Monday, August 10, 2009

DeSean Jackson Philadelphia Eagles Black NFL Youth Replica Jersey

This high quality replica design features a heavy-duty nylon mesh body, nylon dazzle sleeves, and reinforced v-neck construction with NFL Equipment logo in front. Double needle construction on gusseted side panels, extended split drop tail, and player name plate. 100% heavy weight nylon. Screen printed numbers, name, and Reebok logos.


Before we can successfully attack the Cover 2 Defense we need to have a basic understanding of what the Cover 2 is and how it is used.

The Cover 2 Defense derives it name from the number of deep safeties employed to cover the deep receivers. There are two deep safeties covering the deep threat, in a zone defense, each taking half the field.

The Cover 2 has three linebackers and two corners playing in a zone defense, each taking one 5th of the field, on the line there are 4 rushers.

Depending on what the defense sees, the 5 defensive back will play zone or play man to man.

The QB can have a difficult time making the right read, whether it is man to man or zone. The Cover2 is easy to disguise what its going to do, making it difficult for the offense.

Variations of the Spread Offense are more prevalent in college and high school play, a very effective offense to attack the Cover 2.

Frequently when offenses see the Cover 2 Defense, they will us a 4 vertical receiver attack, sending 4 receivers down the field, stretching the safeties. If they are running the underside D backs in a zone defense, there will be holes in the zone.

This will expose any defensive weaknesses. If they are not running the Cover 2 properly they will be exposed. The offense has the opportunity to complete a big play against the linebackers.

Using a high-low vertical stretch attacking the corners is another effective attack on the Cover 2 Defense.

When the Cover 2 is in the zone the corners responsibility is to cover the outside 5th of the field, protecting the flat.

The outside wide receiver runs full blast off the line selling he is running a post corner pattern. His goal is to sell the safety that he is running a deep inside post route. The goal is to freeze the safety or get him back pedaling. Once the safety is frozen the receiver breaks back to the outside for the corner.

The safety has to stay inside protecting his inside half of the field preventing the receiver from crossing inside him.

This will force the corner to sink and try to protect the hole created on the outside between the safety and the corner.

The offense then can release a running back or tight end into the new gap. The corner is caught in a hi-low stretch in his 5th of the field. Which ever target the corner covers opens up the other receiver for a possible big play.

The last strategy for attacking the Cover 2 Defense we will look at is called an In-out Horizontal Stretch on the corner back.

Typically this play is run against the corner and the SAM or Wil linebacker, defeating the Cover 2 by creating a gap between the linebacker and the corner.

The wide receiver releases to the outside forcing the corner to come up and try to jam and widen as he tries to keep the receiver from releasing out side, stretching the safety. As the corner comes up to jam the receiver the corner is now flattened out and widened exposing the inside.

As the corner widens with the wide receivers outside move, the offense takes advantage of this situation by sending the number 2 receiver either the tight end or running back inside to the hole the corner has left between himself and the SAM or Wil linebacker.

In conclusion the Cover 2 Defense is a very effective defense; I can be used as a zone defense or man to man. The challenges it presents the offense is how well it disguises itself between man to man and zone.

The Spread Offense is very effective in defeating the Cover 2 Defense using the vertical and horizontal stretches on the corners, linebackers and safeties.

Teams that have running quarterbacks with the spread can very successful against the Cover 2 Defense. The linebackers and corners covering the receivers leave gaps the quarterback can exploit on QB keepers.

Visit http://scoretouchdowns.com/pro1401664.html learn how to attack the Cover 2

Visit http://www.scoretouchdowns.com for explosive football training videos and football training aids.

nfl football online

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Philadelphia Eagles Donovan McNabb Replica NFL Equipment Youth Team Color Jersey

The new style replica home jersey by Reebok. 100% nylon mesh jersey with player number screen printed on the front and name and number on the back. Same great look as the adult size. See drop-down box for players available! Sizing: S=8, M=10/12, L=14/16, X=18/20
Customer Review: quality
Original jersey (Christmas gift for a 10 year old) began to lose the lettering on the back after a couple of washing/wearing. I returned the jersey to the seller and it was replaced. I had called the company to ask what to do. They have outstanding customer service.


