Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Wedding Ideas for Sports Fanatics

Do you love your team almost as much as the person you intend to marry? Does your idea of a dream proposal involve a jumbo-tron? Then you are a sports fanatic! If you love sports almost as much as life, then it is only natural to want to celebrate your favorite team even as you pledge to spend your lives together. Check out these fun wedding ideas for sports fanatics.

The wedding attire is always a great place to bring in team colors or logos. While I don't recommend that the bride wear a wedding gown made out of a football jersey or that the groom don a tuxedo in Miami Dolphins aqua and orange, you can still have some fun with your team colors in a tasteful way. How about a team logo bow tie for the groom and all his groomsmen? The bridesmaids can wear dresses in one of the team colors and carry bouquets which combine touches of all the colors. Speaking of bouquets, how about an Ohio State scarlet rose bouquet with a gray ribbon for the Buckeye bride or a vibrant tiger lily bouquet for the bride who bleeds Vols orange?

Accessories can also be sports themed. Order custom bridal jewelry made from Swarovski crystals in the team colors. (Just think how fetching the earrings from your custom bridal jewelry will look when you go to your team's games as newlyweds!) Incredibly, team logo garters are readily available for a wide variety of favorite sports teams; there are even garters made with two logos in case the bride and groom root for different teams. There are also team logo cufflinks available for the men in the wedding party.

There are many great ways to show your sports fanaticism at your wedding reception! Decorate the reception venue with linens and flowers in team colors (hopefully your favorite team doesn't have garish colors!) Instead of the usual place cards, write the names of guests on baseballs to set at their places or for the hockey fanatics, elegantly pen names on pucks. The menu cards can be designed to resemble tickets and the table numbers like jerseys. And don't forget to play the team fight song when the bride and groom make their grand entrance to the reception!

Food and sports always go together, so it is easy to bring the two together for your wedding. Serve elegant versions of tailgate favorites at the cocktail hour, such as Kansas City barbeque sliders or LSU spicy alligator bites and crawfish. For the groom's cake, definitely go with a sports related design. It could be a football helmet, a mini replica of his favorite baseball stadium, or a cake made to look like the jersey of his favorite player. Consider personalized NFL or MLB mugs for the groomsmen gifts to get the rest of the guys in on the fun. Ask guests to sign a team jersey or game program instead of a traditional guest book.

Don't forget about sports themed wedding favors. You can order personalized golf balls, cookies made to look like footballs, baseballs, or soccer balls, or any number of other sports or team oriented gifts. Carry on the fun the next day by hosting a day-after wedding tailgate party instead of a regular brunch. What should the newlyweds wear? Personalized team jerseys with Mr. and Mrs. on them of course!




Guy has been writing about society and weddings for a long time. If you have a topic you would like to know about, let us know at http://silverlandjewelry.com/. Let our talented designers help you create gorgeous custom bridal jewelry in your favorite colors or style. All jewelry orders over $99 receive free shipping.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Fan Following With Football Cufflinks

There are different sports that have often made history out of the fan following they enjoy. Certain sports that are popular in specific regions of the world or even within countries tend to become a regional craze for its fans and followers.

There is almost anything that fan following can achieve for a game. They wait for long queues even for the duration of a whole night to buy tickets or to get a glimpse of their favourite sport star. They sport similar attires as their favourite team players.

Football Fans

Football, or soccer as it is popularly called, is a popular game that is played in almost all the countries over the world. There are several football clubs across Europe where players play club football with teams from other clubs. They are known by their club supporters more than those in the country of origin.

However, in case of international tournaments between nations the players can play for their home teams and win for their country.

In both cases, they enjoy a heavy fan following and popularity among football lovers. They have excelled in their game that has enabled them to reach newer heights of success. This has also made them iconic figures among those that follow their games and admire them for the same.

Endorsements by Fans

One of the popular ways that fans show their feelings of admiration for their favorite players and teams is by sporting various attires and accessories that are related to football.

There are football fans that buy football kits of teams which are sold through different outlets. The main reason is that fans would like to wear the same shirt as their favorite team when they are in the stands watching them play. They would love to be identified with the same team of their choice. In fact a football stadium often stands packed in two shades of colors at times due to these choices.

Football Cufflinks

Football cufflink is a unique way of accessorizing among men who are fond of the game of football. These are cufflinks that are made of a variety of metallic alloys. However, the theme of the main design on them is always football.

In most cases, there is football engraved or even shaped in full at the facet of the cuff link. There are also variations found in the way of football boots being made as a carving instead of a usual football. The engravings are also made of figures of football players and goalkeeper helmets at other times.

Silver Football Cufflinks

There are silver football cufflinks that are also available in sterling silver metal. These cufflinks are made of pure silver and even handcrafted at times for that beautiful finish and look of the accessory.

The next time you think of a gift for that special man in your life, be it your father, brother, friend or even husband who is also a football fan, you know what you have to pick. These are also available in gift packages and personalized engravings to make a special gift item.




For more information on football cufflinks, check out the info available online; these will help you learn to find the silver football cufflinks!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

NFL Football Helmet Wall Decals - Show Your Loyalty With Big Helmet Stickers of Your Favorite Team

One of the most loved sports in the United States is NFL football. NFL football helmet decals are great means to show your loyalty towards the great sport. The helmets are one of the most important accessories of the game and the players are never allowed to play without wearing them. Many Americans are crazy about the football helmets.

