The Best Marathon Training Program

Has your fear of failure ever stopped you from doing something, and even convinced you that doing it would be stupid? Imagine the boost to your self esteem and your sense of accomplishment if you did it and you did succeed.

Have you ever wanted to run a marathon? Or do a triathlon? Or ride a bicycle 100 miles? Have you ever been flipping through the channels on the TV and come across, say, the New York City Marathon, and think to yourself, “I wish I could do that,” only to quickly dismiss the thought with “I could never do that,” or I’m too _____ to do that, “ or “I can’t do that because I haveÂ….”

There is a training program that, over the last 20 years, has trained more than 350,000 people just like you to successfully complete a half marathon, marathon, century bike ride or triathlon. Regardless of your lifestyle, barring extreme physical or medical impairment, this program can take you from couch potato to endurance athlete in five months.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training (TNT) is an organization designed specifically for the purpose of training participants to be endurance athletes in exchange for the participants fundraising money which goes to research for the cure of blood cancers. TNT is the largest endurance training organization in the world, having raised over $700M in the last 20 years.

The key to TNT’s success is the level of professionalism, knowledge and dedication of the staff, coaches and mentors (previous participants who have chosen to remain involved), and the desire of the participants to do something that saves lives and makes a difference, as well as enhances their own lives and self esteem.

Is it easy? No, but anything worth accomplishing generally takes work. Will TNT make you an endurance athlete? No, you will make you an endurance athlete. TNT will provide guidance, experience, knowledge and support. These things are key to your success.

The program starts out at a very basic level with a training schedule laid out for every week, taking you a step at a time up the endurance ladder, culminating with a local or national half or full marathon, century bike ride or triathlon. This program caters to all experience and ability levels. The success of the program lies in the fact that you don’t do this alone. Your coaches, mentors and fellow participants are out there helping you, and you are helping them.

Along this journey you fundraise. Again, you have help from your mentors and staff. The minimum amount you’re required to fundraise depends on the event you choose to go to, but a minimum of 75% of your fundraising amount goes directly to cancer research.

So, if you’ve ever wondered what you can do to make a difference, or if you’ve ever felt insignificant in this big, beautiful world, then this is your chance. You can make a HUGE difference. You can save lives, and that makes you a hero. It’s happening every day, all over the globe. And you can improve your own health and self esteem in the process. Set your goals high. How do you know what you can accomplish if you don’t try?

Visit www.teamintraining.com and find a chapter near you. Get started today. It will change your life.

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Chicago Bears Tickets - Part Of Our History

Chicago Bears tickets are in high demand for football fans of the Windy City. Once the cooler air of August moves in there is not a fan in the city who is not looking forward to catching the big games and rivalries. No matter what seats you are looking for, center field, end zone, right on the sidelines or inexpensive it has never been easier to get the seats you want. With the Bears coming in strong off a winning 2010 season demand is sure to be big as the season is ready to kick off.

History

There is great history for Chicago Bears tickets in America. The team is one of two teams from the NFL's founding, the other being the Cardinals, who also got their start in Chicago. They started out in 1919 from the town Decatur, Illinois as the " Decatur Staleys" before moving to Chicago in 1921. It was not until 1922 that the name was officially changed to the Chicago Bears by George Halas once he acquired rights to the franchise. The team today is legally registered as the Chicago Bears Football Club, play in the North Division of the NFC for the National Football League (NFL).

George Halas aquired the team from the A. E. Staley, a Chicago based starch company. Mr. Halas's daughter, Virginia McCaskey, took over full control of the team after her father passed away in 1983. She has kept the team running as a family venture along with her husband and son. Much of the team's success comes from the 1980's when former Bears tight end Mike Ditka took over as coach in 1982. The team got many media attention for bringing the fire back to the Packers' rivalry. The exploits of lineman "Refrigerator" Perry and winning ninth NFL Championship in Super Bowl XX. Most notably remembered in pop culture for the novelty video of ""The Super Bowl Shuffle", but strongly important to the game and success of the team was the revolutionary use of the "46 defense".

Soldier Field

Chicago Bears tickets use to get you into legendary baseball stadium "Wrigley Field" before 1971. Today, long after the club outgrew the shared venue, they reside in Soldier Field. The current home of the Bears resides on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. The stadium was needed after the merger of the AFL and NFL as the newly formed league wanted all teams to have a capacity of at least 50,000. In 2002 the stadium was closed down for renovations, which left on the original exterior walls. The almost completely rebuilt venue opened on September 27, 2003 and quickly became known as "The New Soldier Stadium" among fans.

The franchise has been improving and with huge expectations from the cities beloved fans come an increase in Chicago Bears tickets. The most inexpensive way to book your tickets is calling as soon as they go on sale to the public. Unfortunately, the biggest games of the season and heated rivalry match-up such as with the Green Bay Packers sell in minutes and can be tough to obtain. There are still great deals to be had from online sources such as auction sites, fan sites and secondary market brokers. Do some research, find a deal and get down to the stadium for an exciting game of ball.

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Best Healthy nutritious foods

Why do we have so many problems with our health? One of the underlying factors could be that we are not really concerned about the junk food that we eat. We also eat convenient food as we are always on the run because we are extremely busy. We really do not have time to look for healthy nutritious foods and we therefore grab whatever is quick and easy buy.

Many of us don’t really think about what we are actually eating because we are not paying attention to what food we are buying. If you think about the taste of the food, you will be expanding your limits of eating properly. In turn you will keep your body healthy and nourished.

Most people rush through their meals without even bothering to see what they are eating. It is quite common for people to be busy with another activity while eating. They also gulp down their food without chewing slowly and savoring the taste.

Once you find out more about nutrition, you will start getting more conscious about it. So here you are looking for ways and means in which you can get the best healthy nutritious foods.

How many meals have you eaten today? A large number of people are under the impression that if they starve themselves throughout the day and compensate this with healthy nutritious foods at dinner, they are going to keep healthy. This is definitely not the answer to keeping healthy.

It is absolutely essential that you eat 5 small meals a day. Healthy nutritious meals should consist of all the essential ingredients. You should have grains, vegetables, fruit, meats, oils and nuts, fish, beans and potatoes. In this way you will get all the nutrients you need from protein and carbs to vitamins and minerals. Small portions eaten regularly are going to keep you healthy because your metabolism will be working properly. Plus, you will not feel any hunger pangs or cravings. Moreover, you will not feel weak or lightheaded from lack of food during the day.

You might want to eat foods which are broiled, baked, steamed, stir fried and roasted instead of going for deep fried dishes with rich sauces. If you add dressings and sauces to your food you are only going to increase your fat intake. So, it is much more preferable to eat vegetables and fruit because they are rich in fiber.

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Colostrum: Immune Support From Mothers' Milk

This complex mixture of nutrient-rich growth factors, immunoglobulins, glycoconjugates and a variety of other important immune boosting compounds is a natural way to improve your physical health and well-being.

Colostrum is found only in the liquid that comes just before mother's milk, and provides an ideal combination of immune and growth factors which help in the removal of toxins, while supporting bone, muscle, nerve tissue, and cartilage health.

The immune factors in colostrum include immunoglobulins, glycoproteins, lactoferrin, lactalbumin, and cytokines, as well as various polypeptides, vitamins, and minerals.

Lactoferrin supports red blood cell strength and iron binding capacity, and immune globulin IgF-1. It also encourages better muscle growth, and aids in the production of healthy immune cells.