I am sure that we have all heard the negative statements that have been thrown at the direction of land-based and online gambling casino companies. Many groups have claimed that they are the reasons that we have so many people that are addicted to gambling in our society today that these groups of people usually don't have much evidence to back their claims with. This is why it is great to see an online gambling company take the initiative to try to help in finding out why some people gamble compulsively and are addicted to it and that company is BWIN. BWIN and the Harvard Medical School which is one of the most well known medical research schools in the world have teamed up to do a five year research study to try to understand what makes people addicted to gambling to the point that it becomes the most important thing in their lives.

This five year long study is also being done with the help of the Cambridge health alliance and their division of addictions. The main purpose of this study is to try to identify what makes a gambling addict, how to prevent gambling addiction from occurring in the 1st and then what are the major steps that need to be taken to prevent gambling addiction from ever forming in the 1st place. This is not some small research study as it will almost 50,000 gambling players. I must say that I applaud Manfred Bodner's (ceo of BWIN) courage in taking the chance to undertake this partnership with Harvard. It shows me that not only is he a businessman but he is a businessman with a conscience will care for more than just making a quick dollar.

Hopefully this research study will cause other gambling companies to step forward and start doing research partnerships of their own with the medical community not only in America but across the world. Gambling addiction is a serious problem in our job as a human community is to try to understand it a lot better so that we can make decisions in our society in the near future as to how we can not only curb this disease but also how to diagnose and prevent it from occurring again. Kudos to all that were involved in this gambling research study.

Author enjoys writing about subjects relating to online gambling and texas holdem poker.

sunday football nfl

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Wilson F1100 Official NFL Game Football

Grab onto a piece of history with Wilson's official NFL game ball--The Duke--which is dedicated to football legend Wellington "Duke" Mara. More than just a piece of memorabilia, The Duke is designed with the serious competitor in mind, with genuine hand-sewn, Tanned in Tack leather for superior playability and grip, and 3-ply VPU bladder for maximum durability and air retention. Other features include double lacing, the official NFL seal in gold, and Commissioner Roger Goodell signature stamp.



The return of The Duke.
Wellington "The Duke" Mara passed away in October, 2005 at the age of 89 after dedicating 81 years to the New York Giants as an administrator, owner, and unwavering booster. In 1940, heeding the advice of influential team owners Tim Mara of the New York Giants and George Halas of the Chicago Bears, the NFL selected Wilson as the league's official football supplier. The following year, Wilson introduced a redesigned football and named it "The Duke" in honor of Mara's son, Wellington. The Duke stayed in play for nearly three decades until the NFL and AFL merged in 1969.

About Wilson
At the heart of sports history for almost a century, Wilson has been influential and intimately involved in shaping the games of tennis, golf, baseball, and American football. As the originator of breakthrough technologies, Wilson has produced legendary classics and earned world-wide legitimacy in each sport it participates in. The world's leading manufacturer of ball sports equipment, Wilson's core sports include tennis, baseball, American football, golf, basketball, softball, badminton, and squash. A division of Helsinki-based Amer Sports, Wilson is headquartered in Chicago.


Customer Review: Satisfied...
I was able to purchase this product at a cheaper price than other sites were offering and I recieved this product on time according to the shipping estimate that was given. I am satisfied with this particular shopping experience.
Customer Review: Great Feel
Since this is a real professional ball, and not a kid's ball, I like the way I feel when holding it. I enjoy my football games more when I am gripping this ball and passing it around to my buddies.


Massachusetts revised its DUI/OUI laws as of July 2003 to consider anyone with a blood alcohol level over .08 as driving under the influence. However, most simple first time DUI offenders are often charged and handled as "alternative disposition" probation plea bargains. This means that the offender has to participate in a mandatory drug or alcohol education program and their license is temporarily suspended.