NFL football helmet stickers are a great deal to a die-hard football enthusiast. It is evident that the helmets protect the players while tackling and dodging in the game. Many players even get the helmets designed according to their own specifications. Chin straps of the helmet are made from good quality materials in order to hold the helmets in the right positions.

Decals of football helmets are designed uniquely to bring home the football season with their favorite team colors. The NFL helmets represent the football teams from all across the United States, including the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference. It almost portrays the American loyalty towards the game and the nation itself. The game brings the nation together with the right sportsmanship spirits.

Many individuals collect NFL helmet decals because of a certain team they admire and support. They love the uniquely designed graphics which are printed on the NFL helmets. There are many collectors who have even managed to get hold of the helmets which were used by the sporting legends. The stickers bring back the thrilling moments of the game into your rooms.

NFL football stickers of helmets are available for all your favorite teams including the infamous Dallas Cowboys and other top teams like the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants Pittsburgh Steelers and many others. You can also collect them as a hobby and preserve them for the great memories. These NFL helmet decals display the exact replication of the ones which the players use.

NFL helmet stickers are truly excellent for kids bedrooms or any sporting fans den, games room or even right in the living room. You can team a football helmet decal with a life size cut out of your favorite team star too, to really show your loyalty and make any room a talking point. This game of football has produced great teams and great players through the years, like legends Emmitt Smith, Jack Lambert and John Elway and current stars like Peyton Manning, Marion Barber and Ray Lewis.

You cannot find better way of adding the team colors to your home or dorm than collecting your very own NFL football helmet sticker. The decals are removable and made from quality tear resistance vinyl. So when you change your mind who you want to support, or your move house or dorm room, no worries, just take the wall graphics with you and there are no stains or holes left behind.




Looking for the best way to show your loyalty this football season? Then look no further than wallstickers-decals.com for Sports Wall Decals. Larger than life, precision cut, removable, vinyl NFL Football Helmet Decals, will ensure everyone knows who you support.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

College Sports Collectible - Stash It Away

College sports collectibles are products available in the market with pictures of sports players or about different teams. There are games which have cards that are filled with colors of popular teams or have the various players on them as logo. These college sports collectibles are considered to be priceless and people go to great extents to preserve them. For many the hobby of collecting sports related cards and books begins when they are very young. Once they develop a passion for a sport or admire a player, they begin to collect pictures, articles, news items, posters and other items related to that person. In schools, children can be noticed forming groups based on their interests in a particular sport or a team. If they are avid football fans, they might collect cards that are available in the market and trade within each other for cards they would love to have. The same applies to baseball fans, they collect the gaming cards and for some it becomes more than a hobby.

Collectibles don't necessarily refer to paper products, but also include clothing and other pieces of jewelery, accessories related to a sport. For the students of Clemson University, their college Tigers football players and basket ball players are what they admire or idolize. And so they might collect products related to these players, such as jerseys, wrist bands, head bands and other gear. Some might buy a pair of shoes worn by a player, or the ball that has the signature of all the players and treasure them. This behavior is common among college students and other fans who enjoy this particular sport or are crazy about this team. There might be girls who like a player in this team, she is likely to collect posters, T shirts, jerseys and everything connected with this team member. Nowadays, one can find sports related collectibles in various stores across the country. There are bed and bath products, cutlery, and other kitchen accessories, watches all of which have the logo, or a player's photo on them. There are families that are devout fans of Michigan University Spartans, they will sport team jerseys when the team is playing a match. They are likely to have flags, posters, pictures, framed art work, spoons, plates all of which sport the team's colors, logo, mascot picture on them.

Just like when a new movie is released, memorabilia related to that movie are released in the market, sports also has a similar market. Although in case of college sports collectible, the products will be in demand for a longer period and made available ahead of matches and through the year. These will also be made available online, and so interested fans can buy them through the Internet. If a parent is passionate about Georgia bulldogs, he might buy his newborn baby clothes, shoes with the team's name or colors on it to show his love for the team. Such is the craze of college sports collectibles.




Article written by Cassaundra Flores, owner of Sports Fan Store [http://www.skyfireproducts.com/servlet/the-NFL-Football/Categories], skyfireproducts.com.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Early Super Bowl Lines Are Available - And Beatable

Just because we aren't even past the conference playoffs in the NFL yet doesn't mean that you can't be looking towards the Super Bowl. There are only four teams left, so there are only four different possible Super Bowl match-ups to consider and handicap. All of the sportsbooks are offering a wide range of bets for you to make for the big game. As you should do in every betting situation, the thing to do is to search the available bets to find any value that is out there.

The most common bet, and the easiest to consider, is a straight bet on which team will win the Super Bowl. To consider if those bets make sense you first have to understand what they are. They are essentially a parlay - you are betting on the outcome of two games because your team can't win the Super Bowl if they don't first win their conference game. The first check you need to make, then, is that the bets are paying at least what a two team parlay would - 2.6/1. At that price you are sacrificing a house edge of 10 percent, so you likely wouldn't want to accept odds that force you to give up even more of an edge. Both of the AFC teams, then, are pretty bad value at this time. The Colts are typically available at 8/5, or 1.6/1, while the Patriots are at 9/4, or 2.25/1, so both teams are fairly significant underlays. On the other hand, bettors who have faith in the NFC can find excellent value. The Bears are at 7/2, or 3.5/1, while the Saints are the longest shots on the board at 9/2, or 4.5/1. In both of those cases you would have a significant advantage over the house over the long term.

