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

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

Here are a few examples:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Past Years Scores

We are able to do this because of our wise use of practice time, our integrated schemes and the progression nature of the teaching methods we use to develop our teams. We go into these games with a lot of confidence. Quite often we are literally months ahead of our competition that first game. We have been told many times by our opponents that our kids seem to be pretty carefree and very confident. My thoughts are we appear so because we are, the kids know they are prepared to play that first game. Our coaches are all calm, cool and confident before the games because as we all know, the kids are all taking their cues from us, that calm demeanor is part of coaching youth football well. If your coaches are fretting and worried, the kids will be too. Even if deep inside you aren't confident any of your football plays will even work that day, you need to appear so on the outside for your youth football players and your team.

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

Dave Cisar-

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

Clips of his 2006 team in action: Youth Football Plays [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-699579089183056593]

Copyright 2007 Cisar Management and winningyouthfootball.com

Josh Freeman - Mr Underrated

When someone mentions about top quarterbacks in the NFL, players like Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady come to mind.

They are certainly game changing quarterbacks with the ability to make even the most unlikely miracle happen. Many of the above have produced countless fourth quarter comebacks within the dying seconds of the match to snatch victories. This is what you would expect from a top quarterback, a leader in every circumstance. What you really need is consistency. What use is a quarterback that throws picks instead of completions when under pressure. You need a quarterback that delivers, and does so day in and day out.

The majority of the quarterbacks above have been to Super Bowls and back and proven themselves, but it doesn't mean they are immune from mistakes.

Take Eli Manning. Eli famously led the Giants to a third Super Bowl title against the previously unbeaten Patriots thanks to the help of David Tyree's helmet just three years ago. But the Giants have missed out on the playoffs for the last two seasons showing a dip in form. Last season, despite throwing for over 4,000 yards, 31 touchdowns, he also threw 25 interceptions, his most so far since being drafted in 2004. Maybe he was taking more risks, but the stats suggest they were unnecessary ones. The offensive line conceded just 16 sacks last season, just over half the season prior to that suggesting that they were buying the quarterback time, he was just making the wrong decisions.

Drew Brees, even more of a risk taker, threw 33 touchdown passes, but these came at a cost with the Saints leader being picked off by the opposition 22 times. Brees is an incredibly experienced quarterback and also has the luxury of experienced wide receivers surrounding him so 22 interceptions does come as a surprise.

Everyone raved about Peyton Manning - the 'Field General' producing results with his young team of receivers. The Colts struggled heavily with injuries but still managed to make the playoffs for a 9th consecutive season. He again threw well, for over 4,700 yards but this is always expected from a quarterback with such a high reputation. His quarterback rating overall for the season was incredibly poor in comparison with other top quarterbacks Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers and Michael Vick.

A player in my eyes who deserves more recognition in the 2010-2011 is Tampa Bay's quarterback Josh Freeman. In what was only Freeman's second season, and his first full one he brought the Bucs from a team with a 3-13 record to a very impressive and positive 10-6 record. Unfortunately the Bucs narrowly missed out on the playoffs but Freeman threw for over 3,400 yards, and 25 touchdowns. And at what cost? Just 6 interceptions - equal with Michael Vick. Admittedly Freeman had a bumpy start to the season with 5 picks in the first 9 weeks, but he finished up throwing just 1 pick in the remaining 8 games showing that he is a quick learner and builds upon his mistakes. Freeman also led the Bucs to 4 remarkable comebacks last season which demonstrated his pose and matureness under pressure.

The Bucs are largely constructed on rookie players offensively, the same as the Manning situation. The most senior wide receiver is Maurice Stovall in his sixth year. What Freeman managed to achieve was definitely an impressive second season for such a young quarterback. For a side with very few consistent game changing wide receivers Freeman produced inspirational results and it is a wonder how this talent went so unnoticed amongst euphoria of Vick's comeback season success.

Freeman has surely lifted what some fans believed to be a sinking ship in Tampa and the Bucs will be unfortunate to miss out again in the playoffs.

Troy Polamalu - 2003 Draft Day Picks

Troy Polamalu was born on April 19, 1981 in Garden Grove, California. Polamalu is of Samoan descent, and is well known across the football world for his hard hits and endless energy on the field, as well as his soft spoken attitude off of it. Polamalu is definitely one of the best players and nicest guys in the NFL. This is a rare combination that is not matched by many.

Polamalu played high school football in Winston, Oregon at Douglas High School. In addition to earning a letter in football, Polamalu also lettered in baseball and basketball as well. This alone shows the type of athleticism that Polamalu brings to the game. As a senior in high school Polamalu was an All Far West player in football, which led him to choose this as his primary sport.

After high school Polamalu took his game to the University of Southern California. During three seasons as a starter at safety Polamalu wreaked havoc on opposing offenses. He finished his career with 278 tackles, 13 pass deflection, 6 interceptions, and four blocked punts.

Polamalu was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and has been with the team ever since. He is the starting safety for the Steelers, and was a big reason that the team won the 2006 Super Bowl. But although Polamalu's game stands on its own, he may be most famous for his long hair. Polamalu has not had a hair cut since 2000 due to his Samoan culture in which men wear their hair long.

With such a quiet demeanor Polamalu does not get nearly as much recognition as other players with half of his skill level. But one thing is for sure. Polamalu does all of his talking on the field. He is always among the best defensive players in the league, and has been selected to several Pro Bowl teams.

Bob writes for DraftDayPicks.com and MVPProShop.com. Where you can purchase a Troy Polamalu Jersey [http://www.fanfrenzyzone.com/nfl/troy_polamalu_bio.html] or get information about a Troy Polamalu Jersey

Be Safe In The Workplace - Taking Steps To Avoid Injury At Work

Each year in the place of work there are more and more reported injuries, many of these are injuries that could have been prevented by either the employee or employer. Some of the injuries and incidents are very minor but others are quite serious and in many cases lead to death or the person being injured so badly that they can no longer continue in the job of their choice. In this day and age of health and safety in the work place many of the injuries that happen are avoidable but what can we all do to ensure that we keep the place of work as safe as possible for ourselves and others?

With the iNFLux of so many foreign workers to most major European countries it can be difficult to police the way that many places of work are managed with regards to safety in the work place, this is not because the foreign workers come to countries with the sole intention of working in a dangerous manner it is just that in many cases they come from countries that do not have legislation in place to cover health and safety in the workplace so they know no different. This is where we as the established workforce have to do our bit as well as the management to ensure that necessary training is provided to ensure that all workers, whether foreign or nationals understand the reasons behind being safe in the work place. Where ever you work there should be a contact person in charge of all matters to do with health and safety so that any issues can be raised directly with someone who can make the necessary changes. Ideally the person who is involved in the health and safety in the workplace should not be a member of management as many employees are very nervous about reporting a problem directly to a person in management.