The law is a little different for offenders under the age of 21. According to Massachusetts law, consumption of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21 is prohibited. Furthermore, the blood alcohol level of people below 21 years of age should not be more than .02, as opposed to .08 for people above 21 years of age.

Offenders under 21 years of age with a blood alcohol ratio of over .02 can have their licenses suspended. If the underage offender refuses to submit to a breath test, the suspension of the license is increased from 180 days to one year.

Almost the same rules apply for offenders under the age of 18. Blood alcohol levels between .02 and .04 may result in the suspension of the license for 1 year, though that may be reduced if the offender voluntarily enters and completes a youth alcohol program.

The state of Massachusetts also offers a Driver Alcohol Education Program (DAEP) for people charged with a First Offence DUI. Most of the offenders participating in this program are referred by area district courts and are placed on probation for the duration of the program. This program can act as an alternative to longer periods without a license, heavier fines, and in extreme cases, incarceration.

The program has an intake assessment and holds 32 hours of group meetings spread over sixteen weeks, exposure to self-help groups by attending two meetings in the offender?s community and a presentation of the impact of DUI on victims by reputed speakers.

Obviously, any case involving accidents, injuries, or death caused by DUI is subject to penalties that are a lot stiffer than a simple DUI arrest. These include longer prison sentences, greater fines, and longer license suspensions.

Massachusetts DUI provides detailed information on Massachusetts DUI, Massachusetts DUI Arrests, Massachusetts DUI Attorneys, Massachusetts DUI Defense and more. Massachusetts DUI is affiliated with Florida DUI Attorneys.

football players nfl

Friday, August 7, 2009

Adrian Peterson Minnesota Vikings Purple NFL Youth Replica Jersey

This high quality replica design features a heavy-duty nylon mesh body, nylon dazzle sleeves, and reinforced v-neck construction with NFL Equipment logo in front. Double needle construction on gusseted side panels, extended split drop tail, and player name plate. 100% heavy weight nylon. Screen printed numbers, name, and Reebok logos.
Customer Review: Fans' Edge is Always the Best
We tried very hard to get this jersy for our son for Christmas. Another vendor told us they had it in stock when we placed the order then notified us it was backordered until 07/08! We cancelled that order and then placed our order with Fans'Edge as we should have in the first place. Fans' Edge told us the backorder date was 1/16 and it was delivered to us exactly on that date! This is at least the third time we have pleasantly surprised by their service. We will always, always, order from them in the future.
Customer Review: Outrageous price for schlocky merchandise
With profit margins this high,and made in China, must NFL merchandise such a poor quality jersey? The letters and numbers come off (wear out) after a sneeze. Welcome to sucker-land. Amazon and Fans Edge did a great job at making my son wait. After 40 days the jersey arrived. It did show as in stock. Of course, after 25 days I received a notice stating that this item was back ordered. So much for customer dis-service.


I am sure that we have all heard the negative statements that have been thrown at the direction of land-based and online gambling casino companies. Many groups have claimed that they are the reasons that we have so many people that are addicted to gambling in our society today that these groups of people usually don't have much evidence to back their claims with. This is why it is great to see an online gambling company take the initiative to try to help in finding out why some people gamble compulsively and are addicted to it and that company is BWIN. BWIN and the Harvard Medical School which is one of the most well known medical research schools in the world have teamed up to do a five year research study to try to understand what makes people addicted to gambling to the point that it becomes the most important thing in their lives.

This five year long study is also being done with the help of the Cambridge health alliance and their division of addictions. The main purpose of this study is to try to identify what makes a gambling addict, how to prevent gambling addiction from occurring in the 1st and then what are the major steps that need to be taken to prevent gambling addiction from ever forming in the 1st place. This is not some small research study as it will almost 50,000 gambling players. I must say that I applaud Manfred Bodner's (ceo of BWIN) courage in taking the chance to undertake this partnership with Harvard. It shows me that not only is he a businessman but he is a businessman with a conscience will care for more than just making a quick dollar.

Hopefully this research study will cause other gambling companies to step forward and start doing research partnerships of their own with the medical community not only in America but across the world. Gambling addiction is a serious problem in our job as a human community is to try to understand it a lot better so that we can make decisions in our society in the near future as to how we can not only curb this disease but also how to diagnose and prevent it from occurring again. Kudos to all that were involved in this gambling research study.

Author enjoys writing about subjects relating to online gambling and texas holdem poker.

sunday football nfl

Thursday, August 6, 2009

NFL Sports Spuds Chicago Bears Mr. Potato Head

"A sharp dressed man". This officially licensed Mr. Potato Head is designed for collectors and fans of all ages. Standing 6? tall, this player is the perfect size for proudly displaying on a shelf or playing ?mix and match? to create a variety of hilarious combinations. Each NFL Sports Spud comes with 10 components to mix and match, including a Ravens jersey, helmet, foam finger and multiple "game faces".


If youre a big NFL fan and are constantly missing games due to work, school and traveling you will be happy to know there is a great solution and no longer any excuses to miss your teams game. I used to have to work during all my favourite NFL games so I would either go home and watch the highlights or id tape the game but it was a huge pain and just was not the same thing as watching the game live.

I set out looking on google search engine to how I could watch NFL games online and sure enough I found several programs and software that could do this for me but one stood out from the others because of its 3000 channels and several sports shows from all over the world.

Im going to tell you that this software it not free it does cost $49 dollars but this is a one time fee there is no monthly payments you pay once and you have it for the rest of your life. This is a much cheaper solution to cable or satellite and will save you hundreds to thousands every year it has saved me a nice chunk of change in the last 6 months.

This software that allows me to watch NFL games online can be downloaded in 2 minutes and you can be watching your favourite NFL teams play from anywhere you have computer access with you.

I write this article cause I am tired of seeing scams and programs that just dont work take in people. When you work hard or go to school all day 5 days a week you deserve to be able to watch your favourite NFL teams play when you get off with a bag of chips and some cool drinks!.

If you want to check out the program im talking about to watch NFL games online just Click here You wont be disappointed.

Watch NFL Games Online Best Service Online!

football nfl lines

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Reebok Men's NFL Rams Recline Lining Sneaker

Show off your team spirit in this officially licensed Reebok® NFL® St. Louis Rams Recline Lining men's shoe.


There are basically three different types of sports handicapping. They are situational handicapping, fundamental handicapping and technical handicapping. For those of you unfamiliar with these three categories, allow me to briefly explain what these three types of sports handicapping are and also provide some examples.

First, let's take a look at situational handicapping. This type of sports handicapping deals with analyzing scheduling, motivation, letdown scenarios, etc. For example, Team ABC is coming off a huge win over their arch-rival. Now they must travel cross-country to face what is perceived to be an inferior opponent. Team ABC may also have another crucial division opponent on deck. Team ABC would be a good go-against team in this spot due to the travel, the look ahead and the possibility of a letdown from their huge win last time out.

Next, let's take a look at fundamental handicapping. This involves analyzing how two teams match up against each other. For example, Team ABC is ranked first in the NFL in passing offense. They are facing Team XYZ, who is ranked last in the NFL in pass defense. In this case, Team ABC holds a significant fundamental advantage over Team XYZ. In baseball, another example would be Team ABC is starting a lefty today who owns a 2.30 ERA on the season. Their opponent, Team XYZ, is 2-10 and scoring just 3 runs per game vs. lefty starters. In this example, Team ABC also holds a significant fundamental advantage over Team XYZ.

The last type is technical handicapping, sometimes referred to as trend handicapping. For example, Team ABC is 6-1 against the spread this season when playing at home against teams with a losing record. Their opponent, Team XYZ, is 2-5 ATS this season as a road underdog coming off a home win. In this case, Team ABC has a technical advantage over Team XYZ. One problem with this type of handicapping is you can find plenty of trends supporting each side in a game if you dig deeply enough.

Some handicappers hang their hat on one type of handicapping. Some market themselves as technical experts. Others claim to be situational handicapping experts. I do not agree with that line of thinking. I do not believe you can truly handicap any game by just looking at it from one of the three aspects. I believe it is important to use all three types of handicapping when analyzing any game.

Dwayne Bryant is the owner and handicapper of Bullseye Sports Handicapping Service, online since 2000. Dwayne is among the best handicappers online today. Dwayne offers free sports picks, including pro football picks, for those who participate in online sports betting.

football game nfl

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Devin Hester White NFL Youth Replica Chicago Bears Jersey

This high quality replica design features a heavy-duty nylon mesh body, nylon dazzle sleeves, and reinforced v-neck construction with NFL Equipment logo in front. Double needle construction on gusseted side panels, extended split drop tail, and player name plate. 100% heavy weight nylon. Screen printed numbers, name, and Reebok logos.


Are you thinking of buying a system to help you handicap dog races? Maybe you've looked around and found a few to compare. There are many out there, some good, some not so good. Just make sure that you get one that comes with a money back guarantee. You don't want to get stuck.

Also, make sure that you don't pay more than a few bets worth of money for it. Unless, of course, money is no object to you, you should keep your money for making bets, not for blowing thousands on greyhound handicapping systems.

Once you find a system, what can it do for you? Well, it's probably not what you think it can do. That's if you're like most people and think that all you have to do is buy a system and it'll pick winners and you can go bet them and get rich. That would be nice, but it's not likely.

What a system CAN do is help you be a much better handicapper. That way, YOU can get good enough to pick winners and bet them and make more money. Any system has a learning curve and takes time to master. Once you use it to get better at picking dogs, though, it starts to pay off.

So, if you're expecting a system to automatically pick winners with no effort or learning on your part, you'll be disappointed no matter which system you buy. But if you're realistic and realize that anything worthwhile takes a little time and effort, you'll probably be very happy with a system that teaches you to pick more winners and fewer losers.

Take your time. Learn the ropes of the method and then apply it ON PAPER until you've honed your new skills. Don't bet the farm the first day out, no matter how good the system works on paper for you. You and your system are going to be picking winners for a long time, so there's no rush to cash in.

After a while, you may find that you've actually found ways to improve the system. Everything can be made better, even if it works okay the way it is. This is when you know that you've become a better than average handicapper. With a little time, you'll be going over the program with confidence and maybe even sharing your picks with a few close friends.

To win at the dog track, you need a winning system. You can learn the basics of handicapping from a program or online, but to really make good money at the dog track consistently, you need proven Greyhound Handicapping Systems.

You can find systems, articles and tips to help you win at the dog track from someone who shares over 30 years of "going to the dogs" at http://ebnetr.com.

football players nfl

Monday, August 3, 2009

NFL Football Mini Pennant Set - Contains All 32 NFL Teams

Our NFL Mini Pennant Set includes all 32 NFL teams to display in your game room, bar room, bedroom or any room. They are mini-size pennants which measure 4" x 9" and are single-sided imprinted with the NFL team logos as shown. All pennants are Officially Licensed NFL products.
Customer Review: great gift!
I bought these NFL pennants for my grandson for Christmas. He loves them. And they shipped in great time, 3 days. His package contained all 32 pennants; I was pleased as I have read in reviews that some pkgs do not contain all 32. Great gift!
Customer Review: They were a hit!
The pennants were a hit at my sports party. I recommend them. The only thing I didn't know until I received them was their size. They were larger than I thought (almost too big for what I was using them for) but they still worked out. Just a suggestion to Amazon.com: You might want to list the dimensions of the items you are selling. Thank you!


National Football League (NFL) is one of the most keenly followed sports leagues in the USA. According to some estimates, the live telecast of NFL on various television sports channels is the most popular television sports program in the country. When the internet arrived over two decades ago, football became one of the favorite sporting activities on it also. A number of websites started providing various utilities under the name free football online. These utilities today include games based on NFL teams, simulation shows, and live and recorded streaming videos of NFL games.

Types Of Free Football Online Utilities

Each of the NFL teams represents a particular region and each has a set of its own loyal fans. The fans support their teams through thick and thin. The websites that provide free football online utilities intend to attract these fans. There are a number of websites dedicated to NFL, including an official website. These websites keep the enthusiasm of the fans alive even on days and weeks without any games.

The most popular free football online utility provided by these websites is an NFL computer game in which players can participate in real time on the internet. Fans, especially kids and teenagers, play these games actively. Another fantasy game of managing an NFL team has also become popular. Depending on the performance of the players one selected in the team, one may win attractive prizes.

Another free football online utility is streaming videos of NFL games. This can be live videos or recorded videos. The TV rights of NFL are provided to various TV channels including CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and the NFL Network. You need to have membership on an internet television website that provides these channels. One may also watch the matches from websites that use peer to peer streaming technology. Some websites provide simulation of actual NFL games by using various animation software packages.

NFL-Sunday-Ticket is dedicated to bringing you the better ways of watching NFL online football games and there are many GREAT things you get with NFL Sunday Ticket. Your team, your broadcast - LIVE! Hear your team's flagship radio broadcast, including pre and postgame shows, anywhere in the world. For more information visit us at http://nfl-sunday-ticket.com

nfl football jerseys

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Patriots Reebok NFL Recline - Men's

Any armchair quarterback will appreciate the team spirit of this NFL-team-themed sporty casual from Reebok. The Reebok NFL Recline features a smooth leather upper in a casual and classic sneaker style, with stitching, perforation and overlay accents. Other details include a Reebok, NFL and team logo, a full lace-up front with NFL keeper and a padded tongue and collar. The insole is cushioned with a shock-absorbing EVA midsole. The traction-patterned outsole has flex grooves for superior grip.
Customer Review: pats sneaks
Nice kicks, but a bit narrow. If you have wide feet, these are a little snug


The Miami Dolphins were founded in 1966 and are they play their home games at Dolphins Stadium in South Florida. The Dolphins have enjoyed tremendous success since they were born and most of that success was overseen by legendary head coach Don Shula, but with the recent great play overseen by head coach Tony Sparano there is every reason to believe that the Dolphins have returned to their winning ways.

The Miami Dolphins made their first super Bowl in 1971, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys. They more than made up for the loss during the next season however. The Dolphins won all fourteen of their regular season games, two playoff games, and Super Bowl VII, which made them the first, and only, NFL team to have a perfect season. To this day the 1972 Dolphins are the gold standard in the NFL.

The 1972 Dolphins were led by Don Shula who, to this day, is one of the most recognizable faces of the Dolphins franchise. Coach Shula led the Dolphins for twenty-six NFL seasons during which the Dolphins only posted two losing seasons. He won an NFL record 347 wins during his Hall of Fame coaching career.

After Don Shula the most recognizable Dolphin would be quarterback Dan Marino. Marino was chosen twenty-seventh in the 1983 NFL draft. There were five quarterbacks chosen ahead of Marino in the draft, and even though two of them went on to the NFL Hall of Fame, none were better. Unfortunately, Marino was never on a team that was able to win a Super Bowl, but he has either held, or still holds, nearly every Dolphins and NFL passing record.

The Miami Dolphins have long been one of the NFL's elite franchises and with their recent play they are poised to remain one for years to come. The AFC East has been dominated by the Patriots for the past several years until the Dolphins 2008 season. They won the AFC East title by going back to basics. They played tough, hard nosed, defense, and had a well balanced offense featuring a very strong running game.

Coach Sparano also introduced the rest of the NFL to the wildcat offense in which he had a running back line up under center and the quarterback line up as a wideout. The offensive formation wreaked havoc on the rest of the NFL. As other teams saw this offensive formation become successful many of them developed their own version of the offense.

A unique problem faces many visitors to Dolphins Stadium. The Dolphins are one of the few NFL teams that wear their white jerseys at home. This forces the visiting team to wear their dark jerseys in the brutal heat of South Florida. This is just one of the many ways the Dolphins have found a way to win in the NFL since 1966.

The Dolphins are one of the leagues most venerable franchises. They have had eight players inducted into the pro football Hall of Fame, they have retired the numbers of three former players, they've won thirteen division championships, six conference championships, and two Super Bowls. As far as NFL teams go there are few better than the Miami Dolphins.

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

new nfl football

Saturday, August 1, 2009

McFarlane Nfl Legends Series 4 - Howie Long

The fourth series of NFL Legends offers five players making their Sports Picks debuts, and all-new sculpt for Raiders legend Howie Long. A must-have for fans and collectors, Long is articulated at the neck. Measures approximately 6" tall. Custom base measures 5.5" x 3.5".
Customer Review: McFarlane HowieLong
I have bought many McFarlane figures before and this one surprised me with the more durable pins (metal) that connect the figure to the base. I wish McFarlane toys did that on many of their older figures. The plastic pins do not last and the older figures bend or break from base. This one will not have that problem. Great figure reminds me of how Howie looked in his hay day with the Raiders.


I am a former NFL quarterback and I want to talk about the Quarterback Training Drills. I know from the emails I have received that there is a lot of interest in Quarterback Training and QB Drills all over America.

Football Quarterback Footwork drills are very important and here are a couple that are used at Penn State University.

Quarterback Drill Number One- The Board Drill

It teaches qb's move their feet in a tight space. The quarterback takes his pass drop and then sets up using the board to shuffle through. Do not have the qb take big steps. Quick feet steps. And make sure that their eyes are downfield.

Quarterback Drill Number Two- Six Yard Square Drill

This drill is a five step drop drill. You want to spend as much time as you can working on individual drills working on dropping and moving on the run. The drill is to have 4 cones setup in a square. The first leg the qb does a 5 step drop then runs to his right for 6 yards then forward for 6 yards, then to his left for six yards. Make sure during the drill the QB's eyes are up and looking downfield.

Quarterback Drill Number Three- The Box Drill

Have the Quarterback with football in a throwing motion jump in a clockwise motion in a one yard box. Have him do this drill 5 times. You can change the drill and make it more challenging by having the qb do cross jumps instead of a box.

Quarterback Drill Number Four- Line Drill

Have the qb use a football field line and have him jump over it back and forth as fast as he can for 20 seconds with two feet. Then do the same drill with just his left foot. Then the same drill with his right foot.

These are 4 great Quarterback footwork drills to improve his quickness.

If you have any questions or comments, please send me an email that can be found at my website listed below.

Todd Krueger is a former NFL Quarterback that was a 8th round draft pick in 1980 by the Buffalo Bills. He also played with the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Wranglers in the USFL.

He now run a football coaching website called footballtools.

Quarterback training website at http://www.playqb.com

One on One Personal Quarterback Training at http://www.footballuniversity.org

Some of the Quarterbacks I have trained are:

Jordan Reed #11 Ranked QB on Rivals website under Dual Quartback..... Bryr Renner #16 Ranked attending North Carolina..... Tajh Boyd # 4 Ranked QB atending West Virginia..... Tom Savage #3 Ranked QB attending Rutgers..... Danny O'Brien # 37 Ranked QB attending Maryland..... Sean Schroeder # 43 Ranked QB attending Duke..... Mike Orloff Goveners Acadamy, Byfield MA, Rising Junior..... Chris Laviono, Brooksville, NY, Top 8th Grader in New York

At the websites you can get low cost football coaching products such as:

NFL Football Playbooks, Youth Football Practice DVDs, Quarterback Training DVDs & Football Scouting Software.

new nfl football

Friday, July 31, 2009

Reebok Men's NFL Rams Recline Lining Sneaker

Show off your team spirit in this officially licensed Reebok® NFL® St. Louis Rams Recline Lining men's shoe.


Office pools are good-natured fun that appeals to sports fans and non-sports fans alike. If your workplace has never hosted a betting pool, or if you've been asked to serve as "commissioner" this Super Bowl season, there are a few things you need to know to make for a winning, morale-building event.

First and most importantly, be sure you're not breaking any rules: neither the gambling laws of your state nor the guidelines of your place of employment. Then, let the fun begin!

This person who runs the office pool is usually called the "commissioner." But don't get too full of yourself: Being the commissioner is not all fun and games. Not only do you have to keep track of the game stats, you must also make sure the participants are getting their picks and money in on time. (The commissioner is usually also allowed to participate in the betting.)

The most common time for office pools is during the NFL playoffs leading up to the Super Bowl, or NCAA basketball's March Madness, but pools may also be held for hockey, college games or virtually any other event.

At least a week before the playoffs, the commissioner should begin to round up the players, being sure to invite everyone to participate. (Office pools should be a welcome escape from office politics!) Make sure everyone agrees upon the game setup and wagering amounts.

If you're hosting a NFL playoffs pool, you'll need to make a Super Bowl bracket or find one to download and print online. In 2009, the AFC and NFC divisional playoffs begin Jan. 10, and the season culminates with the Super Bowl on Feb. 1. For each game, have participants say which team they think will win (and, perhaps, the point spread) and as the games are played keep track of who's winning-both among the pro football teams and in the office pool.

Another common office pool game is the betting grid. Depending on the number of people playing in your office, create or find online an office pool grid with 25, 50 or 100 squares. Set a limit (which you can raise after everyone has had a shot) on how many squares each player can buy, as well as a price. ($1 to $5 per square is common.) Have each participant write his or her name in the square(s) purchased. Once the grid is full, randomly draw numbers from 0 to 9 and write them across the top of the grid. Then, draw again and write the new numbers along the left edge of the grid. Make copies of the grid for everyone to take home so they can track it on game day. The last digit of the score at each quarter, the half and the final score is what counts. The winner is the player whose name is where the two teams' scores meet on the X and Y grid. Agree beforehand how the payoff will be split among winners.

You can also make use of printable tournament brackets year-round if your office softball (or other sports) team participates in single-elimination or double-elimination tournaments, or for personal or league use. Look for templates that are in PDF or .DOC (Microsoft Word) form so you can write on or customize them as the tournament progresses.

Copyright 2009 by Kevin Savetz

Kevin Savetz is the creator of PrintableTournamentBrackets.net, a site providing printable sports brackets and blank betting grids, all free to instantly download and print in PDF or .DOC format. The site is part of the FreePrintable.net family of sites.

football nfl lines

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Riddell NFL Complete 32-Team Pocket Pro Wood Display Set

New for 2006! The ultimate Football fan's collection. Includes all 32 National Football League teams in pocket size football helmets plus an attractive wood case with sliding doors for easy displaying. This set looks great on any wall or sitting on a desk or shelf. Measures 11" x 23.75" x 3.5".


The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also known affectionately as the "Bucs" are the pro football team located in Tampa, Florida. One of three pro football teams in the state of Florida, they are members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference that is part of the National Football League - the NFL. They joined the NFL in 1976 as one of two expansion teams of the AFC West. The other team was the Seattle Seahawks. The Bucs lost their first 26 games and were not really very popular with the local fans in the Tampa Bay area. They had a short winning season in the late 1970s and the early 1980s but the team did suffer through a bad fourteen season losing streak after that time period.

They have been pretty consistent as a team since 1996 and have been playoff contenders on a regular basis. They won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 and that has been their only Super Bowl appearance up till now.

The expansion franchise for Tampa Bay was originally awarded to Tom McCloskey but soon he was replaced by Hugh Culverhouse from Jacksonville, Florida. The Buccaneers got their name through a contest of name-the-team and were named after the Gasparilla Pirate Festival which occurs yearly and is located in Tampa, Florida. The team plays their home games in the Tampa Stadium and it seats a little over 72,000 fans for every game. The team's first quarterback was Heisman trophy winner Steve Spurrier.

They started out with a rocky beginning and their first two seasons were winless. They had an overall record of 0-26 before they finally won their first game in 1977. They beat the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans and then went on to win their next game at home with a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

The team faced some financial problems when the team's original owner passed away in the 1980s and the team had to be sold by the family heirs. By 2002 though, the team had recovered under the new owners and the coaching of Jon Gruden. