Professional boxing great Floyd Maysweather reportedly will receive $20,000,000.00 for appearing in the 2008 Wrestlemania. That's right, 20 Million Dollars! He will be fighting wrestling superstar - The Big Show. Mayweather's big pay out will be more than he has received from his boxing fights besides a couple of them. He will be learning some wrestling techniques starting this week and will have about a month to prepare for the Super Bowl of wrestling. Wrestling, of course is some what acting and some have said that Mayweather is making a mistake by getting involved with Vince MCMahan and the WWE. Some say he will ruin his legacy. I beg to differ, Mayweather may have got hit in the head way to many times but he's not a total idiot. If he said "no" to 20 million bucks then he would be an idiot. Of course, in real life the 500 pound Big Show would dribble Mayweathers head in the ring like a basketball but to do a live acting stunt for 20 million, c'mon, Mayweather is a smart man!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Phoenix Suns GM Steve Kerr pays a visit to Brent Barry
Brent Barry, who was surprised at the San Antonio Spurs move to trade him to Seattle for Kurt Thomas may soon become a Phoenix Sun. The Sonics acquired him with the plan to release him last Friday. Barry will clear waivers today and can sign with any team but San Antonio, which must wait 30 days after the trade to do so. Barry, 36, has told his suitors - Phoenix, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Boston - that he will commit to a team today but has not yet done so. Phoenix GM Steve Kerr has let Barry know how much the Suns organization wants him. Kerr even personally paid a visit to Barry's home to convince him to sign with the Suns. Phoenix could use another three-point threat like Barry who would automatically open up their spacing on the floor.
Yao Ming out for the rest of the season
The Houston Rockets who have been on a row lately and are currently carrying a 13 game winning streak have learned that their star player Yao Ming will be out of action for the rest of the season as he has a stress fracture in his left foot. This leads to the question - can the Rockets win a championship without Yao Ming? Some have even stated that the Rockets are better off just losing a lot of games so that they can get a better lottery pick next year. I personally think that's a crappy way of thinking and I do not think they can win it with out Yao Ming but, heck, you never know, you got to give your all. Even with Ming in the line up I still don't think Houston would have a chance this season to even make the conference finals against the tough West. Just can't see them getting by the Spurs, Suns or the Lakers and feel that they may even struggle against some of the other teams. But to call it quits on the season - NEVER - You just never know.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Kobe's Lakers VS Shaq's Suns = Big Television Ratings
On Wednesday Kobe Bryant and the Lakers traveled to Phoenix to battle Shaquille O'Neal and the Phoenix Suns. The rivalry between the Lakers has been a great one and with the addition of Shaq to the Suns it made the rivalry even bigger. It was a basketball game that I just couldn't miss and I wasn't the only one because it has been reported that the game had the third highest television ratings for a regular season game in the history of the NBA. The two teams gave us a game to remember as it went down to the wire with the Lakers getting the win at the end. Both Kobe and Shaq gave us a few highlights too. It was a great game!
Monday, February 18, 2008
2008 NBA All Star Game
The NBA All Star game was held in New Orleans minus Kevin Garnett and a little, just a little of Kobe Bryant. The game was actually a game though as it went down to the wire with Ray Allen and Lebron James sealing the East 134-128 win in the fourth quarter with there marvelous play. Ray Allen had 28 points and got three point happy in the fourth quarter. Lebron James scored 27 points, had 8 rebounds and 9 assist good enough to win him All Star game MVP honors for the second time in 3 years, remember he is only 23 years old. The guy who won last years All Star game MVP honors only played three minutes in the game, sort of a cameo appearance. Yes, that man is Kobe Bryant who is nursing his dislocated pinkie finger and thought best to rest for most of the game which was fine with the West coach and former Lakers team mate Byron Scott. New Orleans hero and home town favorite Chris Paul had an excellent game scoring 16 points and sharing the ball plenty with 14 assist.
UNO - NBA All Star Western Conference Version in Tin Case
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
What I Know and Remember about Baseball - Batting Slumps
For what ever the reason, nearly every person who has played baseball runs into a slump. The prospect of buying a base hit is all that seems left for the player to get past the desperation of hitting anything.
Pressure placed upon ourselves for letting the team down, pressure from out statistics going in the toilet and pressure from teammates; while nothing is said, the looks and actions tell the real story of what they are holding back. It can be a spiral that places doubt in all your abilities, creating hesitation and second guessing what you already know what to do.
Batting slumps can do far more that merely divot the batting averages. It is important for Players and Coaches to recognize these slumps and do all they can to get their player, teammate back on track. Any chain is only as strong as its weakest link. All links get fatigued and need the time and attention of restoring the temper.
Baseball Players in batting slumps have great difficulty in observing their actions objectively. The best meaning parent can have this same trouble of objective detachment. Even they Players coach can loose the objective focus it takes to figure out what the real trouble is.
Younger Players have the most difficulty developing a consistent swing throughout the season. Constantly changing bodies is the number one culprit. Growth spurts, hormone changes, broader interests, emotions; you name it, everything a healthy growing body goes through affects their swing to some degree.