At some books, including Bodog, you can bet on which two teams will meet in the Super Bowl. This, again, is a parlay, only this time it is a parlay of the two Conference games. Like the earlier bet it is also a sucker bet in some cases. If Indianapolis wins the AFC, then the bet will be lousy regardless of the NFC winner. The Bears and the Colts would pay 8/5, while the Saints and the Colts pays 9/4. Not only are you sacrificing a good deal of your edge to the house, but you are also currently accepting a lower payout in both cases than you would if you were to play a moneyline parlay on the two games, even though that is exactly the same bet. In other words, the sportsbooks would love for you to make these bets all day.

By shopping around and looking at some of the more creative and bizarre Super Bowl prop bets you can sometimes find circumstances where you can find a bit more value for your preferred bet. Say, for example, that you were confident that the Super Bowl winner was going to be either Indianapolis or Chicago. The Colts are at 8/5 in futures betting, and the Bears are at 7/2. If you don't have a particular preference between those two teams, then the smartest move would be to dutch those two teams so that you make the same profit regardless of which one of those two teams win. Dutching those two teams with a total bet of $100 would provide a profit of almost $65 if one of them hoists the trophy. BetCRIS has a prop bet that allows you to bet on whether an African American coach will win the Super Bowl. The two teams with African American coaches are, of course, the Colts and the Bears. The current odds on this happening are -140. That means that a $100 bet in this case returns more than $71 in profit. The prop bet pays almost seven percent more than the futures bets would with identical risk.

BetCRIS will let you not only bet that any of the four teams will win the Super Bowl, but you can also bet that any of the four teams will not win it. The potential payoffs are very low - the Colts offer the highest payoff at -165, while the Bears are the lowest at -640 - but the bets could offer another way for you to squeeze out more profit if you are very confident in your opinion. If you are sure that Tom Brady will win his fourth ring, for example, then you could grab a few extra bucks by betting that Indianapolis won't win. The bet probably wouldn't make sense in most situations, but it's another option for action.

If you aren't interested in shopping around and looking for value, then maybe you just want to gamble. There are several prop bets out there already that will scratch your gambling itch, and many more will come along before kick off. Do you feel like you have a good sense of the coin toss? You can bet on whether the toss will come out heads or tails. Both sides are at -105, so you would be better off to bet with the buddies you are watching the game with. You can also bet on which team will win the coin toss, and whether the winning team will choose to kick or receive. That all means that an unlucky degenerate could be down three units before the game even begins.




Check Doc's Sports Predictions for daily sports betting articles, NFL Oddsand 2007 Super Bowl Coverage and much much more!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Sports Memorabilia Cases!

My collection spans are large variety of items, to include autographed mini-helmets, baseballs, bats, footballs, basketball sneakers, sports cards, and a large amount of autographed photos. Once you decide to begin a collection, it is very easy to let that collection stray in many different areas of collectibles and it will cause you some uncertainty as to were your collection is headed.

I talk from experience, as you can see I collect everything. Some items are easy to display others are just plain old un-displayable. For instance sports memorabilia cases of basketballs are just hugh, and unless you live in a mansion and even then are wife-less, it just is not happening!

I have found from my own experiences that, if you like to display your collectibles and lets be frank, everyone likes to show off their collection, even though when you sit in the dark, I know all of you sit there and rub your hands together, just to get that blood rush into your body in warp speed fashion, as you think of your newest collectible addition or any piece in your collection, that gives you that extreme joy, come on just admit it.

Anyway bear with me, I get sidetracked sometimes. I personally enjoy displaying my items. I have found that mini-helmet displays are the nicest in my opinion and easiest to handle because the item inside is not heavy. Baseball displays are also smaller and more decorative and make for nice displays and also easy to display virtually anywhere in the home.

The company that I have used in the past and would continue to use is mounted memories. They have a nice assortment of displays and also create a name plate for your item. Besides displays they also have many certified autographed items that are accompanied with a certificate of authenticity.

My very own collections mostly all items are accompanied with a certificate of authenticity, unless I obtain the autograph in person and in that case I obtain a photo with the athlete or celebrity signing the item. I hope that these tips are helpful as you obtain your very own sports memorabilia collection.




Want to see part of my NFL autograph collection! Click Here [http://www.nflmemorabilia.blogspot.com]. Find out how to start your very own Memorabilia Collection [http://www.nflmemorabilia.blogspot.com] and your collection will live on for generations to come!!!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Hints For Wheelchair Users Planning a Trip to an NFL Football Game

Going to an NFL football game is exciting and adventurous when you are in a wheelchair. But, how do you do it? If you love football, there is nothing better than seeing your favorite team in their home stadium. Being in a wheelchair presents both obstacles and benefits. This is my experience with FedEx field, but some stadiums have different policies.

First of all, you need tickets to the NFL football game of your choice. How do you get a wheelchair space at an NFL football game? Searching for wheelchair assessable tickets brings no results. There are handicap assessable seats in the stadium, but when you look at the online ticket sellers, there are no tickets handicap or wheelchair seats for sale. They just do not sell them. The truth is that regular NFL football game tickets are exchanged for wheelchair seats at the stadium. These special seats come with a space for a wheelchair and a regular seat next to it for a companion.

Generally these seats are at the front of the section. That is a real bonus. You get a clear view of the game with no one directly in front of you or behind you. Even with so-so tickets, you get great seats. You can exchange two tickets for these seats or just one for the wheelchair space if you are going to the game alone. Also because you are exchanging the tickets, you can get a better deal on tickets. Buy the cheapest tickets you can find for the section you choose. It doesn't matter if they are front row, back row or aisle, you will be exchanging them anyway.