Depending on what environment you work in there are many things that you should be aware of to make the work place a safer environment to be in. For many of us we have to spend forty hours a week at work so we owe it to our colleagues and to our families to make it as safe as is possible. For instance if you work in a warehouse and you notice pallets that have been stacked high in a dangerous manner you should think it your duty to report it to someone, not with the intention of getting a colleague in trouble but with the intention of perhaps saving a colleagues life. If the management know about the problem they can act on it, not only rectifying the problem but ensuring that the person responsible for the dangerous stacking is given the correct training to ensure that it does not happen again.

Wearing of the correct clothing whilst at work is also paramount to your safety, no longer are you allowed to work on a building site wearing normal day to day shoes or trainers as you must now wear footwear with an adequate amount of protection in the form of a protective toe of either poly-carbonate or steel. The same goes with clothing, in most work places other than offices you must wear high visibility clothing to enable you to be seen by both colleagues and by people coming into the place of your work. High visibility clothing offers no protection as such merely enables you to stand a better chance of being seen and hence avoid an accident or injury.

In many outdoor places of work where there are things going on overhead it is also critical the you wear some form of protective head gear, whether it is in the form of a safety helmet or a safety baseball cap, which are becoming more popular, it is the responsibility of your employer to provide these and your responsibility to wear them.

An area that is equally as important as protecting your head is ensuring that you have adequate protection for your eyes at all times, a very small piece of stray debris in your eye can prove to be extremely dangerous and can lead to you damaging your eyesight or even worse, losing your sight completely. Protective eyewear [http://www.sports-shades.com/Eyewear/Eyewear/Eyewear] has come on massively in the past few years, with many designs being very fashionable and comfortable to wear giving you no reason not to make sure that your eyesight is protected at all times at work.

Finally, it is not only the responsibility of your employers to make sure you are safe at work, it is the responsibility of everyone who works with you. If you see a situation that may lead to the injuring of a colleague it is your responsibility to report it, do not leave it for someone else to do, You may be the last person to see the problem before the next person seriously injures themselves.

For more info on all things eyewear, health and safety please visit our site - www.sports-shades.com [http://www.sports-shades.com]

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Harwood E Woodpecker

Create Your Own Custom Football Jerseys

When you think of a sport uniform, you probably think of football uniforms and those huge football jerseys that are usually available in department stores as well as sporting goods stores. Have you ever thought of creating your own custom football jersey? You can if you simply look in the right place. Do a search online and you will find many football jerseys for sale, but they aren't custom designed. With a custom shop you can actually design your own football jersey and make it as unique as you are.

Regardless of whether you need to buy for one or two dozen football players, you can find what you are looking for and needing with a custom shop. Many shops offer your own design but not many can offer you the opportunity to actually sit down and use a program to see what they design will look like before you order. Custom shops sometimes offer a program called custom jersey builder that allows you to actually build you jersey and see what it will look like before you place your order.

With the custom jersey builder, custom football jerseys are easy. You choose the jersey style, body, shoulder, sleeve and insert color, neck style and colors, cuff style and colors, the custom neck, sleeve stripe or pattern color, and your sleeve options. This is all just in the first steps of the process. You must choose a material for your jersey, then begin to think about the lettering you want to use on the front and back.

The next step is to choose your lettering for the jersey. Custom football jerseys generally have the team name on the front and the team member's name on the back along with their number. You get to choose the style of lettering, color, and whether you want them sewn on or screen printed. This includes lettering on the sleeves if you choose. Once you have completed this process and you have examined the picture of the product, it is time to begin listing your player's names and numbers.

During the next step you will choose the size of jersey for each player along with the name you want imprinted on the back and their number. For example if John wears a size 2X jersey, you order a 2X with

Design Team Uniforms and Custom Jerseys at The Sporting Store. We are your best source for athletic team jerseys, custom team uniforms, team sports apparel and Custom Team Jerseys.

Football Practice - Pee Wee Coaching Practice Plan

When pee wee football leagues were first developed, coaches made players' physical training the top priority of football practice. Their thinking was that young player needed to be in top condition in order to play well in the future. While being adequately fit to play the game is still important, coaches have now shifted their priority to making sure beginners have a basic understanding of the game. By successfully training young players in the fundamentals when practicing football, coaches can know that they will continue on with a solid foundation in the sport.

Conditioning Warm-Up

Start practice with conditioning drills to get players warmed-up for the game. If practicing with equipment, this is good time for the kids to get used to the extra padding and weight. Start with push-ups and agility exercises. The tire drill is an effective agility exercise to emphasize the importance of high knees.

Next, have players do running drills. This is a good time to explain the layout of the football field. Set up running drills so that players will have to accurately read yard markers.

Coaching the Fundamentals

When first coaching, it is important to start with the basics. Remember that this might be the kids' first exposure to any organized sport, so explaining each aspect of the game is vital for the players' understanding.

• Tackling: The first priority when coaching tackling is the safety of the players. Use tackling dummies to demonstrate how to properly tackle, emphasizing using the shoulder pads to lead into the tackle and the arms to wrap around the opponent. Beginners need to understand that serious injuries can occur from leading the tackle with the head, even with the helmet on. Improper tackling technique is never acceptable.


• Blocking: After tackling, coach beginners on the basics of blocking and how to utilize proper blocking technique. Players should learn to keep their hands inside the shoulder frame and make contact with the upper body, but never head. Again, even with the helmet, serious head and neck injuries are possible.


• Plays: Coaches should take extra time to explain the basics of football plays. Understanding plays is one of the biggest challenges of youth football, but it is very important for the players' development. Use visuals to show players how a play looks on paper compared to how it is executed on the field. Each player should learn how his position will be determined by different plays. This is an opportune time to reinforce the differences between offense and defense and the different roles they perform in each play.

Wrapping it Up

Close practice by going over what was learned that day, and give players the opportunity to ask questions. They need to understand your role as coach and know that they can come to you when needed. Practice should be over only when everyone has a basic understanding of the skills covered that day.

Next step: Visit my football coaching blog for more than 468 free drills, plays, and practice tips for youth and high school teams.

Each tip is simple to learn, easy to teach, and amazingly effective for players of all ages. From basic fundamentals, to advanced skills, to in-depth coaching strategy, you'll find it all at:

http://www.football-tutorials.com/

Sports Memorabilia - Collectors Love Sports Display Cases

As the popularity of collecting sports items continues to grow, the collectors of sports memorabilia are finding creative and innovative ways to display their collections.

While some collectors are satisfied to simply prop their item up in a corner for easy access, savvy collectors know that if the item is truly worth collecting, it's worth protecting, not to mention displaying with pride.

Sellers of sports memorabilia have come to realize the importance of display options to both the casual and serious collector, and so today many of the most successful retail outlets offer an impressive collection of sports display cases.

Whether it's a simple Plexiglas case for that prized autographed football or your own hole-in-one golf ball, or an impressive shadow box sports display case sized just right for holding your favorite team jersey, finding the right display case is almost as important as the item you've collected itself.

Sports display cases make great gifts any time of year for those hard-to-buy-for sports nuts and collectors. Even those sports fans who aren't avid memorabilia collectors enjoy displaying their personal items in a special case designed just for that purpose.

