruiser model, and there are new manufacturers out there. Check out Electra, Nirve, Kustom Kruiser, and Aero-Fast before you make any decision on what kind of cruiser to buy.
To take just one example, Nirve has several styles of Cruisers to choose from, and you can check out the styles and specifications at their website.
The "Classic" series consists of the Classic, the Fifty-Three, the Knuckle, the Kilroy, and the Forty-Nine. Cool names, but you'll have to scope them out to see if you like them.
Their Islander series consists of the Sunflower, the Island Flower, and the Lahaina. As you might expect, these bikes are decorated with paintings of flowers on the frame! These bikes are for girls or women, and have three speeds.
So if you're looking for a little different biking experience, check out the lowriders or the cruisers, and you might like what you see.
That isn't the case with bicycles. Bicycling is more popular than ever, and new models are being brought out every year for any type of interest from road bikes to mountain bikes and everything in between.
Two of the newest styles gaining interest among a larger group of fans are the beach cruisers and the lowriders.
A lowrider bike is exactly what it sounds like - a bike that hugs the ground. The highest points these kinds of bikes are the handgrips, and the seat is down at wheel level. Indeed, the pedals are sometimes higher than the seat. It looks like a Harley Davidson! That's why it's also called a "chopper bike" or a "muscle bike."
These lowriders got their start in the Chicano-American community, but are starting to pick up their popularity with the mainstream. It's all about style. Most lowriders have the banana seat made famous by the Schwinn Stingray of yore, "excessive" chrome, "overspoked" wheels, and fur. Lowriders have a culture of their own and their bikes are custom creations to show off their personalities.
Aztlan Bicycle is the world's number one lowrider bike company - at least according to their website. They certainly were one of the first companies to come out with the lowrider.
Similar to the lowrider is the beach cruiser. Remember the Stingray bike of the 1950s and 60s? That's the forerunner of the beach cruiser. It's usually a single speed bicycle, and the brake levers aren't on the handlebars, they're at your feet. The pedals, that is to say. They're called coaster brakes, which means you have to reverse pedal to slow down or stop. Cruiser bikes have what's called balloon tires to go over packed sand - hence the name, beach cruiser.
Like any other bike you care to name, the beach cruiser comes in styles designed for men, women and children.
Nearly every major bike manufacturer makes at least one cruiser model, and there are new manufacturers out there. Check out Electra, Nirve, Kustom Kruiser, and Aero-Fast before you make any decision on what kind of cruiser to buy.
To take just one example, Nirve has several styles of Cruisers to choose from, and you can check out the styles and specifications at their website.
The "Classic" series consists of the Classic, the Fifty-Three, the Knuckle, the Kilroy, and the Forty-Nine. Cool names, but you'll have to scope them out to see if you like them.
Their Islander series consists of the Sunflower, the Island Flower, and the Lahaina. As you might expect, these bikes are decorated with paintings of flowers on the frame! These bikes are for girls or women, and have three speeds.
So if you're looking for a little different biking experience, check out the lowriders or the cruisers, and you might like what you see.
Monday, January 8, 2007
Why Fencing Is Good For Your Health
Fencing is one of the oldest sports and one of 4 to be included in every modern Olympic Games. It is a great activity to be involved in since fencing is a great way to get and stay fit. Fencing involves lots of movement. It is a sport which requires the players, in this case the fencers, to be constantly on the move. Fencing requires footwork (movement around the fencing piste). A fencer is constantly in motion.
More and more parents are trying to encourage their children to get involved in fencing. Because fencing is a good sport with aerobic and anaerobic components, getting children involved early on in life will help them to realize the importance of physical activity.
Many children exercise by getting up off the couch, going to the kitchen and back to the couch to spend the afternoon watching television or playing video games. This is definitely not a good practice for a healthy heart. Children who develop poor physical practices early in life will likely carry these practices with them through life.
Fencing is good for your health since it provides loads of physical activity plus it requires the individual to stay in shape. The sport of fencing would be much more difficult for the person who isn't in shape. In preparation for fencing a person needs to practice stretching and strengthening exercises.
Staying physically active and in shape promotes healthy living and a longer life. Anything which will provide healthy benefits is good for your heart. Eating healthy is a big factor for good heart health and is also a good practice to get the family into. Since fencing is a good sport for your heart, perhaps it might be one physical activity which the whole family could get involved in.
Fencing could be that one sport and area of interest the whole family has in common. Fencing with friends and family would surely make the activity more enjoyable. Developing heart healthy living is extremely important but is also easy to avoid in our society of fast food and so many other things to take our minds off of it. Fencing is good for your heart and it is a good sport to teach young children the importance of physical activity, hoping it will promote healthy practices that will help them for their long life.
More and more parents are trying to encourage their children to get involved in fencing. Because fencing is a good sport with aerobic and anaerobic components, getting children involved early on in life will help them to realize the importance of physical activity.
Many children exercise by getting up off the couch, going to the kitchen and back to the couch to spend the afternoon watching television or playing video games. This is definitely not a good practice for a healthy heart. Children who develop poor physical practices early in life will likely carry these practices with them through life.
Fencing is good for your health since it provides loads of physical activity plus it requires the individual to stay in shape. The sport of fencing would be much more difficult for the person who isn't in shape. In preparation for fencing a person needs to practice stretching and strengthening exercises.
Staying physically active and in shape promotes healthy living and a longer life. Anything which will provide healthy benefits is good for your heart. Eating healthy is a big factor for good heart health and is also a good practice to get the family into. Since fencing is a good sport for your heart, perhaps it might be one physical activity which the whole family could get involved in.
Fencing could be that one sport and area of interest the whole family has in common. Fencing with friends and family would surely make the activity more enjoyable. Developing heart healthy living is extremely important but is also easy to avoid in our society of fast food and so many other things to take our minds off of it. Fencing is good for your heart and it is a good sport to teach young children the importance of physical activity, hoping it will promote healthy practices that will help them for their long life.
The History of Online Sports Betting and Sportsbooks
It is very common for sports fans to feel as if they want to be a more intrinsic part of the action than simply spectating. Although, for the vast majority of people, dreams of actually playing your sport of choice to a professional level are sadly unrealistic, this desire to 'take part' has been a major reason why sport betting has become so popular.
It is now possible to place bets on almost any sport imaginable. The process is very simple indeed; all a prospective gambler needs to do is contact a sports book (an individual or organisation who takes bets on sport) and see whether they are taking bets for your chosen event. If they are, they will tell you what odds they are offering for the bet that you want to make. For example, if you wanted to bet that Papua New Guinea were going to win the highest number of medals at the forthcoming Olympics, you would be given very good odds; that is, for each dollar or pound you bet, you would stand to make considerably more than one dollar or pound if your gamble paid off.
As sport betting has become more popular, the number of methods for gambling has increased. Online betting has been incredibly successful, with many billions of dollars being gambled every year. This is, in part, as a result of many sportsbooks' exploitation of less stringent, foreign gambling laws. Online gambling has also been a bonus for bettors, as the comparative lack of restriction on foreign sports books often means that better odds are available on the internet than in your local betting shop. If you are considering online betting, though, you should ensure that you are using a reputable company, as scams are still a very real problem.
So what makes a good sportsbook? Sport betting had very humble beginnings. Bookmakers were often just individuals out to make some extra cash, particularly in the heady days before gambling regulation. Today, however, the number of sports books available is enormous and growing rapidly. One need only look around town to see the huge choice available to the prospective gambler, and it can often be difficult to differentiate between them.
Of course, one of the main considerations when choosing a sports book, once you have established that they are taking bets on your chosen event, is the odds that they are offering. Until the early 60s, there were only a very small number of bookmakers providing odds to the sportsbooks. This meant that odds and prices were fairly uniform, but the growth recent in the number of oddsmakers has meant that gamblers may now be presented with a fairly wide range of odds.