Great. Now you have tickets, but how do you get to the stadium? The parking lots are huge. Look on the team's website. There should be a stadium diagram and a diagram of the parking lots. Find the handicap assessable lots. These will have shuttles with lifts to take you right up to the stadium. That's another bonus, no long walk from the parking lot.

Above all, make your trip to and NFL football game an event. Consider going to the team sponsored tailgate party. You need to be there early anyway to get good parking and exchange tickets, so you might as well enjoy the food. There are other things to do during the tailgate party like meeting some of the cheerleaders and former players. Of course you will probably also like to visit the team store.

The key to going to an NFL football game is planning. There are extra things to consider when you are in a wheelchair. Arrive early. Get good parking. Exchanging NFL football game tickets is done on a first come, first served basis. Exchange early to assure yourself a seat. Enjoy the football game!




Janet Nicol writes about obstacles and solutions to problems facing people in a wheelchair. She draws from personal experiences and the experiences of people she meets. Janet's goal is to make life easier, more exciting and more enjoyable for people in wheelchairs. Being part of the mainstream of society by traveling, shopping, working and driving is everyone's desire and Janet hopes to give people in wheelchairs some of the tools to follow their dreams.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Gaining Yards - Utilizing The Football Tailgate To Your Advantage

From coast to coast, Fall is the time where football fans get excited and show their devotion to their teams. And because the weather in the early autumn months is crisp and cool, it's a great time to get outside and tailgate at the games. Whether its high school, college, or the pros, millions of football fans are enjoying the pre-game as much as the game itself. Your company can take advantage of this enormous and exciting tradition with the use of well chosen promotional products.

No matter the size of the tailgate or the team, all tailgates have a few things in common. Fans in parking lots are eating, drinking, and, for lack of a better phrase, being merry. You could even call these activities the three cornerstones of tailgating. So in this article we'll take you through how you can use these three essentials to kick-off a great football season with your clients, potential clients, and employees.

Eat. While there will inevitably be different sorts of food at every game, you can always count on it being there. Whether it's a small one car party or an entire parking lot of people hopping from one station to the next, your company can promote itself by making game day even more enjoyable. For a cheap giveaway to gain new business, items like promotional napkins can be imprinted with your company logo and handed out to any fan. You'll make game day a little cleaner, which will make them a fan of your company, too!

If you want to impress your current employees or clients, there are also more high-end products that you can use. For example, items like imprinted barbecue utensils or grills make great tailgate items. Your company can use items like these as part of an incentive program, or as a corporate gift. When they reach to flip over a burger, they'll be reminded of how you made game day that much more fun. And when they pack up the car after the final play, your recipients will be able to use your products at home as well, which means you'll have invested in a promotion that lasts year-round.

Drink. Where there is food, there will be drinks. After all, no on likes to eat a burger without something refreshing to wash it down with. Unfortunately, many loyal fans either forget to bring cups or run out quickly. You can make the tailgate more enjoyable for fans by handing out promotional cups, complete with your company name and information. If you use items like stadium cups, they can be saved and used at home. More drinking-related annoyances that tailgaters run into are drinks that are either too hot, too cold, go flat too quickly, or just won't open. You can solve these problems for them with items like promotional koozies, soda can lids, and imprinted can openers. Solve small problems like this on football day, and they'll look to your business to solve even more for them. For higher-end items, products like coolers make great corporate gifts. They can be as small as a lunch box or big enough to hold dozens of cans- either way, they'll certainly keep football fanatics happy.

Be Merry. As important as food and drink are to the tailgating football fanatic, taking advantage of the feeling of excitement that consumes game day is perhaps the best way for your company to reach out to fans. Giving them promotional products that bolster team spirit and make your recipients enjoy their day more are sure to be successful. Items like imprinted speakers to play music will not only be appreciated by your clients and employees, but will get noticed by the surrounding parties of people. To make it easier to eat their tailgate food and relax, products like promotional folding chairs are ideal. Items like these have large imprint areas and can be used for years to come, making them a good choice for a gift to give to clients or employees.

Overall, taking advantage of the football craze will certainly prime your business to score a touchdown.




Mark Yokoyama is Director of Marketing for ePromos Promotional Products, Inc, one of the largest promotional product and corporate gift distributors in the US.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Flex Time - How Football is Helping Employers Build Relationships With Employees

Traditionally, the only time that the words football, employers and employee are used comfortably in the same sentence is when it involves a company sponsored event. And while in the US we start thinking pads, helmets and the NFL at the mention of football, the rest of the world has an entirely different association. When I say football, to the majority of the world it means soccer.

And 2010 is a special year, the FIFA World Cup is being held in South Africa. Around the world, avid football fans are preparing to cheer on their teams. You can imagine the challenge that employers will have to keep employees focused and on task when the game is on...or will they?

David Woods of the UK's HR Magazine reported that "According to legal firm DLA Piper, 51% of employers are investigating the option of flexible working for staff during the football World Cup. The survey of 352 business leaders and HR professionals in the UK found the most popular flexible options during the football season are shift swapping (33%), early finishes (59%) and late starts (35%)." (1)

While the concept may seem counterproductive to many businesses here in the US, employers in the UK are looking for just that: productivity. In an economy where it might seem more reasonable to clamp down on employees with restrictions, the World Cup may be providing the rest of the world with a chance to lift spirits and relieve some of the employer/employee tension that may have been building. It is an opportunity to build relationships with employees.