Tom Schwahn, whose company Home-Team-Sports sells both memorabilia and the cases to keep them, says that well-made sports display cases are popular items for his online retail store.

"An attractive display case can turn even a simple item like your first home run ball or your favorite junior high school uniform into decorative art. Our customers who invest in expensive collectibles, such as autographed footballs, basketballs, or hockey sticks want to preserve the integrity of the item and safeguard it with the protection of an attractive and functional sports display case," Schwahn says.

Sports Collectors Daily, which covers all sorts of sports memorabilia and collecting news, says that display cases are nothing new, but the quality and variety has burgeoned in recent years.

Whether sports fans collect die cast Nascar replicas or NFL football helmets, chances are there's a quality sports display case built just for the item. The National Football League and Major League Baseball have both licensed lines of sports display cases that are available with engraved team logos.

Licensed MLB items include cases for baseballs, gloves, full size and mini batting helmets, baseball bats, baseball shoes, baseball caps and hats, bases and home plates, tickets, sports cards and more.

"It's important to protect your investment, and the best way to do that is to enclose it in a specially made case," Schwann says.

Sports display cases add to the value of collectibles and many feature your choice of materials, including different types of wood trim, as well as glass, plexiglass, and even personalized engraving. Most come ready to mount to the wall or to display on a shelf, and when properly displayed you never need to worry that your young nephew will run off with your Joe Montana football or head to the links with your Arnold Palmer ball.

From the simple to the sublime, one particularly elaborate display case is the 4th Dimension Football Display. It's a specially constructed display case that uses reflection and mirrored insides to showcase every side of an autographed football. From a distance, the case looks like it's holding several footballs, when in reality, there's room for only one inside. It's a perfect example of how the way something is displayed can take it from being a singular item into an impressive work of art.

The business of collecting sports memorabilia shows no sign of slowing down, and for those whose collections have outgrown their shelf space or who are concerned about protecting their valuables, a sports display case is a smart idea.

Tom Schwahn is a sports enthusiast and owner of Home-Team-Sports.com, an online retailer offering one of the nation's largest inventories of sports collectibles. Home-Team-Sports.com celebrates America's collective passion for professional and college teams and the athletes that make them great with top quality merchandise and superior customer service. Visit: http://www.home-team-sports.com

Football Equipment For Different Purposes

There is a lot of football equipment to choose from today. Much of the equipment is used in the game itself to keep players safe. But plenty of the equipment football players use is for preparing during practice.

Among football practice equipment, there are also two different types: equipment for fitness and muscular ability, and equipment for specific skills having to do with technique within the game.

As technique goes, there are many different products you can choose from. Here are just a few of those products and how they can be used to improve your football technique:

• Football tethers. Tethers are essentially a flexible cord that attaches the ball to your waistband (for practice passing) or a kickstand (for practice kicking). This allows you to repeatedly pass or kick, working on your technique, without needing another person or even very much space.


• Blocking dummies. These are some of the most popular football equipment products used for training a team's offensive or defensive line. Blocking dummies stand in for an opposing team, letting the linemen practice everything about how they scrimmage.

However, some of the gear used in football practice isn't for specific skills so much as overall fitness that helps those skills to succeed. For example, a running back and quarterback need the leg strength and agility to get past players from the opposing team, many of whom will try to trip or tackle the player with the ball.

• A running ladder or running ropes give players practice running with their feet high to avoid tripping.


• Another example is resistance training through parachutes or weighted sleds. These give players practice running with a strong resistance slowing them down. When they get in the game, they will not only be able to run faster, but also will be stronger against the opposition of the other team.

Finally, safety is of the utmost importance, and there is a plethora of football equipment dedicated to this end. From helmets and face masks and mouth guards to shoulder pads, thigh pads, and athletic cups, football safety gear is designed to protect the player's body as much as possible when they are on the field.

For the best deals on football equipment go to Football Equipment Central.

Express Yourself With Custom Hard Hats

The sight is very familiar from movies: a crowd of workers sporting generic yellow construction hard hats. While these old standbys are effective from a safety perspective, it seems like there should be some way of expressing your individuality in the workplace. The solution is custom hard hats. Some of the very finest companies offer them, and as safety hard hats go they're functionally equivalent to or better than the good old yellow ones that have been in circulation for decades.

These days, it's possible to sport anything from football themed Dallas cowboy hard hats to full brim styles that resemble an actual cowboy hat. Full graphics hard hats are increasing in popularity, and in addition to NFL designs, they can be totally personalized with your own company logo or with anything else you'd want to put on a customized design. It's a great way to inject variety and maybe a little humor into the tedium of a day to day job, and freedom of personal expression has also been linked to increased job satisfaction and better emotional health at work.

In addition to the element of personal expression, however, custom styles can also have a functional element. If you want your on-site leaders to be easily visible to the rest of the crew, the best way to do that is to outfit them with something that stands out. Whether it's a lime green hard hat or something more subtle, it's a very quick way for everyone to know who's in charge and who to take questions to. For a long time, the military has used just such a practice and each officer has his rank displayed on his helmet be quickly and easily identifiable in combat situations.

Nowadays, when hard hats are required for anyone even visiting a work site, there's all the more reason to take advantage of the availability of different designs. Make yourself stand out from the crowd and keep yourself safe at the same time. Remember, on a work site, it's always safety first, but why not have a little fun at the same time?

Is Winning About X's And O's In Youth Football Or Is It "Jimmies And Joes"

Youth Football Coaching Facts

When coaching youth football we have all heard the adage "It's not about the X's and the O's it's about the Jimmys and the Joes. In essence what that saying is trying to tell you is; Youth Football is all about talent levels, it has nothing to do with coaching or schemes. The next time you hear that saying, please consider the source. Is he a youth football coach that consistently has poor performing teams? How convenient to put the onus solely on the players for the teams success. By doing this the coach can avoid any personal responsibility for his teams failure or success. He might as well be playing lotto, because what he is saying is the success or failure of his team rests solely on who is living in his area, is of age and has signed up for the team.

Lack of Consistency In the "Talent" Crowd

Let's take a few steps back and start at the base of this irresponsible premise:

According to these guys ALL youth football players are created uniquely different, some are very good, some are average and some are poor. The premise states that because of these wide variations in player talent levels, the productivity of the teams they play on varies in direct proportions to these players unique abilities.

Now how about the coaches? Since it is 100% about the Jimmies and the Joes, coaching and schemes don't matter much at all, I guess all coaches and schemes MUST be equal.

So God created all these football players uniquely different with various amounts of athletic ability, intelligence, drive, determination and decision making ability BUT when it comes to football coaches God decided nope, I'm going to make all these guys EXACTLY alike. If that is correct, what happens when a football player who the "Jimmys and Joes" crowd says is so uniquely different than anyone else becomes a coach? Does this unique person all of a sudden changed into a clone of all other coaches? Does God say "You are different when you have that helmet on, but once I see you with the helmet off and a whistle around your neck, I'm going to change you into a clone of all the other coaches out there?"

Of course not, this is some silly premise made up by coaches whose teams don't do well to make themselves feel better about themselves.