Bovine colostrum is an extremely powerful immune system modulator, containing as much as 40 times the number of immune factors found in human colostrum. All cattle involved are isolated and used exclusively for the production of colostrum. None of the cattle in the herds have ever been fed any kind of animal protein, and the advanced filtration process used to extract the colostrum fractions eliminates any potential for BSE comtamination. You can rest assured that ProHealth Colostrum is a safe and effective way to take control of your health.

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Steve Wells

Free Violin Lessons - Learn To Play Violin Today

The first thing you need to know in order to learn to play the violin is how to hold it. It's important to hold the violin properly. Therefore you need the right size as there are many different violin sizes. The right size depends on your arm length an... Read >

How to Improve my Facebook Profile to Get Hot Girls

Facebook is popular than ever. By now almost everyone seems to be on Facebook. And the quality of women on Facebook is staggering. Hot Girls or high quality women use these types of websites to network - socialize with their friends and keep in touch ... Read >

Spud Webb Dunk or How to Dunk a Basketball

Do you remember Spud Webb winning the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1986? Standing at only 5'6"(!), Spud beat the defending champion Dominique Wilkins with a variety of nasty dunks - a one-handed 360, a two-handed double pump and a 180 reverse double-pump just... Read >

Sebastian Telfair Rookie or How to Dunk a Basketball

You may know Sebastian Telfair from the documentary "Through the Fire". Then you know the 22-year old guard can play. You know he's got some mad handles. But did you know the 5'11'' guy can dunk? If you don't believe, check it out on youtube. So, aga... Read >

increase vertical jump">Deron Williams Rookie or How to increase vertical jump

Of course, Deron Williams' physique looks more round than swift. But if you've ever seen a Jazz fast break, you know the 23-year old point guard is anything but slow. Though a definite below-the-rim player, Deron packs a diverse offensive game that ca... Read >

Nate Robinson Dunk or How to Increase Vertical Jump

You may know the small New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson as the human spring. In fact, the 5' 7'' guy won the NBA slam dunk contest in 2006 against top dunkers like Josh Smith and Andre Igoudala. In his most memorable dunk of the night, he jumped over 1... Read >

Complete List of Upcoming PSP Games

The year 2006 has been a great one for PSP fans. Games like Tekken: Dark Resurrection with 30 characters, uncountable combos and a variety of play modes and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories where narrative elements don't count and you can do whatever y... Read >

Air Up There And1 or How to Increase Vertical Jump

Since the term "dunk" was born in 1936 millions of basketball players tried to add this "move" to their repertoire or at least to learn it. Back then the New York Times journalist Arthur Daley watched some basketball players of the McPherson Oilers bringi... Read >

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Budget Crunch (Part I): Building a Round Pen on an Extreme Budget

Building a round pen for our equine friends can be an expensive proposition. Depending on the posts, rail, footing and size of the round pen it can all quickly add up to serious dollars. Recently, I’ve had a lot people ask me, “How can I build a Round Pen on a really tight budget?” So, let’s take a look and find outÂ…

The first part of our puzzle is the posts. The most economical option here is to use regular, wooden landscape posts. These are what you would typically use for your backyard or garden projects. As you can imagine, they are not necessarily meant for long-term wear and abuse. Furthermore, landscape posts are not made of the highest quality wood and many times you will find many defects in the wood itself.

However, don’t let this scare you off if money is an issue. For a temporary solution they will work just fine.

Tip: Spend an extra $15 - $20 and buy 4” pressure treated post for your gate posts. In a very short amount of time, you will be delighted that you did.

Consider landscape posts your lowest cost and a somewhat temporary solution. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day! Landscape posts are an excellent way to get started building a horse round pen and later on, you can always upgrade your materials as your budget allows.

The second part of our round pen puzzle is the rails. Use 4” (preferably 4.25”) vinyl rail with integrated metal wire. It usually comes in rolls of 300 – 600 feet. This type of vinyl horse fence is made to withstand a significant amount of force and it holds up incredibly well in the elements over the years. Vinyl has the advantage being a very low maintenance item to use. In fact, you may have noticed that many people nowadays use 2-rail vinyl fences for outlining their property and general landscaping.

Purchase enough vinyl horse fencing to complete a 3-rail round pen. For example, if you are building a 50 foot round pen, you’ll need approximately 440 feet. Don’t forget to back out the gate measurement - you will build your gate out of wood and it will match your round pen fence perfectly. Budget around $50 for your gate supplies and materials.

Continued - Building a Round Pen on an Extreme Budget – Part 2
http://www.roundpen.info/articles/round_pen_budget-2.html

© 2006 E. Landers

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Benefits of Massage Therapy and Acupressure for Hemodialysis Patients in Charlotte NC

Therapeutic body massage services and acupressure can be used to benefit patients undergoing hemodialysis because these therapies reduce their fatigue and depression. This was in the findings of a study done on patients with end stage renal disease. Massage therapists trained in various massage modalities including acupressure can help such patients in Charlotte NC, too.

The study titled “The Effect of Acupressure with Massage on Fatigue and Depression in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease” was published in the Journal of Nursing Research in 2004. It was conducted by Yi-Ching Cho, R.N. and Shiow-Luan Tsay, R.N., Ph.D. of the Department of Nursing at the National Tainan Institute of Nursing in Tainan, Taiwan and the National Taipei College of Nursing Graduate Institute in Taipei, Taiwan.

The study involved 62 patients with end stage renal disease who were undergoing hemodialysis treatment. They were randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group. The control group received only standard care for hemodialysis patients for four weeks while the experimental group received acupressure and massage therapy during the same period. Twelve minutes of acupressure and three minutes of leg massage therapy were given to participants in the control group three days a week for the four week treatment period.

Assessments were conducted on the participants both at the beginning of the study and at the end of the four week treatment period. Researchers used the Piper Fatigue Scale to measure levels of fatigue and the Chinese counterpart of Beck’s Depression Inventory to measure levels of depression.

The scores of the participants at the start of the study were compared to their scores at the end of the study. For participants in the control group, there was no significant difference in their perceived fatigue scores. For participants in the experimental group, though, the perceived fatigue scores were lowered significantly at the end of the study.

There was also no significant difference in the depression scores of the participants from the control group at the end of the study. For participants in the experimental group, though, the depression levels were lowered significantly at the end of the study.

Based on the findings, researchers of the study reached the conclusion that the combined therapies of massage and acupressure can effectively benefit patients with end stage renal disease who are undergoing hemodialysis by easing their fatigue and depression. They therefore recommended that the combined therapies of massage and acupressure be integrated in the standard care given to such patients.

The two researchers Yi-Ching Cho, R.N. and Shiow-Luan Tsay, R.N., Ph.D. further said, “Assessment of end-stage renal disease patients’ fatigue and depression should be an essential part of nursing practice.”

The therapeutic body massage services provided by professional massage therapists can include acupressure as well as reflexology massage, foot massage, back massage, deep tissue massage, sports massage and Swedish massage. Patients undergoing hemodialysis may be given massage gift cards to be able to avail of these therapeutic body massage services at reputable professional therapeutic massage clinics in Charlotte NC.

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Headset Walkie Talkies - An Innovative Addition to a Traditional Gadget

If I require to say come in for dinner it only can take one rapid contact not several cell phone calls.

For some conditions intrinsically secure devices are necessary. This implies that the gadget is not capable of producing a spark. Commonly in hazardous locations. There are additional solutions when it comes to two way radios than cell phones. Sounds canceling walkie talkie headsets. There are numerous hand held radio headsets that are reason built for conditions like higher noise areas. Walkie talkies are basically the common of communication for community and safety.

Walkie talkie headsets have the probable to make your everyday living or your position much easier. If you have in no way expert the portability or usefulness of a walkie talkie headset give one a attempt.