So, in the US, how could you apply this strategy? For most, the World Cup is not nearly as important. The idea is to find out what matters to your employees. Are they having a tough time getting their kids to school and still make it to work on time? Work with them. Do they volunteer after work for a kids program? Work with them there too. What you will find is a happier and more productive employee. What more could you want?

(1) Woods, David. "Employers are prepared for flexible working during World Cup - but only for England Games." http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk. http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/News/MostEmailed/1007403/Employers-prepared-flexible-working-during-World-Cup---England-games/. 02 June 2010




Terra Pugh is the Marketing and Sales Director of Time Masters, a leading provider of time and attendance solutions for over 15 years. For more information or for solutions for time attendance, please visit http://www.time-masters.com.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Giant Stiletto is a Cool Lowrider Bike

With their original design and streetwise style, chopper bikes have become one of the most exciting trends in bicycles today. Choppers are a serious fashion statement, generally associated with urban culture, although their retro style appeals to both the young and old. Choppers give riders the opportunity to express their individuality while also providing a comfortable, relaxing ride. They have become so popular lately that they have been adopted as a way of life for some who join clubs to customize, create, and ride their elaborate creations.

Chopper bikes were first seen in California in the beginning of the 60s. Teenagers began imitating popular customized motorbikes that had been "chopped", or put together with parts from several different bikes, for a unique look. Schwinn were the first large bicycle manufacturers to notice this new style and started producing it for mass consumption. In 1963 they introduced their extremely popular Stingray model, which spawned many copies and secured the chopper a place in design and cultural history.

Today chopper bikes are here again, brought about by the popularity of retro styles and the desire to return back to simpler bicycle styles after the long era of complexly designed mountain bikes. Raleigh, who were one of the first companies to start producing choppers, have introduced a new design that is taking a new generation by storm and introducing them to the phenomenon of chopper bikes. Fans are also building their own choppers, often from the scratch, and customizing them in every way imaginable in order to make the ultimate expression of individuality. These customized bikes sport upholstery, specialized paint jobs, and ornamental components, all of which serve to turn the chopper into a work of art.

For anyone who is new to choppers, there are lots of different styles to suit every budget. So you can go right ahead and get yourself that Chopper that you have been eyeing for sometime. No matter how small your budget is, you can and will find some thing to make a go for. If you are looking to buy a chopper you can choose from the many ready made models (which you can then customize yourself with special components and accessories) or you can have one built from scratch, to your exact specifications. While custom design are more expensive, they allow you to design your bike just the way you like it and ensure that your bicycle fits you exactly, providing you with many years of fun riding, seeing, and of course being seen.




Alison Addy is the author of many articles on subjects like custom bicycles and published at http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com - Keep reading about roval and roval wheels at his web.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The History of the Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles have been in existence since the nineteen-thirties. They won three NFL championships before the NFL merged with the AFL, so those were not Super Bowl winning teams. The team has played in two Super Bowls. In 1980 they lost to the Oakland Raiders and in 2004 they lost to the New England Patriots. Despite the Super Bowl losses the Eagles have been one of the top teams in the NFL for the past ten years. Quarterback Donovan McNabb and running back Michael Westbrook lead one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL year in and year out.

The Eagles play their home games at Veterans Stadium from 1971-2002 before moving to the new, state of the art, Lincoln Financial Field. They play in front of 69.032 fans each Sunday. The notorious Eagles fans support their team in good times and bad, but they do not hesitate to let the Eagles know when they are not happy. This is a crowd who once booed Santa Claus at a game at the old Veterans Stadium and they haven't become any more easygoing since they moved to their new home. One feature that was removed from the new field was the four cell jail that was a holdover needed for the rowdy crowds at the old Vet.

The Eagles were named in honor of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal which is also why their helmets are adorned with a silver eagle. One of the more interesting facts in team history is that in 1941 they briefly merged with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was because during World War II the two teams were unable to fill their rosters. The team was known as the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh "Steagles" and the merger was broken up after the 1943 season when the two franchises were again able to field a full roster.

Over the years Eagles fans have been lucky enough to see many NFL greats play for their team. There are eighteen players in the pro football Hall of Fame that played or coached for the Eagles. There are also seven former Eagles players that have had their numbers retired. In addition to the retired numbers there are twenty-eight former players, coaches, or executives who are honored in the Eagle Honor Roll.

In 2008 Forbes magazine ranked Eagles fans as the most diehard fans in America which anyone on the more than forty-thousand person waiting list can attest. Season tickets are renewed at more than a 99.7% rate so the people who are at the bottom of the waiting list are going to be there for quite a few years. Of course, being the most diehard fans in America this doesn't discourage many of them from waiting.

The Philadelphia Eagles have made the playoffs in seven of the last eight years and this trend looks as though it will continue well into the next decade. When Philadelphia fans booed the draft day selection of superstar quarterback Donovan McNabb they had no idea he would become the face of one of the winningest franchises in the National Football League. In this era many people only judge success by Super Bowl wins, but the Philadelphia Eagles are a franchise that plays the right way and has won an awful lot of football games along the way.




Writer and editor, Freddie Brister, is a former high school football coach of 25 years. His love of the game of football is reflected in his words and memories of growing up in the South and playing football in the back yard with his brother, cousins and neighborhood friends. His biggest thrill is watching former high school players he has coached play at the college level. His favorite pastime is watching NFL on tv and attending the games in person every chance he gets. Freddie Brister is a huge fan of the NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles. Check out his Philadelphia Eagles Watch and his Denver Broncos Door Mat.