Another great area of growth is online betting. Odds online are often better, as companies can base themselves in countries where gambling restrictions are not so tight. When choosing an online sports book, there are more possible considerations. Often, it is possible to place far more eccentric, exotic bets online, simply due to the sheer scale of some of these operations. Another likely factor to consider is payment methods; most online sports books now take payments from, and pay winnings directly to, your credit card, ensuring ease of use. UK online betting companies are massive, with some of them employing over 15,000 people to run their operations.
Although online sport betting presents major benefits, it also poses some risks. You should always be careful when giving your bank details online; ensure that the web site is encrypted, and only ever use online sports books who have been accredited by a reputable online gambling consortium.
It is now possible to place bets on almost any sport imaginable. The process is very simple indeed; all a prospective gambler needs to do is contact a sports book (an individual or organisation who takes bets on sport) and see whether they are taking bets for your chosen event. If they are, they will tell you what odds they are offering for the bet that you want to make. For example, if you wanted to bet that Papua New Guinea were going to win the highest number of medals at the forthcoming Olympics, you would be given very good odds; that is, for each dollar or pound you bet, you would stand to make considerably more than one dollar or pound if your gamble paid off.
As sport betting has become more popular, the number of methods for gambling has increased. Online betting has been incredibly successful, with many billions of dollars being gambled every year. This is, in part, as a result of many sportsbooks' exploitation of less stringent, foreign gambling laws. Online gambling has also been a bonus for bettors, as the comparative lack of restriction on foreign sports books often means that better odds are available on the internet than in your local betting shop. If you are considering online betting, though, you should ensure that you are using a reputable company, as scams are still a very real problem.
So what makes a good sportsbook? Sport betting had very humble beginnings. Bookmakers were often just individuals out to make some extra cash, particularly in the heady days before gambling regulation. Today, however, the number of sports books available is enormous and growing rapidly. One need only look around town to see the huge choice available to the prospective gambler, and it can often be difficult to differentiate between them.
Of course, one of the main considerations when choosing a sports book, once you have established that they are taking bets on your chosen event, is the odds that they are offering. Until the early 60s, there were only a very small number of bookmakers providing odds to the sportsbooks. This meant that odds and prices were fairly uniform, but the growth recent in the number of oddsmakers has meant that gamblers may now be presented with a fairly wide range of odds.
Another great area of growth is online betting. Odds online are often better, as companies can base themselves in countries where gambling restrictions are not so tight. When choosing an online sports book, there are more possible considerations. Often, it is possible to place far more eccentric, exotic bets online, simply due to the sheer scale of some of these operations. Another likely factor to consider is payment methods; most online sports books now take payments from, and pay winnings directly to, your credit card, ensuring ease of use. UK online betting companies are massive, with some of them employing over 15,000 people to run their operations.
Although online sport betting presents major benefits, it also poses some risks. You should always be careful when giving your bank details online; ensure that the web site is encrypted, and only ever use online sports books who have been accredited by a reputable online gambling consortium.
How You Can Benefit From Karate And Tae Kwon Do
The martial arts are one of the fastest growing sports in America. Enrollments in Karate, Tae Kwon Do and Soo Tang Do classes are on the rise. In addition to being thought of for the physical fitness aspects, martial arts also seek to emphasize the student's character and discipline. Offered in a secular setting, it teaches students to be 'good people'.
With ever increasing popularity, many church communities are now offering Christian Karate. While character and discipline are important, more today a third aspect is integrated into martial arts, building the spiritual life of students. Churches are offering martial arts instruction that relates to God's instructions in the Bible. These classes are often used as an outreach ministry to introduce the Gospel to those who normally wouldn't attend a church service.
Classes emphasize courtesy, integrity, self-control, perseverance and an unconquerable spirit. These characteristics are key to the development in Christian life. Each week the students are given weekly topic and a memory verse. An example of what the students may receive would be a topic on Boldness vs. Fearfulness. They are taught to be confident that what they have to say or do is true and right and just in the sight of God. Acts 4:29 in the Bible would be relevant to this topic - 'And now they're at it again! Take care of their threats and give your servants fearless confidence in preaching your Message' (MSG).