When we were young children I imagine it is fair to suppose that most of us got a kick out of jogging all-around our home or our neighborhoods with awesome walkie talkie handsets. Far more than probable most of the walkie-talkies we utilised had been absolutely nothing a lot more than low-priced toys with the capability to transmit a dozen or so yards, and make some fairly aggravating sound employing the Morse code signal. No doubt, if you have young children you have noticed their fascination with these compact, handheld radios as nicely. There is something that attracts us to the truth that we can discuss with our associates across the block making use of this tiny handheld radio.

As with almost everything else in the realm of technological know-how, walkie-talkies have grow to be more compact and a lot more portable. Whereas when we have been young it was incredible to have a walkie-talkie unit that would suit in our hands, now they make walkie talkie headsets, walkie-talkie watches, and even walkie-talkies throat mics. The engineering is thoughts boggling.

Now I know most of us have outgrown the days of operating all over our neighborhood on a scorching summer season evening taking part in tag with our good friends, but walkie-talkies nonetheless have some wonderful real-universe programs for adults. For individuals of us who like to wargame through our recreational time, the headset hands-absolutely free walkie-talkies are great. They let us to proceed to track our target on the opposing crew, and not have to worry about keying the mic every single time we want to talk. Additionally, the smaller sized wristwatch walkie talkie allows moms and dads to give a incredibly transportable unit to their baby and attach it to their wrists. This alleviates owning to fret about regardless of whether the little one will inadvertently set the walkie-talkie radio down someplace. This way the father and mother know they will usually be ready to make contact with the boy or girl.

A further possibilities neat use for the fingers-totally free walkie-talkie headset is that moms (or dads) can have the headset engaged and communicating with their young children who may possibly be playing in the neighborhood though they are executing chores or soothing back again at the household. The VOX functionality of the headset is excellent mainly because it lets the consumer to be in a position to engage the headset mic and initiate voice transmissions not having having to be troubled about hitting a button to do so.



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Three Ideas To Select The Best Airsoft Gun

We all love to have fun with our friends. Few things in life are more enjoyable than getting together with your buddies and playing some games in the park. More and more these days, people are turning to hobbytron airsoft guns to achieve this sense of fun and excitement. If you aren't familiar with hobbytron airsoft guns, they are an extremely high tech version of bb guns that you may remember as a kid. They are designed to look and feel exactly like real life combat weapons, yet they shoot small orange pellets that are designed to not cause any harm. That way you can experience the thrill of combat without suffering any of the adverse consequences.

Of course, if you are going out shopping for some toys for the first time, there are some things you should consider before making a purchase. This can make the difference between playing with an exciting new toy, or being left behind holding a dud that doesn't deliver what you thought it would. In this article I'll be going over three things to consider before making a purchase.

First of all, you'll need to consider the range of your gun. How far do you want to shoot? This is measured in either feet, or meters. Depending on how you will be using your gun, you'll want to think about different ranges. Generally speaking, the higher the range, the more the price. If you are going to be shooting in mainly close combat situations, you don't really need that much range. However, if you are going after some long range targets, you'll need a gun that can support your objectives.

Another consideration is how fast it shoots, or how fast the BBs go once they leave the gun. This is usually measure in feet per second, or FPS. Depending on what kind of environments you'll be in when using your gun, you'll want to choose a higher FPS. If you will be shooting at moving targets, then a higher FPS is more important. If you will be doing some shooting at targets that aren't moving, then FPS won't be as important. And similar to range, the higher FPS, the more expensive the gun is going to be.

One last consideration is how big you'd like your magazine. The magazine is the container on your gun that holds all the BBs. The bigger your magazine, the more you can shoot without worrying about having to reload. If you are thinking about getting an automatic weapon, then having a large magazine is a definite must. Some weapons, when set to fully automatic, can empty a magazine rather quicker. So bigger is definitely better in this case. However, if you plan on doing some single shot action, like target shooting or sniper work, then magazine size isn't much of an issue.

Now that you've thought about a few of these issues, it's time to go out and buy yourself an airsoft gun. These can be tremendous fun and can be used in many different situations. However, be sure to always keep safety in the forefront of your mind at all times. Safety gear is an absolute must, especially eye protective goggles. Without these you open yourself up to injury, which can quickly kill the fun in any game. So be safe, and have lots of fun out there.
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Learn Beginner Wakeboarding and Beginner Wakeboard Tips

Beginner Wakeboarding Tips to help you have fun safely

You need to follow some beginner wakeboarding tips to have fun and excitement the right way in water. The foremost thing is to be comfortable on the wakeboard to drive away the panic factor and be at your ease. After you have adjusted yourself to the most comfortable position of wakeboarding, try to keep your board on its side. While the wakeboard boat starts to pull you, do not put any resistance by trying to pull yourself out and let it tow you and the board out of the water.

You need to know that the comfort of wakeboarding will depend a great deal on the type of board you have chosen. One of the basic beginner wakeboarding tips is to choose a light board with large wakeboard fins to enhance stability, hold direction and ensure faster progress. You need to determine your stance and set your bindings to boost your confidence for wakeboarding.

The position of your feet plays a crucial role in forming your balance while wakeboarding. It is entirely up to you, which foot you want to place ahead - left or right. You can determine your lead foot by stumbling deliberately to see which foot comes up first to support your body.

After this, you have to set up your bindings at your shoulder width apart. Be mindful about placing the back binding slightly closer to the rear fin at a zero degree angle, straight across the board. The front foot should point forward at 9 to 27 degrees. This set up would distribute your body weight a little bit towards the tail.

When the motor boat pulls you to a standing posture, try to shift 50% of your weight on your front foot. When you have jumped clear of the wake, you should ideally have 60% of your weight forward on the board. While remaining airborne, it is important to keep your arms on each side of your front knee and develop a pronounced reclines position to let the motion swing you to an erect position.

One of the crucial beginner wakeboarding tips is never to come up at full speed. You should learn the ropes with a slow start-off pace to have a steady launch. You will eventually find it easier to get up on your feet as the boat towing you takes up full speed. Ask the driver of the boat to increase the speed gradually so that you can feel confident about wakeboarding, staying up and coming out of the water.

The length of the wakeboard rope determines how well you would fare upon the water surface. As a beginner, you should keep the wakeboard rope short to have an easy launch. Ideally, a 45' rope is the best length to get started. Unless you have perfected the art of wakeboarding, sudden jerks could be deadly and scary for your water sport experience. Ask the driver to keep it as slow and smooth as possible for the boat.

Remember, wakeboarding is a difficult and risky sport to indulge in. Hence, do not go into a dare devil venture unless you have received thorough training and beginner wakeboarding tips from an expert. Even after you learn these tips, it will take some time to incorporate them. Therefore, you will need a lot of practice to remain updated with the latest wakeboarding styles, tricks and tactics.


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Basic Skills Needed For Volleyball

One of the worst situations that a volleyball team could be in is to show up at a game without being able to perform the skills they needed to able to be competitive. How to hit, being in the right place, physical conditioning, and a player's ability to jump can help to be competitive as well as gain confidence for the game. Getting back to the basics for volleyball can position a player to gain the skills necessary for victory.

General Playing Skills That Should Be Developed

1. Serving. This is what always starts the game and is a necessary skill. There are two basic types of serves. The first is overhand; where the player will throw the ball above their head, then hits it on the way down. The second is the underhand serve, where the server cradles the ball in one hand and swings their opposite arm underneath the ball to hit it. Once the one of these basic serves is mastered, a player can the practice variations of either one of these.