Intensity changes in activity is largely overlooked as contributors to swing changes. If your Player was dynamite during spring ball but seemed to unwind in summer ball, look to the off diamond activity. It is likely you will find the during spring ball and the school year the Player was on a good regiment. The freedom of summer and no school the structured day to day is gone.
Enterprising Players take the summer time to earn the dollars necessary to support their dreams. Jobs available to these people are usually heavy on the labor. Its simple physics to deduce that heavier work plus longer work hours will invariably build strength. Now that 31 they had been swinging like a pro is coming around too fast and at all sorts of wood chopping angles.
Now that we have covered the detrimental affects of a batting slump, the never ending array of reasons why the slump started and that the inner circle of the Players world may not be able to identify the issue, is there a fix?
Back to the basics, first up, put the bat on the ball. Do the T work under the Coaches eye. Use video to slow things down to take a bit by bit look. If the corrections are not working, seek a once over from a different coach. One of the wonderful things about baseball is the willingness of all Coaches to see all Players succeed. Be it League, Division or School, there is someone closer than you think that would be more than happy to spend and hour to two getting your swing back on track.
Time spent at the batting cage can be useful too. Particularly good is bunting in the cage, yes bunting. The batting slump is a simple result, the bat is not being put on the ball. So, when you can go to the cage and drop a tokens worth of pitches dead, you are now putting the bat on the ball. Start by being square to the machine and catch each pitch with the bat. Once that is done, take your normal stance and go through the whole motion. Drop another token and drop those pitches.
Even if your batting slump is mid season, developing your bunting skills are practical training. If your not ready to swing away, bunting yourself on base is still a base. While your out there, go ahead a steal one too. Plus when you are at the plate, and the pitcher hangs a cure ball, well, smashing that one is going to be a confidence builder.
No access to a baseball batting cage, no problem. Toss yourself the baseball and hit it into the backstop or other net that is not likely to break or get you into trouble. Again, the object is to put the bat on the ball. Even a bad toss you have to chase a little bit to hit is ok. Hitting from different locations, walking to retrieve the ball and hit again; drills like this add variation you will not find at stationary batting Ts or cages.
Inner city Players have options too. Grab your buddies and go play some stick ball. When your buddies are not available, do the toss drill above with a stick bat and golf ball size whiffle ball.
The solution to a baseball batting slump is to discover what has changed and make the corrections to bring back your success. Get back to the basics of putting the bat on the ball in varying situations not all customary and usual.
Above all, the most significant thing you can do to end your slump is to be patient with yourself.
About the Author:
Mr. Dowdy is the father of 3 and after re-entering competitive baseball with his oldest that lead to frustration of finding suitable glove, he became an Official Distributor for NW Kelley USA Baseball you can also click over to Hirsch Group for more news/tips/articles
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Nolan Ryan Introduced as Rangers Team President
Baseball legend Nolan Ryan is back with the Texas Rangers. This not not as the all time strike out king but as the Rangers team president. Only now, the 61-year-old who set many of his greatest milestones in a Rangers jersey is tasked with doing the same from the front office.
"Another thing in my career that I never anticipated," Ryan said. "You really wonder where baseball and life is going to take you."
Ryan threw an unmatched seven no-hitters and won 324 games in a record 27 major league seasons. The last five of those came with the Rangers and included his final two no-hitters and 5,000th strikeout. Ryan got a hero's reception at The Ballpark in Arlington, where his number remains the only one to ever be retired by the Rangers. A packed hall of onlookers cheered as Hicks introduced his latest hire with a video highlight package that trumpeted the return of The Ryan Express. Ryan will be in charge of baseball operations, a role that Hicks said Cogen didn't have as president. Hicks described Ryan as an asset useful in evaluating the character of players and prospects while dealing with business issues as president.
Mounted Memories Nolan Ryan Ryan Express Autographed Baseball
Official Rawlings Major League baseball. The ball is personally hand signed by Nolan Ryan and inscribed Ryan Express with a ball point pen on the sweet spot.
Give Thanks To The Creator Of Soccer
Most people have no idea who invented soccer but the have that person in the back of their minds every time their child scores a goal. Other parents think about that person when their child gets an excellent rating on their physical fitness exam. Parents thank the creator of soccer every time the rules are recited by fans to referees during the game because it is good indicator to let them know that they memory is fully intact.
Many parents do not care how the rules were made up. They do care about whether their child follows those rules to the last detail when they are active on the playing field and the goal they just scored is in question. There are many times when the parents think about the way things might have been if soccer had never been created. Then they dash that thought and are thankful that their child has been kept busy enough to not become addicted to drugs or to become a member of a gang.
Playing soccer is a fun and exciting way to spend the day. If soccer did not exist then children might not learn about competitive sports and how much fun that could be had playing it several times a week. Soccer also offers some of the best entertainment options for a child, and parents are just thankful that the soccer game allows their children to play amongst friends instead of the streets.
Parents know that their children have truly grown both physically and emotionally during this soccer season. Their minds are sharper because of the amount of mental energy that is required to play this competitive sport. They have also noticed that when the soccer player is at home, he is no longer content to sit still in their bedroom alone playing video games for hours on end.