These are key characteristics to develop in the Christian life. Self discipline, picking yourself up after 'falling short', ministering to others, and striving to live a life that bears fruit are traits can be practiced through the study of martial arts.
Martial arts do not teach violence, but rather restraint, not anger but rather self control and stillness. Students will develop their bodies through physical effort, challenge, and learn techniques of punching and striking. Power is given to us by God in the freedom of choice in our actions. Martial arts help us to learn that our privilege of power must be controlled and not used recklessly.
Students learn that one must ultimately fail many times before true success is achieved, and that greatness is achieved only through perseverance. The goal of the class is to develop students who take responsibility for their actions, understand the limits of rules and who show an increased level of self esteem. Many classes are interspersed with teachings from the Bible to link the character tenets of Martial Arts with Christian values.
Now that we've covered those aspects of karate, tae kwon do, let's turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.
Visit your local church or search online to find a group forming near you.
Tae Kwon Do is Korean Karate. It means The Way of the Hand and Foot (punching and kicking). There are basically four sections to the art: Toning, Sparring, Forms and Self Defense.
It is a well rounded exercise program that encompasses muscle toning, stretching and flexibility, increasing strength and stamina through aerobic sparring and mental challenges through becoming proficient at the patterns or forms.
Most classes start out with warm-ups. These exercises are the calisthenics such as push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks, trunk rotations, squat kicks and various leg stretches. For certain you will tighten your abs and strengthen your arms just from performing the warm-up exercises. Before you know it, you'll be doing fifty knuckle or triangle push-ups at rapid-fire pace and will be able to lean up against a wall and have someone lift your leg up so that your toes touch the wall behind your ear. Tae Kwon Do will definitely help you to become or to stay limber.
Sparring is fighting in a controlled environment. It's not street fighting and all participants wear protective gear: helmet, gloves, shin guards and feet guards, called kicks. Usually you will spar in three minute rounds. It's basically kick boxing. Then a minute rest; switch partners, then spar again and repeat. You will get extremely hot and sweaty. Jab, punch, upper cut, side kick, reverse punch, round house, hammer fist, bob and weave and repeat. It's an excellent aerobic exercise.
Learning the forms or patterns can really tax your brain. Many of the forms have 26+ different movements. It's your job to remember them, in order, and learn them proficiently. In theory, by learning the forms, it'll help you to become a better fighter. For example, one form might start out: high block, front kick punch left; high block front kick punch right. Turn 90 degrees, down the center, knife hand left, knife hand right, knife hand left, spear hand. And so it goes. If you master these, when it comes time to spar, you can implement some of these patterns into your match.
Many people enjoy Tae Kwon Do, or any martial arts for that matter, because it is an all inclusive exercise program. It's fun, it's challenging, and it's an excellent way to get in or to stay in shape. As with any exercise program, start slowly and consult your physician. If you haven't participated in much physical exercise in a while, your muscles will definitely be very sore for the first few weeks. Don't be intimidated by the other students may appear to be in better shape that you are. Everyone started out as a white belt. Just have fun; and get moving!
Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of karate, tae kwon do. Share your new understanding about karate, tae kwon do with others. They'll thank you for it.
With ever increasing popularity, many church communities are now offering Christian Karate. While character and discipline are important, more today a third aspect is integrated into martial arts, building the spiritual life of students. Churches are offering martial arts instruction that relates to God's instructions in the Bible. These classes are often used as an outreach ministry to introduce the Gospel to those who normally wouldn't attend a church service.
Classes emphasize courtesy, integrity, self-control, perseverance and an unconquerable spirit. These characteristics are key to the development in Christian life. Each week the students are given weekly topic and a memory verse. An example of what the students may receive would be a topic on Boldness vs. Fearfulness. They are taught to be confident that what they have to say or do is true and right and just in the sight of God. Acts 4:29 in the Bible would be relevant to this topic - 'And now they're at it again! Take care of their threats and give your servants fearless confidence in preaching your Message' (MSG).