2. Pass or reception. This is usually set up by the setter of the game. It is used in order to receive the ball and set the ball up to the another player on your own team. They will then be able to put the ball to the other side like they want to.

3. Tip. A tip is used as a way to fool the other team into thinking that the ball will go further than in actuality. The player hits the ball lightly, making it just go over the net but not too far into the other team's side so that they can't hit it back.

4. Dig. This is the ability for a player to save the ball from hitting the court after it has been spiked. It usually requires a player to dive underneath the ball and extend his/her arms to make the save.

5. Rebound. This occurs when the ball stays on one side (from a block), making the players "rebound", or take the ball back.

Physical Skills That Should Be Developed

1. Quickness. Quickness is frequently mistaken for "being fast". A volleyball player does not have to have all out speed, but having quickness is a big plus.

2. Vertical Jump. All things being equal, a volleyball player that can jump higher than the opposition has a great advantage. Being able to jump up to hit a ball before your opponent does can help to win many points.

Developing the physical skills often leads to the further development of the game skills. Improving a player's quickness will help them respond more quickly and let them get to more "saves". A player that can jump higher will be able to tip and spike the ball over the opposition easier. And the development of both sets of skills work together to give the player more confidence in his or her ability to play the game.


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The Vertical High Jump Dynamics

Michael Jordan was once hailed by Celtics star Larry Bird as "God disguised as Michael Jordan." He is a world legend who has been proclaimed the best basketball player of all time by the NBA.

Why is Michael Jordan different? That is simple: the vertical high jump that he's exalted for. To millions of TV viewers and court spectators, Jordan seemed to fly and defied the laws of gravity when he did those power dunks. Athletes in and outside of basketball has been encouraged by this vertical high jump to try the high jump's aerodynamics.

With the help of people and with motivation and stamina, it's possible to learn to jump higher. You have the self-confidence, stamina, and better opportunities if you have a higher vertical jump.

What It Requires to Jump Higher

Unguided routines are risky. You need to have a specialist-designed supervised routine to strengthen the muscles in your calf if you wish to jump higher.

To develop your stamina and the muscles in your calves and legs, jumping rope is a initial routine that prepares your for that vertical leap. To get that jump, you need propulsion and speed. To master that dynamic jump, you should invest years to work hard. The simpler the jump gets the more you practice it.

Stomach crunches, toe raises, and deep knee bends are other exercises included. The areas that significantly figure in the high jump need to be strengthened, so you can make a habit of exercising four times a week while you're watching television.

Start Right

Exercising slowly but surely can get you the high jump you need. It's best to do your research on high jump regimens and do comparisons prior to choosing the right one when there are so many offered regimens.

Don't think that, at first, you'll be exerting all effort to get those muscles functioning. Until you have built up calf and leg strength, you'll be performing routines 4 times every week. Newbies begin with easy routines prior to moving to the more difficult exercises until they can jump no less than 36 inches above the ground.

You'll know you gained the stamina and strength for more exercises in jumping when you can do 100 knee bends easily. You'll discover that your legs and calves gained the strength after rigorous toe raising, knee bending, and jumping rope as you move to more difficult exercises.

You won't have the same exercises as the next guy because everybody has unique capabilities. You should consult a high jump specialist for the appropriate training program based on your weight and height.



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Deron Williams Rookie or How to Increase Vertical Jump

Of course, Deron Williams' physique looks more round than swift. But if you've ever seen a Jazz fast break, you know the 23-year old point guard is anything but slow.



Though a definite below-the-rim player, Deron packs a diverse offensive game that can net him two points with a floater or three with a near-bench bomb. He has a quick first step and speed that seems to increase past mid-court. When a defender sees Deron gunning toward 'em with that high yet controlled dribble - almost like the rock is a handball (a la D's all-time favorite player, Jason Kidd) - they don't know whether to defend the trey, the drive or the pass.



"Being deceptive works to my advantage because guys think they can press me a little more and then I blow by them. I like to push the ball. It's a big strength of my game."

- Deron Williams



Actually, Deron Williams was the big surprise of the Chicago pre-draft camp in 2005. The Illinois point guard finished 10th out of 80 players, ahead of top prospects like Chris Paul (16th) and Raymond Felton (18th).



In case you wonder what the pre-draft camp is about - there's a combine that measures four key areas:



1) strength (bench press repetitions of 185 pounds),

2) vertical jump

3) lane agility (how fast a player moves laterally around the key)

4) speed (court sprint)



In the forefront of the camp there have been major questions about Deron Williams' lateral quickness, but he actually tested quicker than Paul (!) in the lane agility drill and finished .03 seconds behind Paul in the sprint.



Williams has lost about 15 pounds and is down to 7 % percent body fat, which obviously has helped his athleticism.





Here are the complete results for the 3 point guards:



(Name, Bench press,Vertical jump, Lane Agility,Court Sprint,Overall Rank)





Deron Williams, 15, 35", 10.83, 3.25, 10



Chris Paul, 10, 38", 11.09, 3.22, 16



Raymond Felton, 6, 33", 10.50, 3.06, 18





As you can see, Deron Williams has a 35-inch vertical - Lo and behold!





But what can YOU do to improve your vertical?





Well, the combination of weight and jump training may be the most effective ever:



If you are already fit enough, your legs are already quite strong, you can do these weight exercises 2 times a week (i.e. Mondays and Thursdays):





1. Squats - 3 sets x 10

2. Calf Raises - 3 sets x 10

3. Leg Presses - 3 sets x 10

4. Leg Extensions - 2 sets x 20

5. Lunges - 3 sets x 10





In addition you can try these jump exercises (also 2 times a week, i.e. Tuesdays and Fridays):





1. Squat Jumps - 2 sets x 75

2. Chair Jumps - 2 sets x 30

3. Depth Jumps - 2 sets x 15

4. Box Jumps - 2 sets x 20





For more exercises and crucial things to know about vertical jump (f.e. why often what you "don't" do is more important then what you "do" do) please take a look at this page I strongly recommend:





www.howtodunk.org


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Some NBA Betting Tips Before Tipoff

The National Basketball League tips off another season Oct. 31 with both bet makers and bet takers sifting through the debris of last year's results in hopes of finding NBA betting clues to the upcoming campaign.

From a wagering standpoint, the most important thing to know is that oddsmakers approach the NBA a bit differently than they do most other major sports, relying far less on Power Ratings, the numbers that form the price-making building blocks. There are several unique aspects to the NBA game that limit the effectiveness of Power Ratings:

Schedule: In order to keep travel costs down, NBA teams often embark on lengthy road trips. How far a team has to travel, how many time zones the players cross and how many games they're forced to play in a short time frame are crucial factors. A team in the east usually has a very difficult time negotiating a swing through Texas that includes three games in four nights in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. A team from the West Coast might struggle with an Atlantic coast travelogue that includes visits to Miami, Orlando, Memphis and Charlotte, for example. Because basketball is a series of cross-country one-night stands, more than any other sport, fatigue is an overwhelmingly important factor and NBA betting should reflect that element.

The Yin-Yang Factor: It may seem strange but if a team gets blown out one night, the next night they usually play a much better game. Every game is different, of course, but if a good team such as the Pacers were blown out by the Pistons, they'd be even more likely to blow out their next opponent and the NBA betting lines would echo that.

Injuries: Unlike football, where a team has a whole week to rest an injured player, or, if need be, prepare another player to take his place, with the day-to-day grind of the NBA, teams don't have that luxury. If there's an injury, oddsmakers make an immediate assessment of the impact that injury will have on the team. An injury to a key player not only has an effect on the pointspread but the total, as well.