Does talent matter? Sure it does, but so does coaching and so do schemes. We have all seen very athletic and physically imposing teams lose to less talented teams, it happens every week in youth football. There are coaches in our league both mine and with our opponents whose teams win no matter the level, age group or talent levels of the teams they have. In my youth football organization I knew that any team I gave to Stacy B to or Jay S would do very well and they always did. The talent levels varied greatly on these guys teams every year, but their results varied only slightly. The same can be said of coaches like Monte O, Bill, Rich D and Scott P who coach against us. They win year in and year out, no matter the age group, division or talent levels.

Just like players, coaches can get better and all's it takes is a commitment and some time to educate and prepare yourself to be a better coach. Obviously you are on right path if you are taking the time to be on this site and read this article.

What to Do

When your youth football team plays well, give the players all the credit, when they play poorly accept the blame yourself and learn from the experience.

Dave Cisar-

Dave has a passion for developing youth coaches so they can in turn develop teams that are competitive and well organized. He is a Nike "Coach of the Year" Designate and speaks nationwide at Coaches Clinics. His book "Winning Youth Football a Step by Step Plan" was endorsed by Tom Osborne and Dave Rimington.

With over 15 years of hands-on experience as a youth coach, Dave has developed a detailed systematic approach to developing youth players and teams. His personal teams to using this system to date have won 94% of their games in 5 Different Leagues.

To Sign up for his free tips newsletter or to see his 325 free tips go to: Football Plays

A Taste of Dave's teams: Youth Football Defense

Offensive Line

Why it is the Stanford Cardinal and Not the Stanford Cardinals?

Each and every football season there is something that drives me nuts. Seriously this really bothers me.

When Notre Dame plays Stanford I have to hear the announcers tell me that the Stanford Cardinal made their way up the field. There are eleven players on any offensive unit, not just one player. Cardinal is singular. Cardinals is plural. Would Cardinals not make more sense when describing a unit of 11 individuals making their way up the field?

I just do not get it. It literally drives me batty every time I hear it. Was it the whole team that made their way up the field or just one of them? And if so, which one?

Thankfully wikipedia.org gives me a little insight into why this is. It still does not make sense to me but I will let you decide.

In 1892 after a big win over Cal, Stanford adopted the color of cardinal as their primary color. Up until 1972, they were known as the Indians. At that time a group of Indian students took up a petition to change their name since the current one was offensive to them.

The University listened and from 1972 until 1981 their official name was the Cardinals.

The name apparently was never a reference to the bird just the color.

In 1981, the then Stanford present who was thinking way too hard on the subject, declared that they would be thereafter referred to as the Stanford Cardinal in singular form.

Why is this necessary? I think if I were a sportscaster assigned to cover one of their games I would have to take a stand. I would let the powers of be know that it will be my intention that when I reference one person on the team I will, in fact, refer to him as a Cardinal but when I refer to a group of players I will refer to them as the Cardinals. Simply doing otherwise is just silly and I obviously do not have time for much silliness.

Every adult must adhere to their own personal belief system or their life will be without honor.

Unfortunately this research led me to another huge problem with Stanford's team name and mascot.

They do not have a mascot. Why not?

At times their logo will have a tree in the middle of it. Other times it is just a big "S". The Stanford Tree is actually a member of the band who is dressed up as, well, what else, a tree. This tree is actually based on one particular tree which has a name, El Palo Alto, which is a redwood tree in Palo Alto.

Even though many people consider the "tree" their mascot it is not officially their mascot.

Stanford is a very highly respected college and you have to be smart to attend. You would think that a group of highly intelligent people would not have so many issues with naming their sports team or picking a mascot.

Perhaps now you will think differently.

I am thinking that using a tree would be actually a good thing if you have an exceptionally tough defense and you want to stress their immovability.

It does not work quite so well on the offensive side of things. Saying that running back was as fast as a tree, or that a wide receiver zipped across the field like a tree, just does not sound right.

Dan Bimrose is the creator of coffeeandprozac.com a website devoted to making people think, laugh or cry. Daily Opinions, Editorials, and Stories [http://www.coffeeandprozac.com] He suggests dropping bread crumbs so that you can find your way back on a daily basis. Dan has also just unveiled his latest website tuesdaysreleases.com which provides a convenient place for people to discover the latest DVD movies which have been released at their local video store.

Where to Find Personalized NCAA Football Jerseys

Football seasons are very exciting in every imaginable way. It's not just exciting for players themselves but most of all, fans get all hyped up thinking about the looming football season within a few months even weeks' time. Football is really among the most loved sport in America and people that more than just physical support, fans also find other means to show how much they love their teams and some particular players. This is evident with the personalized NCAA football jerseys.

The NCAA football is one of the much awaited football seasons annually. In here, colleges from all over the United States face off against each other to try and win the football cup. And because school spirits are so high during each of its games, personalized NCAA football jerseys have become very popular in each of the games. You can always see some students on the bleachers proudly cheering their reams on while wearing their very own personalized NCAA football jerseys.

Because these jerseys are so popular nowadays, there are so many ways in which you can get them. No, you don't have to worry about having them sewn in bulks just so you can avail of them. There are lots of different places where you can get them. There are many choices for you, but you there are ways in which you can trim down choices-by having a definite place to buy your own jersey. Here are two of the most important things to consider when searching for a place to buy them.

1.Brand names - Some popular sports apparel makers like Reebok are known to make football jerseys for players themselves. But apart from catering to them, these brand names also make personalized NCAA football jerseys. You might want to consider getting a branded jersey for yourself if you want to make sure that you only get the best there is out there.

2. Online stores - This is another good alternative for you. If you do not have so much time on your hands, online stores are a good choice for you. If you also do not have so that much budget for it, you can find lots of cheap personalized NCAA football jerseys in various sites online. Just make sure that you choose legitimate sites which have been around for a long time already and have catered to various clients online.

3.Football School Sellers - If you are a student and your problem is that you don't have a big budget and you don't have access to the internet, why not check out your school's football seller instead? There's definitely a shop for football souvenirs right on your own campus and chances are, you'll even get a discount since you belong to that school. You can also have the chance of getting your hands on some exclusive freebies which cannot be found elsewhere but your own school's football shop. Personalized NCAA football jerseys can be found right at your own second home-your college campus.

Article NCAA Football Jerseys [http://www.skyfireproducts.com/servlet/the-NFL-Football/Categories] is written by Cassaundra Flores, owner of http://www.skyfireproducts.com

The Jet-Fly-Speed Sweep in Youth Football

The speed sweep football plays go by many names; jet sweep, fly sweep and speed sweep and can be effective for certain youth football teams.

The speed sweep involves a wing, slot or flanker running at full speed motion, taking a handoff from the quarterback and sweeping the opposite end from where he came in motion from. The play is extremely effective at getting that speedy running back to the edge quickly.