Monday, March 7, 2011

NCAA - How it Started

It all started in 1905. Due to the many injuries that occurred in the rough and tumble sport of football, President Theodore Roosevelt gathered many, if not all, of the leaders of athletics in Washington for 2 conferences to encourage them to reform the rules of the sport. In New York City under the leadership of Henry M. McCracken, The Chancellor of New York University, a meeting of 13 universities met and the rules of football changed. When the second meeting convened, the 62 members established the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States aka IAAUS.

In 1910 the IAAUS officially changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As this organization grew in membership so did its difficulties with maintaining its integrity.

A crucial time in the NCAA's history occurred after WWII. The abuse of the rules that were established to protect the integrity of the game came under scrutiny. There were infractions of the rules concerning financial aid and the recruitment of college athletes. To establish more stringent guidelines the "Sanity Code" was adopted.

It was in 1951 that it was decided that the Association needed a full-time leader who could oversee the day to day affairs of this ever growing entity. Walter Byers was named to that post and in 1952 the national headquarters of the NCAA was established in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Association flourished and grew over the years and in 1973 the members split into 3 divisions with each having legislative powers in 3 separate competitive genres. Consequently, these divisions divided into sub-divisions and the NCAA expanded.

In 1980 women's athletic team sports was added into Division I, II, and III. In 1981, at their 75th annual meeting, the women's athletic sports was voted into the Association and expanded the women's championship program by 19 events.

Over the past few years,2003 to 2009, the NCAA was headed by Myles Brand. He passed away in September of 09 and Jim Isch was named interim president. As of this date, a permanent president has not been named.

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Sunday, March 6, 2011

Designing a Sports Themed Room

Most boys love sports, most probably your son too. So why not let him enjoy his favorite sport even in his dreams by giving him a sports themed bedroom. It's easy to do this by following the tips below.

First of all, you will want to give him a theme related to his favorite sport, be it baseball, soccer, basketball or football. You should know which it is he likes easily, but if he likes a variety, ask him which his favorite sport is.

For his walls, you have a variety of colors to choose from as you are not restricted to one color of paint. If he likes Arsenal, be sure to have red as your main color theme in the room. You may opt for wallpaper, instead, which has images of his favorite sports team. If you do paint the walls, you may still add borders or stencil images such as a sports scene, goal score, team logo or different balls. You may also have these images in the form of peel and stick decals as well as wallpaper murals. If there isn't a particular team color to chose from, blue is always a good option for a boy's sports themed room.

For his bedding, opt for a generic sports themed bed set, or buy the ones custom made of a particular sports team such as the New York Knicks. If you can't find one of a particular favorite team, settle for a bed set in the colors of his favorite team.

Get a soft comfortable area rug, in his favorite team color, on which he can roll around as most young boys like to do. You can find area rugs bearing the team logo of his favorite team easily.

For his window treatments, you can find curtains that come in the complete team bed set to complete the whole sports themed room. Alternatively, you can always do up your own curtains and pillow covers by selecting fabrics in the particular team color then buying logo labels and sewing them onto the covers.

For the accessories, line up stuffed animals of the team's mascot, and also pile up pillows which have the team logo. His stuffed animals could be sporting his favorite team jersey. Display these on shelves along the walls. You can get a lot of small balls which you may also display on the shelves. Posters are another great way to decorate the walls. These may be of his favorite star athlete or team. Baseball caps, helmets and trophies he has won may also be lined up along the shelves. He will be very proud to have these in a visible place for all his friends to see. Personalize the room further by displaying photos of him in his sports gear. You may also create a sports image collage by cutting out photos from a sports magazine.

Sports themed room decor is readily available and affordable. Give your son a room he will enjoy being in for a long time.




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Saturday, March 5, 2011

NFL Predictions - 2010 Denver Broncos

The 2009-10 Denver Broncos started out the NFL Picks season with a 6-0 record and then came the bye week and after that the Broncos were a dismal 3-7. Gone from the team is last years leading receiver Brandon Marshall who had 1,120 yards and caught 10 touchdowns to lead the team, but it was his lack of leadership and off the field antics that got him shipped out of the mile high city. Both coaches and players are glad Marshall is no longer a member of the Denver Broncos but he was the best offensive weapon the team had.

Running back Knowshon Moreno had a pretty good rookie year carrying the football, leading the team with 947 yards. Quarterback Kyle Orton struggled big time at the end of the season, he ended up with over 3800 passing yards but didn't look very comfortable in the pocket most of the season. The Broncos averaged a little over 20 points per game which was 20th in the league, 114 yards on the ground, 226.7 yards through the air and averaged about 341 yards per game in total offense which was 15th best in the NFL.

This sports handicapper believes that number will go down dramatically with Marshall gone. The team really excelled on the defensive side of the football with sack master Elvis Dumervil leading the team with 17 sacks, earning him a spot in the pro bowl. The Bronco defense ranked 7th overall in the NFL giving up 315 yards per game and the pass defense was ranked 3rd overall, due to the constant pressure of Dumervil and cornerback Champ Bailey who has probably been the top cornerback for the past 4 years.