While injuries are part of the game, it's naïve to suggest that a player is worth a certain amount of points. "It depends on the matchup," pointed out a noted oddsmaker. "For example, San Antonio's Tim Duncan might be worth more against the Nuggets than, say, the Trail Blazers. If the spread at home was going to be San Antonio -7 over Denver with Duncan, without him it might be -2 so in that situation, Duncan would be worth five points. But say the Spurs are playing at home against the Trail Blazers. With Duncan, the spread might be -14. Without him, San Antonio still would have a considerable edge in talent over Portland and you probably weren't going to see Duncan around at the end of a blowout anyway, so the line might be -11, meaning Duncan was worth only three points in that scenario. So it all depends on the matchup."

BETS AND PIECES: Most future books list defending NBA champion Miami as a slight favorite to repeat this season. The Heat didn’t lose anyone to free agency meaning that Head Coach Pat Riley still can turn to a deep and talented cast that includes Dwayne Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, Antoine Walker, Jason Williams and Udonis Haslem. Prices vary, of course, but those interested in NBA betting futures shouldn’t have difficulty finding 7/2 on the Heat.

If Miami fails to win back-to-back titles, which is no easy task, look for San Antonio, Detroit, Dallas or Phoenix, most of them in the 4/1 to 6/1 future book betting range, to be the new champions.

The Spurs still play defense with a passion and have a top-notch scoring triumvirate in Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili while the Pistons are hoping that Nazr Mohammed, who fled San Antonio, can help fill the hole in the middle left by the departure of Ben Wallace to Chicago.

The Mavericks strengthened themselves by adding Devean George, Austin Croshere and Anthony Johnson in separate deals. They’ll help a nucleus that includes Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Josh Howard.

The Suns are a bit of an unknown because of the questionable condition of Amare Stoudemire’s knee. If he’s healthy, Phoenix will have plenty of firepower with Steve Nash and Shawn Marion. If Stoudemire is a liability, the Suns won’t shine.

The bottom line? NBA betting, whether it is the daily grind or futures, can be tricky but astute bettors may also find it profitable.

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Paintball: The Game's Origin

All About Paintball

War games have been about for a extended time. Since folks are not able to use actual guns in this game, Bob Gurnsey, Hayes Noel, Charles Gaines and nine other people decided to play this game by using markers that had been originally utilized to tag cattle and trees. Later on, markers had been employed to shoot paintballs at other players. Anybody that gets hit is out of the game.

http://www.npf.com.au/ has evolved and by way of the years and can be played in various methods. In 1 version of the game teams can 1 flag every single and the other team should capture that flag in order to win. The other way of winning (other than capturing the flag) would be to eradicate all of the players of the opposing team with paintball hits.

The game can be played on a little scale which is referred to as recreational paintball. This is the original way it was played in a wooded location and can be played in an location the size of a basketball court.

If there are numerous folks who want to http://www.npf.com.au/ and the field is a big area, the game is referred to as a "scenario". The largest scenario ever was in 2005 on a 700 acre parcel of land and with 3,000 participants.

When a player who participates in a competition sanctioned by a governing body, that competition is referred to as a tournament. Teams can be comprised of 3 to 10 players every single. Rules throughout such events differ so individuals need to check prior to entering the tournament.

For the safety of those who participate in these events, protective gear is essential for every single player. It consists of a helmet, chest pad, gloves, and knee and elbow pads. The guns utilized are only allowed to fire a maximum of 300 feet per second.

Paintball is one game that is gaining ground in the sports globe. According to a study done in 2005, it is ranked as the third most well-known extreme game in the globe. It is considered a safe sport as lengthy as proper gear is used and folks comply with the rules. People who are interested can sign up at the local club and join in the crowd.
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Prepping Your Boat For Spring Launch

Ready Â… Set Â… Go Boating

Ice and snow recedes and Spring returns to the “northerner” boating areas of the U.S. If you are a Michigan or Great Lakes boater, you are anxious to get the next boating season started. As you look forward to that first fine weekend at the dock or on the lake, spend some time on pre-season preventative maintenance that can help make your entire summer more enjoyable.

A big key to your spring maintenance is determined by how the boat was stowed away for the winter. If you tucked your boat away dry, indoors or with a good cover, properly winterized, clean and uncluttered with batteries disconnected, systems drained and fluids changed, then you’ll have less to conquer in the Spring. Let’s pretend you did all the right things in the Fall and focus on some extra ideas that could help get your season off on the right foot. You may want to get together with the Service Manager at your local full service marina for his advice and to schedule needed work before the shop’s schedule fills up.

How did you cover your boat? If you are outdoors and shrink-wrapped, please be sure to work with your boat yard or local recycling center for environmentally-friendly disposal of your shrink-wrap. This plastic is indeed recyclable and you can do your part by keeping it out of the landfill – don’t throw it in the dumpster. Many boat yards and shoreline communities have recycling programs.

Now that the cover is off, perform your own inspection of deck and underwater hardware and the hull, bottom and deck conditions. Check bow rail stanchions that may have worked loose under the cover and re-bed those if needed, properly sealed to prevent moisture intrusion. Check all other deck fittings – cleats, chocks, drains and more – to make sure they are properly caulked. Spend extra time on areas at or below the waterline, such as trim tab and swim platform mounts, transducer and pump thru-hulls, raw-water pick-ups and other areas that should be inspected yearly for proper seal. Long-term weeping of moisture past those seals can soak coring materials in your transom or hull, causing larger problems later. When in doubt, caulk it.

How does your bottom look? A fresh coat of paint makes fall grime removal easier and improves running efficiency during the season. Sand flaked areas and apply a thin coat of fresh bottom paint before launch. If the bottom has excessive build-up or unmanageable flaking, you should consult your boat yard about a strip and repaint job. If you take it down to bare gelcoat, be sure to properly prepare the surface before re-applying your barrier coat and bottom paint.

Think back to last season for a mental review of some of your boat’s components.

How old are your batteries? If you can’t remember when they were last changed, check the labeled date or your receipt file. Don’t put last year’s trouble-maker back in the boat. Replace it. A dead battery at the launch ramp or pulling anchor off the beach can be a day-spoiler.

When was your last oil & filter change? Boaters are split about 50-50 on their preferences for Fall or Spring oil changes. But by all means, start the new season with “fresh” oil, whether it was poured in October or April. And don’t forget your mid-season change or at the next 50 engine hours, whichever comes first.

When did you last change impellers? Water pump impellers tend to shrink or become brittle over time and lose their effectiveness. Don’t run hot — change your impellers to prevent a problem, before launch.

If your boat is a stern drive, when was your last stern drive service? Drive service should be performed yearly prior to launch, to prevent costly failures later. If your boat is an inboard, when did you last have your shafts aligned? This can only be done after launch, but should be done yearly to help reduce coupler, shaft and cutlass bearing wear. If you noticed any vibration last season, you should be checking alignment and props before launch. For inboard boaters as well, spring launch is the right time to inspect shaft packings. If your shaft is dripping more frequently than 10 drops per minute, your shaft log needs to be tightened or repacked. Don’t let water run into your bilge from leaky shaft seals. Tighten or replace as needed.

Upon launch, immediately check for any leaks from through hulls and check all engine hoses and belts while the engine is running. Tighten clamps as needed and plan to replace any suspect hoses. Carefully monitor engine temperature during that first start up to make sure that your engine’s cooling system is functioning and check other critical gauges – oil pressure, alternator output – to ensure your engine is running properly before you get under way. Before getting away from the dock for the first time, briefly and carefully shift into forward and reverse while tied-off to make sure the engine does not stall and moves properly in and out of gear. If your boat is trailerable, you can perform many of these tasks with the aid of a garden hose and engine intake muffs. See your marine technician for advice.

Your boat is for your enjoyment and maintenance need not be expensive. In fact, proper maintenance is much less expensive than neglected maintenance. See your local full service marina or marine supply store for more helpful service suggestions. And have a great boating season!
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Golf Practice Isn�t Important If�

Golf practice can only help your game if your body can do what you ask of it on the range. Does that make sense? How often have you taken time out of your day to go to the range for golf practice only to leave more frustrated than when you did when you first got there?

Now come onÂ…be honest! Every amateur golfer has experienced this more times than we can count.

Why is this?

Because our body can’t perform a mechanically sound swing when it is physically weak and tight. Picture the last time you hit a bucket of balls. Out of the whole bucket, how many swings really felt good, and the ball did what you wanted it to do?

I’ll bet you can count them on less than one hand. Or maybe I’m being harsh, and you can count them on less than 2 hands.

Either way, this is a common occurrence during a golf practice session.

Don’t get me wrongÂ…golf practice is critical in improving your golf swing and overall gameÂ…but you first need to work on the “machine”, to be able to make the most out of your time during your golf practice.

Let’s look at the positive side!

You take my advice and start improving your golf specific strength and flexibility. It doesn’t take 2 hours a day in a gym to accomplish this. All of my programs, dvds and books incorporate affordable equipment that can be done in your home or even office.

The result?

The next time you plan a golf practiceÂ…it goes fantastic! You’re hitting more balls the way you want to. You’re enjoying your golf practice not getting frustrated. You even buy a new range card because you’re on a new high from such an awesome golf practice session.

That’s called Total Golf Performance!

You’ll soon be dominating your foursome and they’ll all want to know your “secret”.

Take this approach to your golf improvement and get a maximum return from your golf practice.
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Slots Winning Strategy

When it comes to online casinos, the slot games are truly the tour de force of the graphic designers and game planners who get an opportunity to demonstrate originality, vision and also humor. Slots certainly provide fun, thrilling, and colorful experience, but what more can you do as a player to maximize your winnings?

At a glance slot machines seem to be a game of pure luck. Several casinos even install autoplay function for players to truly auto-pilot the game and leave it running on the screen while going to grab a snack or taking a bathroom break. However, good slot games will keep you hanging on, compelled to see what the next spin will bring about, and here enters our strategy.

Slots strategy is comprised of very basic, easy to follow rules that are more focused on human behavior than the mechanics of the game. The underlying idea is that in order to be a slots winner, one must know not only how to start, but when to stop.

Rule number one (that can and should be applied in all realms of lifeÂ…) stick to what pleases you. First of all find a slot machine that you like: the visuals, the sound, the play buttons, you get the idea. Slots are based on repetitive images, so pick out a game with a nice color scheme that is easy on your eyes and drawings that suit your likings.

Multiline slots with bonus features are generally looser than one line slots, meaning that they yield more winnings. Bonus features can include wild cards that replace any other symbol to complete a line, scatter pay which multiplies your win, free rounds, or bonus games which are games within games where you gain more credits. The more rewarding features they are the more you are likely to reap. To learn more about multiline slots please visit http://www.money-casino.com/casino/Slots-125.htm which features 8, 9, and 15 line slots.

Prepare a larger bankroll than you intend to play with just to be on the safe side. While playing you'll lose some and it's important to have a chance to retrieve your money. When playing multi-line slots always bet the max. Otherwise you may not qualify for some of the bonus features. To keep your bankroll balance you can use the smallest coin denomination (as low as one cent in most casinos) while hitting Max Bet.

The final and most important rule is to quit while you're ahead, and that's usually when you have made a profit of about 30% of your deposit. (For example, if you deposited $300, quit when you reach to $400). You may get tempted to go ahead, but it is generally a good idea to let the game (and yourself) cool down. You can always go back later.

That's all there is to it. As long as you stick to the guidelines you stand a pretty fair chance of becoming a consecutive slots winner.

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Health Benefits of Baking with Splenda

Health food enthusiasts often question Splenda. Is this sweetener really safe? Does it taste as good as regular sugar? Can I use it in all of my desert recipes? The fact of the matter is that Splenda is actually extremely easy to use, and it is as safe as regular sugar. Actually, there are even health benefits to using Splenda that you don’t find with regular sugar or other kinds of artificial sweeteners. Using Splenda regularly instead of sugar can help make some of your favorite sweet treats better for you. Here are some of the major health benefits of baking with Splenda:

Foods made with Splenda have fewer calories.

Splenda in and of itself is not completely calorie free. This is a version of sugar, but it is hundreds of times sweeter than actual sugar. That means for every calorie of Splenda you use, you are getting a much greater concentration of flavor. So, to add the same amount of sweetness to your food, you are adding a much lower number of calories. Many of the diet foods on the market today, including diet sodas, actually use Splenda instead of sugar so that they are sweeter. Remember, sugar is not the only source of calories in food, so replacing the sugar in a product with Splenda does not necessarily mean it is good for you, it means it can be actually be BETTER for you.

Splenda helps you care for your teeth.

Dentists love Splenda! While this product does not prevent problems if you do not take care of your teeth and will not fix problems if you already have tooth decay and other dental problems, it is a way to ward off the bacteria that causes cavities. Sugar left in your mouth after eating serves as a food for this kind of bacteria. Splenda does not have the same effect, so there is less “food” in your mouth to attract dental problems.

You can cook with Splenda even if you have diabetes..

Splenda is a type of sugar, but the body does not recognize it as sugar in the blood stream. Therefore, you can eat Splenda even if you have diabetes or another sugar-related medical problem. Eating foods made with Splenda should not cause your blood sugar levels to spike. Be careful, however, because many times, the foods using Splenda as a sugar replacement are filled with other ingredients not healthy for someone with a blood sugar problem. Splenda itself is safe, however, even for future mothers dealing with gestational diabetes.

Splenda can help you lose weight.

Because it adds few calories to food and does not have the same effects on the body as sugar, Splenda can actually help people lose weight. Unless you eat lots of sugar and switch entirely to Splenda, you may not see a significant different in your weight, but combined with a healthier diet and exercise, using Splenda can help you achieve weight loss goals. Losing weight is a great way to help you avoid more serious medical conditions like heart disease.

Some Splenda products contain fiber.

If you purchase Splenda with fiber, you will be consuming one gram of fiber for every packet of Splenda you add to your food. Fiber is necessary for help with your digestion, and many people do not get enough fiber from their daily diets. Splenda with fiber does not taste any differently than Splenda without fiber.

Splenda has been found to be completely safe for consumption.

Other the past several decades, artificial sweeteners have been under fire for causing cancer, headaches, depression, and many other problems. However, hundreds of studies have been conducted to measure that safety of Splenda, and these studies showed that it is not a cancer-causing agent, nor does it cause health problems for the average person. Splenda is safe for anyone to consume, from children to pregnant mothers to senior citizens.

There are other benefits, unrelated to health, to using Splenda as well. Compared to other artificial sweeteners, Splenda is quite affordable. It also comes in a number of varieties, such as white granulated “sugar,” brown “sugar,” and a mixture of Splenda and regular sugar. Splenda can be used as a sugar replacement in most recipes, and in recipes that need sugar (like yeast breads); you can add a mixture of Splenda and regular sugar to reduce the calories in the recipe. Splenda reacts differently to heat than most artificial sugars, making it the perfect product to use in your baked goods. Your family probably won’t even notice the difference, so try Splenda today for a sweet new way to manage your health while still enjoying your favorite baked goods.


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What Did Bruce Lee Teach The Cap About How to Increase Vertical Jumps?

Okay, so Bruce wasn't exactly well-known for his writing about how to increase vertical jumps on the court, or even how to dunk more hoops, but he had a profound effect on Kareem Abdul -Jabaar. In this 2006 interview with Andrew Kamenetzky, the Cap has this to say about Bruce's influence:

"Bruce, more or less, backed up what I had learned from John Wooden. It was just an echo of John Wooden, from Hong Kong as opposed to Indiana. You have to be committed. You have to be prepared. You have to be willing to sacrifice to be totally prepared. To be in shape and understand the nature of competition."

At seven foot two inches, Jabaar was blessed with the kind of height that most of us can only dream about, but by aspiring to reach our own personal best in our training and performance on the court, we can still break new boundaries and take our game to the next level up.

If you're serious about how to increase vertical jumps, then developing more flexibility and looseness is a great place to start. Apart from reducing the chance of injury after a thorough warm-up, more flexibility will allow you to let out the explosive muscle force you've worked hard all season to develop. Here's what Bruce had to say about it:

"Neural impulses are sent to the working muscle to bring a sufficient number of fibres into action at precisely the right time, while impulses to the antagonist muscles are reduced to lessen the resistance."

Which means - if you've ever felt like you're playing with the brakes on, it could be that tight, stiff muscles are the culprit! For us, it's the hamstrings that need to be lengthened as they are the antagonist, whereas the quads can be shortened as the working muscle.

There are plenty of great stretching exercises out there on the net and on YouTube in particular; Stretching your routine as well as your glutes and hamstrings is fundamental to success; however the following principles of good stretching must always be followed:

1. Warm up first. A good cardio-vascular warm-up will fill the muscles with blood, providing them with oxygen and make sure they are more pliable and able to be stretched.

2. Even and deep breaths work best for a safe and controlled stretch - you'll find that your reach extends particularly on the out-breath.

3. Hold your stretches and gently increase your range - do not bounce! Stretching is best performed as a gentle, relaxed activity, not an aggressive and ballistic routine.

4. Change your routine periodically to keep it new and challenging - we all plateau from time to time in our training - the body may prefer to stay in a comfortable routine but the shock and surprise of a new movement or extension is where the growth will stem from.

5. Be flexible in your mindset as well as your body. How about a Yoga class or some Martial Arts to mix it up a little? It worked for the Cap. (But don't expect a film career to ensue!)

The process of how to increase vertical jumps can be mastered by anyone willing to learn, change and work smarter as well as harder. As Bruce put it:

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."

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Fantasy Football: Free Versus Paid Websites

In the world of fantasy sports – fantasy football, tied to real NFL players and stats, is more popular than other fantasy games on the World Wide Web today. Fans say they enjoy the virtual sport because their knowledge of the NFL is deepened by the experience of playing. This web-based game is gaining in popularity.

Who Plays on Fantasy Football Leagues?

What motivates fantasy football players to engage in the online sport? According to a study commissioned by the Fantasy Sports Trade Association and conducted by Dr. Kim Beason, a Fantasy Sports Research Specialist, the pay for play group of fantasy football consumers are more involved with the competition and may even engage in workplace contests. This group is more likely to play with friends and form private leagues. The pay for play group is more competitive than free fantasy football, and they demand the design of the game is fun and easy to use.

Pay for Play Fantasy Football Sites

An example of a widely known pay for play site is also a company that is well represented in airing and promoting games in professional sports: Fox Fantasy Sports. Pay for play Fantasy Football site fees vary. One website might charge a monthly fee while another may require a per game fee. Some fans spend large amounts of money on the game. Fantasy Football enthusiasts who want to play in the World Championship of Fantasy Football (WCOFF) are willing to pay $7,000 for this privilege.

The advantages of joining pay for play fantasy football sites are numerous. Most paid sites will provide an array of information on players and statistics at no additional charge. Another benefit is that pay for play participants tend to take the sport more seriously than those who play on the free sites. Since pay for play participants are often eligible for cash prizes when their team wins, the award of prize money is a motivational factor.

Free Online Fantasy Football

Dr. Kim Beason’s analysis of fantasy football participants highlights several characteristics of those who choose to play on the free Fantasy Football sites. Many are invited to enter fantasy football sites by friends. Social interaction during the game, rather than competition, is a key reason for playing. Many of the players who utilize free websites say relaxation is a main reason for spending time playing fantasy football.

According to Jason McCoy, CEO of Stinkball.com, “the free fantasy football sites are a great entry level way to enter the Fantasy Football arena.” Yahoo is a good example of a free website for players. Though participants may play for free, Yahoo charges additional fees for stats and performance reports, and tacks another fee on for stat tracking. Often the paid fantasy sports websites will try to entice new players by offering free play time or free sign ups for the season. Yet to truly enter the game and be competitive the player will find it is easier to pay for membership.

According to Dr. Kim Beason, free fantasy football participants are a much larger group than the pay for play football players. Though not all players are in a position to pay to play, it seems that inspiration, camaraderie and competition are some of the defining motivations for players who choose to join fantasy football’s paid websites.


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Top 10 Dumbest Things Pro Athletes Do

There seems to be an endless stream of idiotic things professional athletes do. I guess if you put a bunch of young men together, give them a boat-load of money and lots of free time, what can you expect? When beautiful women, the media and the luxuries of life are thrown at them, their cockiness and stupidity are only amplified. Here are my top ten, but of course there are lots more. However, we must always remember, they are only human too.

1. Me Make Good Play!

Ever see NFL players beat their chest like a gorilla after they just made a good play? I guess it’s a Tarzan thing or something, but they look kinda ridiculous. Maybe if I was out there on the field and I was a 170-pound kicker watching a defensive lineman beating his chest after a sack, I may be a little intimidated, but overall, they look really silly doing it. (I attended a professional all-women’s football game this year and saw a 350-pound woman do this, which was particularly scary.)

2. The God Factor, Part I

I hate it when players point up to Heaven and thank God after a good play too. Bear in mind however, that I am not criticizing religion or anyone for having faith in God. But this just looks lame. It happens a lot in MLB for some reason. A strikeout will cause Pedro Martinez to do the chest-touch and double-index-finger-point to God as if he and God were chatting earlier about possible pitching strategies in the locker room, and the strategy they chose together worked, so he had to personally thank God using his direct line.

3. The God Factor, Part II

Locker rooms, sidelines, dugouts, bullpens, and court sides are often full of praying men. One question: “If you are praying to win, and your opponent is praying to win, who does God choose?

4. Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

Why do pro jocks get arrested for drug and/or gun possession so much? Of course, lots of people do this one unfortunately, we just happen to hear about the famous athletes who do. C’mon guys, keep the drugs at home, stop driving while high, and for crying out loud, stop packin’! You don’t need a gun. Who’s going to harm you? You’re six six and weigh 275 pounds!

5. It Wasn’t Me!

Telling Congress you don’t do steroids, then getting caught doing steroids is pretty dumb. I loved watching the clips where Rafael Palmero sat pointing a finger at the Congressional hearing stating with disgust and confidence, “I do not take steroids.” And then the next clip showing him apologizing profusely for taking steroids.

6. I Love You To Death

Murdering ex-lovers doesn’t happen very often fortunately, but my list wouldn’t be complete without at least mentioning O.J.

7. Rabbits

It seems that there are a lot of NBA players out there who use the phrase, “My baby’s mom” a little too often. And there’s too many pro athletes’ offspring introducing their buddies as “My brother from another mother.” Ever hear of a condom?