What they see everyday at home is a beautiful sight. They see a child who has untapped energy resources and a new vigor that they have not witnessed in many years. This unforgettable energy is replenished every time they play in a soccer game and the charged up attitudes that come from a game of soccer are positive in all respects and they have also displayed a remarkable improvement in the grades that they get in school.
Parents are truly thankful that they enrolled their child in a soccer sports program for the summer. They know where their child will be during their gym class at school next year. Many schools are beginning to offer soccer as an intramural sport and the game of soccer is gaining just as much respect among parents circles as football does during the school year.
About the Author:
James Brown writes about ProSportsMemorabilia.com on-line coupons, SportsFanfare.com coupon and Fathead online coupons
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
The Little Known History of Golf Carts
Most golf courses are about 7,000 yards in length, which equates to about four miles.That measurement is normally measured in an almost straight line from the tee box to the center of the cup on each hole.
However, most golfers do not hit the ball in a straight line down the course from hole to hole. In fact, for many of us, it seems we spend our entire round zigzagging the course. Until the 1960s, most golf courses were played exclusively on foot. Golfers would carry their own bags, or pull them behind them on a pull cart.
For those who were fortunate enough to play golf at country clubs, caddies were provided to carry the players clubs, but most were still looking at a five-mile walk. Additionally, because walking is such a slow pace, many courses would have to schedule tee times at intervals that would accommodate walking.
This changed in 1962 when Merlin L. Halvorson invented the first self-propelled golf car. A golf cart is something that is pulled and a golf car is something that propels itself.
Somehow, this terminology has become confused and intertwined over the years but when someone says golf cart, the normally think of the vehicle that one rides in on a golf course. In the 1960s, the game and technology evolved with the development of the modern day golf car. These cars were built with gasoline motors to transport two golfers, and their golf clubs, around the course.
The major manufacturers at the time were E-Z-GO, Pargo, Harley Davidson and Cushman. The body frames, the undercarriage and suspensions closely resemble those of modern automobiles. The rubber tires are similar to those on cars, but the treads are designed in a way that the cart may be driving on grass and not damage the turf on a golf course.
Controls include a modern steering wheel, accelerator and brake, where the brake also has a lock, to ensure that the car does not roll freely on inclines. Accessories on the modern golf cart include straps to secure the golf bags, a basket (for towels, balls, coolers, etc), cup holders, ball compartments and holes that golfers can slide a few extra golf tees into.
To be more environmentally friendly, many golf carts are now manufactured with electric, battery powered motors. These batteries are rechargeable, and a charge can normally last through several days and rounds of golf.
However, there is still demand for the gas powered golf cars, especially on golf courses where the rolling terrain may require extra horsepower for the car to climb hills. Todays largest manufacturers of golf cars are Ingersoll Rand (Club Car), E-Z-Go and Yamaha.
About the Author:
Discover 7 Secrets to Lower Your Handicap by 7 Shots now at www.golftipsetc.com Here You'll Realize How to Walk onto Any Course and Play The Best Game Of Your Life - Every Single Time You Play.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
Shaquille O'Neal traded to the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns have traded for Shaquille O'Neal and have given up three time All Star Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. The blockbuster deal gives the Phoenix Suns a natural center, giving Stoudemire a chance to move back to his natural power forward position. The trade will also heat up the Lakers-Suns rivalry. The Lakers who have gotten the best of the Suns this season so far have one of the top young talents at the center position with Andrew Bynum. With Shaq in the middle, Phoenix will have a big man who will help battle the Bynum's and Duncan's in the West. Sure, Shaq is not close to the player that he once was but when his injuries heal and he comes back just his giant presence in the middle will have a big impact on opponents who try to drive up the middle to the basket. Shawn Marion finally got his wish as he asked to be traded before, but did not get his wish. Marion is a three time all star who Miami hopes will be the first piece in their rebuilding process around Dwayne Wade. Phoenix GM Steve Kerr has made a big move in his first year as the Suns GM. If this move does not get Phoenix to at least reach the NBA Finals he will face some massive criticism, if it does work he will be a hero.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Patriots Perfect Season is Over! New York Giants are Super Bowl 42 Champions!
So much for the Disneyland fairy tail perfect season. The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl 42 despite being heavy underdogs. The game was a highly played defensive game from both sides. The Giants did a great job at stopping one of the all time great offenses. It looked like the Patriots would complete their perfect season when MVP Tom Brady found Randy Moss for a 6-yard touchdown with 2:42 to go. After that the Patriots defense couldn't stop a final, frantic 12-play, 83-yard drive. It featured Eli Manning's unlikely sack-avoiding scramble and a spectacular leaping catch by David Tyree, who had scored New York's first touchdown on the opening drive of the fourth quarter. Then with 35 seconds left in the game Eli Manning's touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress gave the Giants a 17-14 lead. MVP Tom Brady had little time to rescue the Patriots but could not complete any of his long pass attempts, on one play getting sacked hard by New York Giants rookie J. Alford. The Patriots had a fairy tale season all year long (18-0 - Now 18-1) but it was the Giants who had a fairy tale ending season.
New York Giants Dreamseat Home Theater Seating