Coach Josh McDaniel and his staff have their work cut out for them in 2010-11. The number one question is how can the team prevent a collapse like last year and 2nd how do they replace the productivity of a guy like Brandon Marshall. Knowshon Moreno will need to get the ball even more than he did last year, he is their best offensive player and Denver must use this guy as much as possible. I still don't think that Orton is the answer at quarterback, the Broncos may have gotten the steal of the NFL draft in 2010 when they chose Tim Tebow from the University of Florida, I really like what this guy brings to the table, he is just a winner and in time he will impose his will in the NFL.

Most experts didn't rank Tebow that high but I though he was a top 10 pick, sure he has to improve his throwing technique but as far a just being a pure football player, he is the real deal. The Denver Broncos have their regular AFC West schedule and have tough out of conference road games at Baltimore, Tennessee, and San Francisco and non conference home games against Indianapolis, the New York Jets and Houston. Denver will barely be an 8-8 team and will battle Oakland for 2nd place in the division, missing the playoffs again.

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Greg C Nelson

Friday, March 4, 2011

The Upcoming 2006 NFL Football Season

The 2005 NFL football season passed with new all time records being set, with everything from Shaun Alexander's record breaking 28 touchdowns in one season to Nathan Vasher's longest return of a missed field goal at an incredible 108 yards (also the longest play of any kind in NFL history) to the Seattle Seahawks amazing regular season performance and loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL.

Super Bowl XL was the 40th Super Bowl. The game was played on February 5, 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, following the regular football season of 2005. The American Football Conference (AFC) champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champions, the Seattle Seahawks, 21-10. Although the Seahawks won the turnover battle, 2-1, and outgained the Steelers by 57 yards, Pittsburgh won on the strength of three big plays converted for touchdowns. The Seahawks were plagued by controversial penalties, dropped balls, poor clock management, and a game-ending interception on a drive deep into Steelers' territory. This was the Steelers fifth Super Bowl win, and with this victory the Steelers join the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers for the most Super Bowl wins by a team.

The upcoming 2006 NFL season will be the 87th season of the National Football League. This season is scheduled to begin on September 7 and the opening kickoff game will feature the Miami Dolphins playing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 8:30 pm Eastern time (ET). The regular series of games start on Sunday, September 10, with the Indianapolis Colts playing the New York Giants in New York. Then on Monday Night, September 11, there will be a doubleheader: the Minnesota Vikings at the Washington Redskins at 7 pm ET, followed by the San Diego Chargers at the Oakland Raiders at 10:15 pm ET.

Three games are scheduled to be played on Thanksgiving Day. In addition to the traditional annual Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys home games during that day (who will host the Miami Dolphins at 12:30 pm ET and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4:15 pm ET, respectively), the Denver Broncos will travel to face the Kansas City Chiefs at 8 pm ET.

The season will conclude on New Year's Eve, December 31. Super Bowl XLI, the Super Bowl championship game for the 2006 season, will be held on February 4, 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Lakes, Florida, and the post-season will conclude with the Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

Based on the NFL's scheduling formula, the intraconference and interconference matchups for 2006 will be:

Intraconference

AFC East v AFC South

AFC North v AFC West

NFC East v NFC South

NFC North v NFC West

Interconference

AFC East v NFC North

AFC North v NFC South

AFC South v NFC East

AFC West v NFC West

2006 will be the first year that the NFL will use a "flexible-scheduling" system for the last seven weeks of the regular season. The system is designed so that the league has the flexibility in selecting games to air on Sunday night that will feature the current hottest, streaking teams. This system's primary purpose is to prevent games featuring losing teams from airing during primetime late in the season, while at the same time allowing surprise, playoff-potential teams a chance to play at night. During the previous 2005 season, a December 19 Monday Night game featured the 4-9 Baltimore Ravens versus the 3-10 Green Bay Packers, while hot, streaking teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Jacksonville Jaguars had little or no primetime games.

Because Christmas Eve (December 24) falls on a Sunday during the 2006 season, the flexible-scheduling will actually occur in seven of the last eight weeks. Instead of a Sunday night game on Christmas Eve, two games will be held on Monday, Christmas Day: The Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas at 5 pm ET, and the New York Jets at Miami at 8:30 pm ET. Therefore, the first real test of the new flexible scheduling will come with the 2007 season, with the final seven weeks scheduled to begin on November 18 of that year.

Under the flexible-scheduling system, all Sunday games in the affected weeks will have the start time of 1pm ET/10am PT, except those played in the Pacific or Mountain Time zones who will have a start time of 4 pm ET/1pm PT (or 4:15 PM ET/1:15 PM PT if it is a doubleheader weekend). On the Tuesday 12 days before the games, the league will move one game to the primetime slot, and possibly move one or more 1 pm slotted games to the 4 pm slots. During the last week of the season, the league could re-schedule games as late as six days before the contests so that all of the television networks will be able to broadcast a game that has playoff implications.

The 2006 NFL football season is sure to be full of new records, surprising stories, and incredible sports gambling action.




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Thursday, March 3, 2011

How the NFL Has Became What it is Today

There have been many changes in pro NFL leading to what it is now. Modern day pro football developed from rugby between 1869 and 1876. In 1876 the first rules for American football were written. This is when Walter Camp, who became known as the father of American football, first became involved with pro football. The first pro NFL player was made in 1982, William Heffelfinger. Then in 1898 a pro NFL touchdown was changed from four points to five points and changed again in 1912 from five points to six points.