8. How Much Bling Bling Do You Need!?

It’s fascinating to watch professional athletes blow through all their millions in their first year or two and then have nothing left at retirement, which is usually only a few years later. How many fifty-year-olds are still playing pro sports? Not many (minus golfers of course, who will drag their canes and oxygen tanks with them on the fairway). So why don’t pro athletes save a couple of bucks?

9. Love My Hog

It’s not too smart to get injured off the job when you’re a pro athlete. Cleveland Browns Kellen Winslow Jr. crashed his motorcycle recently and will now miss the 2005 NFL season. Jay Williams, a number one draft pick of the Chicago Bulls, also got into a motorcycle accident and has not played since. What’s with motorcycles anyhow? Talk about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

10. “When You Come To a Fork in the Road, Take It” – Yogi Berra

Saying really dumb things in the media seems to be a particularly easy thing to do if you’re a professional athlete. I looked in a lot of places online to come up with a good list here. My problem was that there were so many good ones, I wasn’t sure which ones to pick. But here are a few gems:

1. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."
2. Baseball player Tito Fuentes, after getting hit by a pitch: “They shouldn't throw at me. I'm the father of five or six kids."
3. Football coach Ray Malavasi: "I don't care what the tape says. I didn't say it."
4. Baseball player Dizzy Dean, after a 1-0 game: "The game was closer than the score indicated."
5. Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious."
6. Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field."
7. Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh Steelers coach: "We're not attempting to circumcise rules."
8. Jim Wohford: "Ninety percent of the game is half mental."
9. Joe Theismann: "Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
10. Charles Shackleford of the NCSU basketball team: "Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious."
11. Shaquille O'Neal, on his lack of championships: "I've won at every level, except college and pro."

As I already asked before, what can we expect from professional athletes? They often reflect society as a whole. Too much time, money and fame at a really young age can augment stupidity, simple as that. We all say and do dumb things, but thankfully, we don’t have microphones and video cameras pointed at us all the time. As Norman Einstein used to say, “Really smart athletes stay away from problems because they can predict the future with their ESPN.”

Copyright: 2005

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Ant War Lessons

Kids these days really have it made. I know this gets said a lot, but it’s the truth. They have it made, and then some.

I walked in on my two grocery killers yesterday afternoon, and they were talking about how they might spend the evening. Their conversation went something like this,

“I don’t know if I want to go see that movie. Maybe I’ll just stay here and surf the internet.” said Will, my son. My daughter Alison responded,

“My boyfriend Dave is coming over to get me. We’re going to a video arcade, then head out to the mall.”

Sure is a far cry from the entertainment activities I had available to me when I was growing up in suburban Juliette, Georgia. Coming of age there, you really had to get creative when thinking up ways of entertaining yourself. In fact, one of my most vivid memories of this came when my brother Ernest and I began an ant war.

You heard me right - an ant war. They’re really not that hard to do, once you get the hang of them. Let me explain a little further.

I guess I was eleven or twelve, and my brother Ernest maybe ten when we found ourselves late one summer afternoon wandering around in our cow pasture. After kicking around for maybe fifteen or twenty minutes, my brother stumbled into this big old mound of red ants. They weren’t fire ants or anything, just plain ole red ants. After watching them scamper around for a few minutes, we moved on. We hadn’t gotten fifteen feet further when we discovered yet another hill, this one full of black ants. Ernest, who knew lots about nature, told me that the sparks would fly if those black ants bumped into those red ones. I asked,

“What do you mean, the sparks would fly?”

He replied, “Edward, two opposite tribes of ants like that will fight to the death if they meet up with each other. And you figure with two big hills like those, it’d be an out and out ant war if they discover each other.”

My mind started racing, and I wanted to see if he was right. I asked him,

“Ernest, anyway we can help that war get started?”

He smiled, nodded, and walked over to a honeysuckle vine loaded with blossoms. Pulling a piece off, he handed it over to me and said,

“Just swish it around in that red ant hill.”

I figured there was nothing to lose, so I walked over and brushed those blossoms all around that hill. It didn’t take any time before red ants covered those flowers. When they were full, Ernest said,

“Now, air lift our troups over to the black ant hill.”

I did exactly that. I walked over and put that honeysuckle stem right down into that black ant hill.

Ernest turned out to be one hundred percent right. The red ants came off the stem and immediately started fighting the black ones. It was all very exciting, but the black ants had greater numbers, so the red ants started wearing down. When Ernest noticed that, he ordered me to airlift even more red ants. So I did, going back and forth several times with reinforcements.

It did the trick. The red ones slowly overtook the black ones, and finally they evacuated their own hill. The red ants had won!

Ernest and I left feeling pretty satisfied, and over the next several weeks we had even more ant wars. Before long, red ants were all over the place, and the black ones had all moved to a singular new hill. And then one day, the strangest thing happened. We noticed the black ants had taken over a couple of the red ant hills on their own. Ernest said that happened because the red ants were strung out all over the place, had too much ground to cover, and the black ones hit them when they were weakest. It made perfect sense, and I had to agree with him. And then it hit me that those ants were behaving a lot like people do - we seem to have our worst problems when we’re too spread out, and then we have to pay the price, just like those red ants did.

I wonder if my kids learned anything like that at the video arcade last night...

Ed’s latest book, “Rough As A Cob,“ can be ordered by calling River City Publishing toll-free at: 877-408-7078. He’s also a popular after dinner speaker, and his column runs in a number of Southeastern publications. You can contact him via email at: ed3@ed-williams.com, or through his web site address at: www.ed-williams.com.
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Flats Fishing In The Florida Keys

Flats fishing can be an exciting and rewarding experience for fishermen of all ages, whether just beginning or accomplished angler. Flats are long, level, shallow water areas next to deeper water. They are found in bays estuaries and marshes. They are also found atop reefs and atolls, and along shorelines.

The bottom of a flat may be made up of grass, sand, rock, mud, gravel, or a combination of these. Flats with grass or other aquatic vegetation offer cover and food for a variety of fish as well as shrimp and crabs. The most sought after fish when flats fishing include redfish, tarpon, seatrout, bonefish, permit and snook. Other popular catches are striped bass, bluefish, barracuda, shark, cobia and mutton snapper.

When choosing the best areas for flats fishing, look for flats that are 8 feet deep or less. More productive flats usually contain stumps, brush piles, grass beds or other types of cover. Flats that contain shallow ditches or humps are especially attractive to bass. Also look for baitfish, crabs and other “fish foods”.

Observe tides carefully when locating good flats to fish. Some will be totally dry during low tide. As the tide rises, game fish will move in to feed whereas when the tide drops gamefish will wait for crabs and baitfish to flee the flat.

Flats are usually fished with fly gear or light spinning gear. Light tackle is the rule. Fly rods should be 8 or 9 weight. If you are using a spinning outfit, load it with no stronger than 12 pound test. Live bait such as mullet, pigfish, pinfish and shrimp works well. If you are using artificial lures, any size with attractor colors may be used from May through June. If you are flats fishing during July through August, natural colored lures work best.

Other equipment to include on your fishing trip is proper footwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, a raincoat and plenty of water to drink. Hydration is important since most flats fishing takes place in sunny climates such as the Florida Keys and the Caribbean, as well as lakes and rivers across the United States and other countries.

The most important equipment required is usually a small skiff with no more than two fishermen aboard. This lets the guide pole across shallow waters with ease, to reach the best flats. Also remember to wear light colored clothing to reflect the sun’s heat, and be less visible to the fish.

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