These are key characteristics to develop in the Christian life. Self discipline, picking yourself up after 'falling short', ministering to others, and striving to live a life that bears fruit are traits can be practiced through the study of martial arts.
Martial arts do not teach violence, but rather restraint, not anger but rather self control and stillness. Students will develop their bodies through physical effort, challenge, and learn techniques of punching and striking. Power is given to us by God in the freedom of choice in our actions. Martial arts help us to learn that our privilege of power must be controlled and not used recklessly.
Students learn that one must ultimately fail many times before true success is achieved, and that greatness is achieved only through perseverance. The goal of the class is to develop students who take responsibility for their actions, understand the limits of rules and who show an increased level of self esteem. Many classes are interspersed with teachings from the Bible to link the character tenets of Martial Arts with Christian values.
Now that we've covered those aspects of karate, tae kwon do, let's turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.
Visit your local church or search online to find a group forming near you.
Tae Kwon Do is Korean Karate. It means The Way of the Hand and Foot (punching and kicking). There are basically four sections to the art: Toning, Sparring, Forms and Self Defense.
It is a well rounded exercise program that encompasses muscle toning, stretching and flexibility, increasing strength and stamina through aerobic sparring and mental challenges through becoming proficient at the patterns or forms.
Most classes start out with warm-ups. These exercises are the calisthenics such as push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks, trunk rotations, squat kicks and various leg stretches. For certain you will tighten your abs and strengthen your arms just from performing the warm-up exercises. Before you know it, you'll be doing fifty knuckle or triangle push-ups at rapid-fire pace and will be able to lean up against a wall and have someone lift your leg up so that your toes touch the wall behind your ear. Tae Kwon Do will definitely help you to become or to stay limber.
Sparring is fighting in a controlled environment. It's not street fighting and all participants wear protective gear: helmet, gloves, shin guards and feet guards, called kicks. Usually you will spar in three minute rounds. It's basically kick boxing. Then a minute rest; switch partners, then spar again and repeat. You will get extremely hot and sweaty. Jab, punch, upper cut, side kick, reverse punch, round house, hammer fist, bob and weave and repeat. It's an excellent aerobic exercise.
Learning the forms or patterns can really tax your brain. Many of the forms have 26+ different movements. It's your job to remember them, in order, and learn them proficiently. In theory, by learning the forms, it'll help you to become a better fighter. For example, one form might start out: high block, front kick punch left; high block front kick punch right. Turn 90 degrees, down the center, knife hand left, knife hand right, knife hand left, spear hand. And so it goes. If you master these, when it comes time to spar, you can implement some of these patterns into your match.
Many people enjoy Tae Kwon Do, or any martial arts for that matter, because it is an all inclusive exercise program. It's fun, it's challenging, and it's an excellent way to get in or to stay in shape. As with any exercise program, start slowly and consult your physician. If you haven't participated in much physical exercise in a while, your muscles will definitely be very sore for the first few weeks. Don't be intimidated by the other students may appear to be in better shape that you are. Everyone started out as a white belt. Just have fun; and get moving!
Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of karate, tae kwon do. Share your new understanding about karate, tae kwon do with others. They'll thank you for it.
Tips on Becoming a Billiard Champion
To begin with, I want you to understand how much of the surface of a billiard ball you really can hit. This is a good deal less than is often supposed. There is only a small part of the ball that you can hit effectively. That is the key to becoming a billiard champion in a short amount of time. Picture a bulls eye on a dart game. Now draw a circle around it.
If you can hit your ball fairly in its centre, that will do splendidly for a multitude of plain ball strokes. If you hit it as far to the right or left as the black circle indicates, you will be able to impart enough right or left side for any stroke on the table.
The same is true vertically. You can get any amount of screw back by striking your ball properly at the bottom of the circle. Remember this; the centre of your cue tip will only strike the centre of the ball, or a point very near it. In every other case a sector of the cue tip does the work. The small white sector on the right of the black circle makes this clear. It shows how the cue tip would operate when imparting a maximum of right hand side, the portion which stands away from the black circle never touches the ball; all the work is done by as much of the cue tip as is merged in the black circle.
Position of Arms and Elbows
When you shape at your ball, the elbow of your cue arm should be as directly over the butt of the cue as possible. Advance your cue until the tip is quite close to the part of the ball you wish to hit your cue arm should then point straight at the floor. Draw your cue back then let it go forward and through the ball with all the freedom. No matter whether you are hitting your ball high or low, or to the right or left, keep your cue as level as you can. If you raise the butt of your cue, you will poke at your ball instead of striking it cleanly.
The level the cue is very important. Of course, the cushion rails will prevent you from cueing with such a level cue on all occasions, but the ideal is one you should always strive after. You must also keep your cue straight. It is no use keeping the butt well down if your cue wobbles sideways as you deliver it. To prevent your cue from straying out of line in this way, keep the elbow of your cue arm as close to your side as you can while the cue swings home. Believe it or not the position of your arms and elbows can make or break your game.
If you can hit your ball fairly in its centre, that will do splendidly for a multitude of plain ball strokes. If you hit it as far to the right or left as the black circle indicates, you will be able to impart enough right or left side for any stroke on the table.
The same is true vertically. You can get any amount of screw back by striking your ball properly at the bottom of the circle. Remember this; the centre of your cue tip will only strike the centre of the ball, or a point very near it. In every other case a sector of the cue tip does the work. The small white sector on the right of the black circle makes this clear. It shows how the cue tip would operate when imparting a maximum of right hand side, the portion which stands away from the black circle never touches the ball; all the work is done by as much of the cue tip as is merged in the black circle.
Position of Arms and Elbows
When you shape at your ball, the elbow of your cue arm should be as directly over the butt of the cue as possible. Advance your cue until the tip is quite close to the part of the ball you wish to hit your cue arm should then point straight at the floor. Draw your cue back then let it go forward and through the ball with all the freedom. No matter whether you are hitting your ball high or low, or to the right or left, keep your cue as level as you can. If you raise the butt of your cue, you will poke at your ball instead of striking it cleanly.
The level the cue is very important. Of course, the cushion rails will prevent you from cueing with such a level cue on all occasions, but the ideal is one you should always strive after. You must also keep your cue straight. It is no use keeping the butt well down if your cue wobbles sideways as you deliver it. To prevent your cue from straying out of line in this way, keep the elbow of your cue arm as close to your side as you can while the cue swings home. Believe it or not the position of your arms and elbows can make or break your game.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
All About Yoga and Pilates
Yoga and Pilates are two of the most widely known and used methods of gaining physical strength, mental balance and other positive effects at the same time, by practicing some exercises in a correct manner, of course. Both of these techniques involve the control of mind over the body and also breathing control.
Yoga is a practice that originates in India. The practice implies a series of spiritual but also physical exercises supposed to attain the practitioner’s control over his mind and body. The procedure begins with the correct positioning of the body, that is, in a manner which must not obstruct in any way the person’s capacity of concentration. By controlling his breathing, the yogi begins his contemplation, which can offer him access to superconscious awareness and union with the Supreme Being. The purpose is that of achieving mental, spiritual and physical improvement.
The Pilates method was named after its inventor, Joseph Pilates, and it represents a special and original technique of fitness exercises which implies the control of the mind over the muscles. Breathing correctly is also very important because it contributes to the efficiency of the exercises.
Both of these methods have experienced a great success. People are interested in practicing them due to their proven efficiency not only in strengthening the mind and body, but even in what physical recovery and rehabilitation is concerned. Beside the positive physical effects they have (mobility, muscles flexibility), these methods also reduce the stress and bring along emotional balance. In a world that’s filled with constant worries and nervous tension, relaxation is sometimes avidly desired and Yoga or Pilates are miracle workers in this field.
For most people Yoga or Pilates are hobbies, but some take these techniques to a higher level. For them and for those who want to become instructors there are special training centers that offer the proper education. To have the right to teach others, a Yoga or Pilates instructor needs certification which can be obtained even by attending online courses. This may be more simple and pleasant for some.
Beginners should know that for their own comfort during the exercises, they need some special Pilates mats (yoga mats). These mats can be of different colors, materials and sizes. One can buy rubber Pilates mats, natural rubber Pilates mats, blue, yellow, green or pink, antibacterial Pilates mats, slim or thick Pilates mats or printed Pilates mats. Whatever their aspect may be, the purpose of these Pilates mats is to make you reach harmony and best fulfill your exercise needs and preferences.
People are offered a great variety of models to choose from (long, short, colored or back mats) depending on every person’s taste and on the type of technique they practice, beginning with towels and ending with ecological, antibacterial or microfiber Pilates mats. For hatha yoga, for instance, it would be appropriate to use a mat with a very stable surface. You may also need fitness balls used in Pilates and yoga for strengthening the muscles or antibacterial yoga mat sprays which will keep your mats clean. In what the young yogis are concerned, yoga mats for kids are the perfect choice!
The good news is that Pilates mats, mat rolls and even traveling bags are available online, saving you a lot of time and stress. So, if you want to be a more relaxed person, more in touch with yourself and the Universe, you have everything you need to get started at the tip of your fingers. You just have to visit some websites and check out their products.
Yoga is a practice that originates in India. The practice implies a series of spiritual but also physical exercises supposed to attain the practitioner’s control over his mind and body. The procedure begins with the correct positioning of the body, that is, in a manner which must not obstruct in any way the person’s capacity of concentration. By controlling his breathing, the yogi begins his contemplation, which can offer him access to superconscious awareness and union with the Supreme Being. The purpose is that of achieving mental, spiritual and physical improvement.
The Pilates method was named after its inventor, Joseph Pilates, and it represents a special and original technique of fitness exercises which implies the control of the mind over the muscles. Breathing correctly is also very important because it contributes to the efficiency of the exercises.
Both of these methods have experienced a great success. People are interested in practicing them due to their proven efficiency not only in strengthening the mind and body, but even in what physical recovery and rehabilitation is concerned. Beside the positive physical effects they have (mobility, muscles flexibility), these methods also reduce the stress and bring along emotional balance. In a world that’s filled with constant worries and nervous tension, relaxation is sometimes avidly desired and Yoga or Pilates are miracle workers in this field.
For most people Yoga or Pilates are hobbies, but some take these techniques to a higher level. For them and for those who want to become instructors there are special training centers that offer the proper education. To have the right to teach others, a Yoga or Pilates instructor needs certification which can be obtained even by attending online courses. This may be more simple and pleasant for some.
Beginners should know that for their own comfort during the exercises, they need some special Pilates mats (yoga mats). These mats can be of different colors, materials and sizes. One can buy rubber Pilates mats, natural rubber Pilates mats, blue, yellow, green or pink, antibacterial Pilates mats, slim or thick Pilates mats or printed Pilates mats. Whatever their aspect may be, the purpose of these Pilates mats is to make you reach harmony and best fulfill your exercise needs and preferences.
People are offered a great variety of models to choose from (long, short, colored or back mats) depending on every person’s taste and on the type of technique they practice, beginning with towels and ending with ecological, antibacterial or microfiber Pilates mats. For hatha yoga, for instance, it would be appropriate to use a mat with a very stable surface. You may also need fitness balls used in Pilates and yoga for strengthening the muscles or antibacterial yoga mat sprays which will keep your mats clean. In what the young yogis are concerned, yoga mats for kids are the perfect choice!
The good news is that Pilates mats, mat rolls and even traveling bags are available online, saving you a lot of time and stress. So, if you want to be a more relaxed person, more in touch with yourself and the Universe, you have everything you need to get started at the tip of your fingers. You just have to visit some websites and check out their products.
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