Arizona Cardinals who got their name in 1994 after changing their name 6 times between 1899 and 1994 this pro football team remains the oldest continuing operation in football. In 1904 the field goal was changed from five points to four points and changed again in 1909 from four points to three points. The forward pass was not legalized in NFL until 1906. In 1933 the American Professional Football Association changed its name to the National Football League.

There are two Conferences in pro football, one being the American Football Conference and the second being the National Football Conference. These conferences were created in 1970 after the NFL merged with it's competing top-level league, the AFL (American Football League). All the teams in the NFC are either expansion teams created after the merger, or were in the NFL before the merger.

Three pro football teams that were in the NFL moved to the AFC the year of the merger so both conferences would have equal number of teams. Other than those three teams, all the AFC teams were in the AFL or are expansion teams created after the merger.

In modern day pro NFL there are a total of 32 teams and they play 16 games in a single season.




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Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Is Darrius Heyward-Bey Worth the Hype?

The Raiders had the 7th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft and many thought when Michael Crabtree was available, Oakland would select him. Instead they threw the football world a curve ball and selected wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. Why might you ask; was it because as all the pundits claim that old Al loves speed, speed, and more speed and forgets to look at what sits under the helmet and shoulder pads. Or was it because Al wanted to pull a surprise and wanted to continue to be that crazy old uncle none of us acknowledge when they have one too many at every family gathering. Whatever the reason plenty of raider fans are counting on him being the difference maker on the outside with Russell and McFadden taking control of the rest of the offense.

No doubt this move brought on much controversy, as after all Crabtree was a two time Fred Biletnikoff award winner (only receiver in college history to receive this award twice). Hopefully no Raider fan has forgotten that Fred Biletnikoff is a NFL Hall of Famer and played for the Raiders for those of you that don't know. He was also the guy who when you needed that tough catch or that extra yard, Fred would deliver time and again.

I can only speculate that the Raiders choose Darrius because of their obsession with physically gifted athletes. When it comes to physical skills Bey clearly has those, with his 6'2, 210 pound frame and a 4.3, 40 yard dash time. But where have we seen this old song and dance before, hmmm have we forgot already about Fabian Washington, Michael Huff, or Stanford Routt.

So what has Darrius been up to? We hear he is having hamstring problems in camp already. Not what any Raider fan wants to hear right about now but Heyward-Bey is battling hamstring issues throughout camp. If he cannot stay on the field, then his productivity will go into the gutter, for his rookie year at least. When you draft 7th overall, that can't be the pattern. After all, Huff was selected 7th overall and another 7th overall pick was traded for Randy Moss, yes that Randy Moss. It can't be a swing and miss pick anymore.

I hope that Darrius can overcome this lingering problem, because Crabtree is playing for the San Francisco 49ers. If Bey turns out to be a bust, the Raiders are going to look very foolish. It will hurt even more if Crabtree becomes the great player, that many people project he will be. How painful would that be having the guy you passed on starring right across the bay. How much more can the raider fan's take.

Look for the Raiders to use receivers Jonnie Lee Higgins and Chaz Schilens, if Bey cannot stay on the field this season. Not exactly a dynamic duo who are going to scare anyone.




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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Jewelry in Professional Sports

Have you ever wondered what kind of jewelry an athlete is allowed to wear on the field? Like is a pitcher player allowed to wear a men's wedding ring on the on the mound? Or is a hockey player allowed to wear a necklace? Here is a brief rundown on what professional athletes are allowed to wear in the four major sports.

NHL

Since most of the a players body is covered on the ice (save the neck and face) by their uniform, skates, socks, gloves and helmet, the NHL does not have any rules pertaining to what type of jewelry can be worn during the game. Since it's a high impact sport, players are apt not to wear any type of earrings or rings during the games. As for necklaces, as long as they don't appear outside of the jersey they are allowed.

NFL

If there is one sport that is hyper critical of what a player wears on the field, it is the NFL (or as some fans have dubbed it the "No Fun League"). Not only can you get penalized for excessive celebration on the field, but also for wearing non- sanctioned socks or shoes. And the rules begin from the time someone hits the field for pre-game practice all the way to the time they leave the stadium. Rules are even enforced during post game interviews! Ironically, though, the NFL does not have excessive rules on what kind of jewelry can be worn on the field. Since hands are primarily used for catching and blocking, rings are generally not worn as they could affect the catching or throwing of a ball. Necklaces and ear rings, on the other hand, are worn, as long as they are within reason. Bracelets, on the other hand, must be covered at all time. Did I mention that officials review the entire game afterwards to make sure (once again) that no one broke uniform rules during the game? Wow.

NBA

In the past few years the commissioner's office has begun to come down hard on NBA players with a new dress code that has limited what a player could wear before and after a game. This is extended to the court where NBA players are not allowed to wear any type of jewelry. This means earrings; bracelets, rings and necklaces are all no-no's. The only accessories allowed on the court are knee and elbow braces, headbands and, of course, tattoos.

MLB

Major League Baseball, on the other hand, seems to have a very liberal policy when it comes to jewelry. Essentially you can wear any type of jewelry unless it's deemed by an umpire as "distracting" or can interfere with the game. In other words, pitchers can't wear rings as they might scuff the ball and no giant mirrored necklaces that might distract the batter from the ball (not that anyone is thinking of wearing it, but you get the idea).

Seems most sports don't allow for jewelry, not even mens wedding rings, so what's a guy to do? Keep that ring somewhere safe until the game is over!




Author Kimberly Green had to keep sports in mind when looking for mens wedding rings as her husband loves to play all sorts of sports!