There is even an entire offense built around this concept, called the "Fly Offense" that is run by a handful of High Schools. Many High School and even College Football teams incorporate the jet sweep into their regular offensive sets and series. Today many Wing T, Double Wing, I Formation, Ace Set and even a few Single Wing teams have Jet Series plays or add Jet Motion to some of their football playbooks. Unfortunately most TV announcers mistakenly call this play a reverse or end around, I have no clue how they get that term from a simple motion sweep action. Most Real football coaches know this is a Jet, Fly or Speed sweep play.

Once the defense starts flying to the motion to the outside, there are a number of complementary football plays that can be very effective: fullback trap, fullback wedge, "G" play with QB or Fullback, bootleg and waggle pass. The key is to have very tight mesh fakes to the fullback during the regular jet sweep plays. Some teams run the fullback first before the motion back, most have the fullback run his fake or take just behind the motion backs motion and of course have the QB bootleg away from the play. The tighter the mesh between fullback and motion back the more effective these football plays will be. The teams that do this well make this a boom boom play, all three backs going in different directions after a split second slight of hand mesh. Now making it work like that is another story.

This football play can be blocked in a variety of ways, with most teams going to a "reach" technique with the playside linemen and track blocking on the backside. Many youth football teams even pull the playside guard and tackle. With the speed the motion man is coming at, they feel they can leave the playside defensive tackle unblocked and he still can not get to the play if the motion man gains a bit of depth at the handoff. Some teams lead the motion man with a running back, others offset a blocking back to that side. Still others at the youth level may even pin the end man on the line of scrimmage in with a wing or slot and down block it with a GOD rule, Inside Gap, On, Down. However you run it, the play will not work unless the motion back is running at FULL SPEED. Your motion man has to be trained to trust the QB and his landmarks and run all out.

My only personal experience running the Jet Sweep was with an age 13-14 team, running the Double Wing Offense. This was a "B" level team that was very short on talent, size and players that I got just one week before their first game (fired entire coaching staff 1 week before their first game)and in addition to head coaching an age 8-10 team. We were able to add a speedy player to our team in week 3 of the season, due to very low numbers (17). We were looking for a way to put this speedster in space without throwing the ball, as our QB was very inaccurate. We were able to get the handoff to the motion man down well with a day or two of practice by making sure we had our timing and landmarks down, but it took quite a bit of tweaking and reps to get down, it is a play series that requires a tremendous amount of precision and time. Our QB would open up to the motion side, then bootleg away from the motion.

The hard part for us was getting good tight quick fakes to the fullback after the handofff or fake to the speed motion back and making a tight mesh. Making that work to a reasonable level and getting the timing down so we could run our fullback traps, G plays, fullback wedges, bootlegs and waggles out of it took at least 2 weeks. Our wedge never seemed to work very well off this action because it took too long for the fullbacks to get into the wedge after the motion back fake. We were able to get our speed back to the outside with this play. Running the jet sweep on short yardage situations was where we had the most success.

Since the edge is so tight on the Double Wing Offense and the Wing is motioning at full speed, the motion would start just an instant before the snap. To make sure we were not called for "offsides for simulating the snap" we had our motioning wing take a very slow deliberate drop step as the start of his motion. Many uniformed referees think you have to be in motion for one second before the snap, that is incorrect and probably is confused with the rule that every player must be set for one second before the team can go in motion. Doing the slow deliberate drop step seemed to solve all those issues. Since we had only one player with speed, it limited the amount we could run this play, as the defense could just set up wide opposite the wing the speed player was set to and counter the play call.

In 2000 I saw an age 8-10 youth football team in Council Bluffs, Iowa run the Fly Offense as their base with very tight jet motion. They were a very well coached youth football team with speed to burn. They were quite good, but the same coach in 2002 was running a different offense, so it may be talent dependent, like many offenses out there.

If you have the time and the speed, adding some jet motion plays to your offense may be helpful. When I mean speed I mean you have two reliable running backs that are both in the 95th percentile for the entire league. This is a precision based series, not a silver bullet, so if the execution of your base offensive football plays is not very good, this could be a big waste of time. Coaching Youth Football well means you have to decide if you have the talent and if you want to take valuable practice time to add something like this to your attack. For me it made sense just the one season, but I have not closed the door on doing some more of it in the future, especially if I had two reliable players with very good speed.

Dave Cisar-With over 15 years of hands-on experience as a youth coach, Dave has developed a detailed systematic approach to developing youth players and teams that has enabled his personal teams to win 97% of their games in 5 Different Leagues.

Dave is a trainer of youth football coaches nationwide. He has a passion for developing youth coaches so they can in turn develop teams that are competitive and well organized, while having fun and retaining players. His book "Winning Youth Football a Step by Step Plan" was endorsed by Tom Osborne and Dave Rimington. His DVDs and book have been used by teams nationwide to run integrity based programs that win championships.

To sign up for Dave's free youth football coaching tips newsletter, please click here: Football Plays

Copyright 2007 Cisar Management republishing this article without including this paragraph is copyright infringement.

Football-Related Boyfriend Gifts

Football-oriented boyfriend gifts are the perfect choice year-round. Unfortunately, that choice is never a simple one. There is just so much to choose from, and many of us can barely keep the team names straight. Where is a woman to start? Try this list of football gift ideas.

Glassware, Mugs, & Bowls

Start him off with a pair of coffee mugs, one for home, and one for work, emblazoned the logo of his favourite squad. Then, consider a cereal bowl or two, and eggcups make great decorations for shelves and desks. Perhaps the boyfriend gifts that will go over best will be the football-themed pint glass with matching bottle opener and coasters.

Car Accessories

What does your boyfriend love almost as much as you and football? That's right, his car. So what could be better boyfriend gift than ones that allow him to show off team pride while decorating his ride? Officially licensed pennants and football-style boxing gloves look great hung from the rear-view mirror. There are also air fresheners, rear-window stickers, and kits that include front and rear floor mats and a whole lot more.

Computer Accessories

Does your boyfriend use the computer much? Buy him a matching mouse and mouse pad set flavoured with his favourite team. Does he carry that laptop to and from work? Replace that boring laptop bag with a stylish Manchester United laptop bag. Does he collect CDs or DVDs? Then, try a Liverpool CD/DVD wallet. Other items come styled in an Arsenal or England F.C. theme.

Clothing

This time, buy him something that he'll actually wear. Slippers are a fine choice as a small gift, and they are available in a wide array of styles and sizes in addition to team motifs. Alternatively, buy a scarf, a knitted hat, and a matching pair of gloves for those frigid months. If you need something for the warmer periods, caps are always a fantastic choice, and offered in a wide selection.

Other football gifts for boyfriends

Here are some ideas that don't fit neatly into any one category when discussing boyfriend gifts. Does your boyfriend have a man cave? Decorate it with a wall clock or an iNFLatable chair with drink holders. Does he have trouble waking in the morning? Perhaps an old-fashioned alarm clock is the perfect choice. Other gift ideas include dog collars, balls, tees, and towels for golf, as well as Zippo lighters, cufflinks, and even key rings.

Once you have exhausted this list of football oriented boyfriend gifts there will be more released as these are being created almost on a daily basis.

If you are looking to purchase football related gifts for your boyfriend visit http://www.findtheperfectgift.co.uk

How to "Communicate" Your Way to Championships in Youth Football

Effective Communication is Coaching

Many of you come to this site seeking ways to improve yourselves as youth football coaches and many come here to gain advantages on strictly an X's and O's standpoint.
Unfortunately, X's and O's are only part of the puzzle in developing a competitive youth football team. There are many other factors you need to consider and be competent with in order to get the most out of your team including: setting priorities, effectively communicating with your players and practice methodology to name just a few.

How Some of The All Time Greats Did It

Some of the greatest coaches of all time were considered to be X's and O's geniuses like College Football Hall of Fame coach Tom Osborne. While many of Coach Osborne's former players marvel at his playcalling expertise, they also talk quite a bit about Osbornes ability to communicate with his players.

Here are some tips Coach Osborne used to keep his kids grounded. This certainly applies to us youth football coaches as well:

The Tom Osborne Way

During Osbornes 25 year tenure as head football coach, his teams AVERAGED 10 wins per year, never won less than 9 games every year, were in a "real" Bowl game all 25 years, were in the AP top 25 every week of those 25 years with the exception of 3 weeks and won 3 National Championships. They were the model of consistency, like the good old Maytag WashinG Machine. But one "record" most people don't know about: During those 25 years, his teams lost only once to a team that ended up with a losing record. His teams did that just once in over 300 games, an amazing feat in any era at any level of football coaching.

How to Maintain Consistency

How did he maintain this consistency so well for so long?

According to several of his former players, they never saw coach get too excited after a win or too low after a loss. One example would be the breathtaking last second win over Missouri in 1997, you know "The Catch" where NU drove 67 yards with no timeouts in the last 1:06 to tie the game on the last play of the game on a pass play, "99 Double Slant", that bounced off one player into the hands of Matt Davison for the whacky last second score to tie the game. NU went on to win that game on a Scott Frost run in overtime.

Osborne's reaction to the play; nothing much, he did say something to Matt Davison as Matt recalls vividly. Matt was walking onto the team bus after the game, he was nearly the last player on, as you would guess he had lots of interviews that day. As Matt passed Coach Osborne sitting in his customary front row bus seat, Coach said softly in a monotone to Matt "nice catch". That was it, no big deal, bigger fish to fry and on to the National Title game. Of course now when he sees Matt 10 years later, using his dry sense of humor, Coach will often send Matt off with the same monotone phrase "nice catch."

While the NU fans were celebrating and making plans for another New Years Day National Championship game, Osborne was doing one of his infamous post game talks with his players. As was the case after every game, he first talked about the good things that the team did in detail and then went into depth of what they needed to work on to correct the mistakes they made in that game. Nearly every week the list of things to work on seemed much larger than the list of things they did well. It didn't matter if the final score was 42-35 or 69-7, he always had the same routine. He always had the kids thinking specifics about what they had to improve on before the next game. Coach never let his kids get too full of themselves. Maybe this was why in 25 years his kids lost just once to a team with a losing record.

In stark contrast to that story, is this years Nebraska team which started off 4-1. The team and coaching staff heard a lot of criticism especially after a come from behing one point win against Ball State, a team they gave up over 600 yards to. This was not a one game deal as the Huskers had looked slow, outcoached and outhustled in 4 of those first 5 games. The mantra from the coaches and players was; "We are 4-1, we are 4-1, we are 4-1 and rated, who cares how many yards we are giving up, we are winning." Needless to say the NU defense ended up at seasons end being ranked 114th in the country and the NU team ended up 5-7. It matters how you are playing, the wins and loses will take care of themselves and if you are giving up 600 yards a game the losses will eventually come.

My Youth Football Coaching Verison of the Story

While I would never ever compare myself to Coach Osborne, we do use some of those same communication strategies when coaching youth football. If you do have the luxury of watching your own team on film you WILL find that even if you play what you think is a fantastic game, when you break the game down, your team won't look as great as you thought they did. The same is true in a loss, rarely does your team look as bad on film as you remember them playing in the loss.

The 2003 Season Example

While I try to stay as positive as I can during post-game, I remember one game against the Boys Club in 2003 where it was tough to do with my age 8-10 team. We won the game 34-6 but we just didn't look sharp, we made too many mistakes and we didn't play near to our teams potential. Some people looked at me cross eyed when my post game talk after that game centered on what we needed to do to get better, rather than basking in the success of our 4 touchdown win. I wasn't happy at all and I let the kids and coaches know it. I had learned my lesson well, the year earlier my team had cruised to an 11-0 League Title only to lose our final game in a blowout Bowl Game loss to Plattsmouth. We had gotten complacent and full of ourselves and failed to improve the last 3 weeks of the year. The last 3 weeks we won in blowouts, but we didn't get any better those last 3 weeks.

The week after our "horrifying" 34-6 win over the Boys Club, my 2003 team worked real hard and tried to correct the numerous mistakes we had made in that game. We even scrimmaged an age 11-12 team to bring us back down to earth. The net result was we won our League Championship game 46-12 over a team we had down 46-0 in the third quarter and won the State Title as well. We then went on to beat an undefeated League Champion Team from Iowa in a Bowl Game under the lights on the field turf at the University of Nebraska Omaha stadium.

This was a huge age 11-12 team vs my age 8-10 "Select" team. The odds were stacked heavily against us. I think what kept us grounded, focused and improving every week in spite of blowout wins every game, was my consistent pursuit of perfection. We were striving to have our kids play to their true potential, not the artificial potential of just winning a silly game. Playing to potential should be the goal, regardless of the final score. Win or lose, that's the goal for us, the final score tells just a small part of the story of how your team did that game

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

Dave Cisar-

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

Clips of his 2006 team in action: Youth Football Plays [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-699579089183056593]

Copyright 2008 Cisar Management and winningyouthfootball.com Republishing this article is allowed if all links are kept intact, without them it is copyright infringement

Interesting Facts About the Rookie Season of the New York Jets' Mark Sanchez

There was a lot of excitement among New York Jets fans when Mark Sanchez was drafted by their team in the 2009 NFL Draft. He had an up and down season, sometimes looking like he had it all together and sometimes looking like he was a little overwhelmed. He always looked like he would eventually be a successful NFL quarterback though. He ended up putting together a decent year and the Jets were able to make it into the playoffs. The future is bright for both the New York Jets and for their young quarterback. Here is a look at five interesting facts about the rookie season of Mark Sanchez.

- Mark Sanchez passed for more passing yards, the total was 2,444, than any other rookie quarterback for the team ever did.

- When looking at all of the touchdown passes that he threw during his rookie season, more of them were thrown during the third quarter than were thrown in any other quarter of the games he played in.

- In week 15, Sanchez threw the longest touchdown pass of his rookie year. It was a 65 yard touchdown pass to Braylon Edwards that happened in a 10-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

- Of Mark Sanchez's 13 touchdown passes he threw during his rookie year, four went to Braylon Edwards, four went to Jerricho Cotchery, two went to Dustin Keller, and he also threw one each to David Clowney, Chansi Stuckey, and Ben Hartsock.

- Sanchez's first touchdown pass ever in the NFL came in week one of his rookie season and went for 30 yards to Chansi Stuckey.

Find out more interesting information surrounding the rookie season of the New York Jets Mark Sanchez, or just your general New York Jets trivia, by checking out IQFB.com! IQFB... Get Football Smart!

Is the NFL Becoming the NFFL?

The sports world's focus this week was on the NFL's crackdown on the hits of defenseless players. There were a lot of these hits last weekend. There seemed to be more than usual, but I would like to see some numbers on that from the league.

Everyone seemed to have an opinion on this flagrant hit crackdown, including the Cleveland Browns Center, Alex Mack. Sorry your team is so bad that you have to say that Harrison is taking cheap shots on your teammates the whole game. It's called football. Win more than 5 games some year and we'll think about listening to you. You also forgot to mention that your defenseless untalented teammates are holding Harrison on every down and the refs won't call it on one play because they'd have to call it on most of the other plays too. So, that pretty much makes any Cleveland Browns argument moot.

James Harrison, Brandon Merriweather, and Dunta Robinson were a few of the higher profile, higher fined players from last Sunday. Harrison, the Defensive player of the year 2 years ago because of hits like he doled out last Sunday is now the villain because of those same hits. A Pittsburgh radio station pointed out a bit of an embarrassing point to the No Fun League this week when they found the NFL was selling pictures of the Massaquoi hit on a website. Mr. Harrison you are hereby fined and required to give us $75,000, and by the way, we'll also be making thousands more selling that picture on our website. The NFL abruptly pulled the picture from the site. Oops! Is it possible for James Harrison to fine the NFL? Probably not.

When the NFL came up with the new rule before the season that you couldn't hit the defenseless receiver this raised a big red flag for me as a Steelers fanatic. I was just watching a tribute to Jack Lambert on YouTube. Put those words in the YouTube search engine and you'll find it. It is awesome. I crack up every time Lambert body slams Cliff Harris into the ground. My point is this is the persona of the Steelers. If you think of the Pittsburgh Steelers you think of Defense and the Steel Curtain and all the players over the years that have created that persona; Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, MEAN Joe Greene, Greg Lloyd, Rod Woodson, James Harrison, and Ryan Clark. I know, I left out a lot of names, but these are just a few that came to my head. These guys are the identity of the Steelers. This team is known for Defense and hard hitting. If you take that you're taking away the identity of the Steelers. This is really what I thought of and feared happening when the league came up with yet another penalty to protect the offensive player.

After the first few weeks of this season, I thought maybe these new rules wouldn't affect the game that much. Give the offenses another break, let the receivers catch the ball and give them a step before planting them into the ground. That was before last week and the James Harrison show. Harrison is not the only player to make these types of hits. I can think of 2 Ryan Clark hits, one on Willis McGahee and one on Wes Welker that probably would have earned some attention if these rules had been in place. Maybe the NFL should concentrate a little harder on finding equipment that would protect its investment and its players. Maybe it could update its helmets to provide more protection. Or is their helmet company paying them too much money.

This is Tackle Football not Flag Football. Before long the NFL may be changing its name to the NFFL. Unfortunately that would spell the end of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They may play in the NFFL, but their identity is the NFL. No, Mr. Rooney would disband the team before letting them be embarrassed to that point.

Jerry Steege

I'm an aspiring writer who is looking to help people while I continue to improve my writing skills. I've been writing professionally in a business setting for over 10 years and am currently looking to take that to the next level.

If you would like to read more about the Pittsburgh Sports Buzz and the Steelers please visit the following site:
http://pittsburghsportsbuzz.blogspot.com/

Why Wear Personalized NCAA Football Jersey?

Jerseys have come a long way since they were first introduced. Named after an island in the Clear Channels from where it was first made, jerseys before were made of either cotton or wool. In the United Kingdom, a jersey is often referred to as clothing worn by uniformed personnel. In the United States however, jersey are viewed in an entirely different area. Although it still involves uniform and a group of people, in the U.S., a jersey is automatically equated to sports.

A sports jersey is a sort of uniform worn by players of a particular team. It includes their personal name, the team's name and a number. Different sport events have different types of jersey used. However, due to the popularity of sports in the U.S., football for example, jerseys are presently not worn just by the players themselves. These sports jerseys are also not limited to professional teams. Even college teams have. Sports jerseys can also be made to suit your preferences. That's right. You can actually have personalized NCAA football jerseys.

Sports jerseys are grouped into certain categories. First there is what is called the "authentic" jerseys. These jerseys are the ones that were actually worn by the players. It is hard to come by but if a fan manages to get hold of one, then he likely becomes the envy of his friends. Can you imagine the looks you would get if you have Tom Brady's #12 jersey? As mentioned earlier, authentic jerseys are hard to obtain so you can opt for a "replica" jersey. This type is manufactured but looks just the like a certain player's jersey. And if you don't want either one of those, you can always have one made for you.

But why wear a jersey? Simple. To show your support for the team. And what better way to do it that having your own personalized NCAA football jerseys. By wearing your very own personalized NCAA football jerseys, you not only get to show your support but also feel as if you're part of the team.

Owe to the popularity of football, jerseys have also evolved from just being a copy of the original. Some teams now make it a point to put out jerseys that have classy designs and even good color combinations. Because wearing a custom-made jersey is becoming a fad, you never know if the personalized NCAA football jerseys you're wearing will be adopted by your favorite team. Another reason why jerseys are becoming popular is also because it changed the way teams look at it. Since only athletes wore them before, they were thought of merely as something that they wear to "work." Lately however, teams now have equipment and jerseys that are much more trendier.

Another good thing about wearing personalized NCAA football jerseys is that you can actually wear them even when not at the game. You can wear them when going to classes or even when going to the mall.

Wearing sports jerseys is still a very long way off from going out of style. For whatever reason you may have, wearing personalized NCAA football jerseys is doesn't only tell how loyal you are but also shows how cool you are.

Article NCAA Football Jersey [http://www.skyfireproducts.com/servlet/the-NFL-Football/Categories] is written by Cassaundra Flores, owner of skyfireproducts.com

Wear Your Authentic NFL Jersey with Pride

One of the most famous sports around today, particularly in North America, is the NFL football. It a huge source of entertainment that fans from every generation cherishes. Many people unfamiliar with the sport may be confused the other sport called Soccer, however, NFL football is an American favorite. It is recreational sport that gathers tons of crowds and families together to cheer for their favorite team. The lovable sport and its many features is why many devoted fans look for authentic NFL jerseys. Authentic NFL jerseys give fans a precious memorabilia to hold on to. It is a valued symbol that fans from all over the world can appreciate.

The authentic NFL jerseys are a part of the NFL football identity. It unites fans and sport enthusiasts alike, and gives them something to relate with each other. Even though many different fans cheer for many different teams, wearing a football jersey is something that represents their love for the sport no matter what team they may support. Wearing a jersey is equivalent to showing the public world that you a fan or a particular sport or team. It is equal to revealing a part of a fan's identity. Wearing these jerseys can give a fan a feeling of belonging to a special group of people who belong to one big team. That is why these precious jerseys are held in such high regard. Jerseys are a fan staple in any sport.

There are two types of jerseys available. There are authentic jerseys and replica jerseys. There is a very obvious difference in these types of jerseys. Although both types of jerseys have the sewn name of the player on it, the difference lies in the mesh sleeves. The replica jersey usually has its body and sleeves with a nylon mesh, while the authentic jersey has a combined mesh sleeve. The more obvious difference in the replica and authentic NFL jersey is that authentic ones have a standard NFL logo on it. Some people may have difficulty telling authentic and replica jerseys apart, however there are still many little differences that reveal which is which. New fans may want to research about what memorabilia they are buying, because some stores may claim that they have authentic NFL jerseys, but sell replica jerseys for an authentic jersey's price.

Another feature of an authentic NFL jersey is that it can have a real player's autograph. Some sports fan stores deliver the jerseys with a player's photo and other memorabilia when it is specially ordered.

Many fans, new and old, are now looking for authentic NFL jerseys to add to their fan memorabilia collections. These jerseys have become an important facet of the football sport culture. Many casual fans are also buying these jerseys so that they may feel they are part of the football culture. They understand that these jerseys hold a certain prestige in the football world. One of the greatest sports legacies has been NFL football, and the authentic NFL jerseys have become a vital part of any true football fan's life.

Article Authentic NFL Jersey [http://www.skyfireproducts.com/servlet/the-NFL-Football/Categories] is written by Cassaundra Flores, owner of skyfireproducts.com.

Wearing a Spartan Helmet For Your Halloween Party

Are you looking for the perfect disguise to wear to a costume party? If so, a great choice would to be to wear a costume complete with a Spartan Helmet. (A city in ancient Greece, Sparta played a significant military role in the region during the 7th to 4th centuries BC. The word Spartan - which means sparse - also comes from this culture, which was consumed with the need for military might.) Since the Spartan helmets that were worn in battle obscured much of the face, including the nose, cheeks and forehead, it is perfect for a costume that will leave other guests guessing as to your identity. Spartan society was highly militarized and all Spartan boys were attended military schools from the age of seven and upon completion of school, they served in the Spartan military until the age of 30. Once they were assigned to a local brigade at age 20 -- generally comprised of 15 to 20 soldiers -- they all wore the distinctive uniform which included another Spartan Helmet based on the classic design of Greek Helmets.

These Spartan Helmets were generally less protective and designed for everyday wear. It was a helmet that protected the top of the head and the back of the neck, but not the face, and was affixed with a leather chin strap. Both types of Spartan Helmets would have been worn with a crest -- elaborate plumes -- generally made of horsehair -- that were attached to the top of the helmets.To complete your costume, and dress historically, it is recommended that you pair your Spartan Helmet of choice (do you want to be recognized of not), with a red toga and leather sandals. Or, if you prefer a combat-ready look, consider wearing a metal chest plate and leather skirt, with your Spartan Helmet and sandals.

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Have You Got the Right Field Lining Equipment For Your Athletic Field? Three Keys

Have you ever thought what goes into the making of an athletic field? There are lines to be marked, sponsor logos, visuals, etc. In this article we will focus mainly on the equipment used to create these visuals. The market for field lining equipment has become so complex and technologically advanced that there are so many tools to assist liners and markers.

So let's take a look at some of the equipment artists and markers use.

1. Line Striping Machine

These are machines that make you paint lines on athletic fields with lot more precision. If you have a great team, then you need to make sure the lines and markings on the athletic fields are clear and marked with crispness and clarity. Line striping machines - a useful field lining equipment help you do just that. The cost of a line striping machine can vary from $ 119 and $ 7000 based on how complex you want them to be.

2. Line Striping Stencils

These are basically stencils with arrows, numbers, letters, no parking, handicapped sign, etc. All the liner does is place the stencil on the area where he wants the sign to be and pours paint over it. He then pulls the stencil out and there is your "No Parking" sign.

Usually for every sign or image, a stencil is created and paint is spread evenly over the stencil. There are lot of pre made generic stencils like arrows, directions, etc. The cost ranges from about $ 100 to about $ 500.

3. Accessories

Then, of course, your field lining equipment includes accessories like your blowers that will allow you to clean up parking lots and other areas. The cost of these equipment also vary from about $ 800 to about $ 1500.

If you are looking to get into this business of maintaining athletic fields this can be a very lucrative and rewarding business. You can buy most of the equipment you need for less than $ 10,000. Yes, you can get started for less than $ 10,000 and make a great lucrative business out of this.

You can see all our field lining equipment and talk with our friendly, helpful staff at our website. Our site also has calculators to help you figure out how much paint you need, plus lots of equipment to help you get the job done right. Visit http://www.asphaltlinestriping.com

NFL Network Offers Die Hard Football Fans Access to all the Action

Regular network broadcasts are great if you do not have any other choice; however, satellite television coverage has provided us with many more options. While regular network television only gives you a small taste of what goes on during the regular season, you gain much more with satellite special programming options. If you are a huge sports fan who can't wait to get the best action around, NFL Network offers you all of the action you have been aching for.

True football fans gain the ability to follow every moment of the season with NFL Network from dozens of pre-season games to all of regular season games. In addition to all of the regular game coverage, you will also get to watch in-depth scouting and drafting coverage so you will be certain you are up to date on all of the action. With this type of coverage you will not ever be surprised again by finding out after the fact what happened in the pre-season.

Afraid you might have missed something from previous years? With NFL Network you won't ever miss a moment because this special programming package also features replays of some of the best match-ups as well as prior Super Bowl replays. Keep in mind that this is not just highlights of previous Super Bowl games but the king of all games replayed in their entirety.

The NFL Network is the only place that the true die-hard football fan can get complete football coverage. Regardless of what time of day or night it happens to be, whether it is Wednesday night or Monday night, you can catch all of the great action and in none other than High Definition TV.

What Exactly do I Get with NFL Network?

o Entire previous Super Bowls

o 52 NFL pre-season games

o 8 regular season prime-time NFL games

o Live NFL Draft coverage

o Extensive access to events leading up to the NFL draft

o Live Super Bowl coverage all week long from the Super Bowl host city

The eight live regular season games that are broadcast during the season typically run on either Saturday or Thursday nights. In most cases three games are broadcast on Saturday nights while five games are broadcast on Thursday nights. Beginning in August, the 54 NFL exhibition games are televised on the NFL Network.

Keep in mind that you also have the ability to watch all of the exciting NFL season in High Definition if you wish to do so. You do not need to purchase any special equipment as NFL Network is broadcast in standard format. If you happen to have an HDTV; however, it is quite easy to subscribe to HD programming through DIRECTV.

NFL Network is truly a must for all serious football fans. If you are tired of showing up to work the morning after and hearing about all of the overtime, exciting game action that you missed, it is time to get serious and make sure that you do not miss another exciting game.

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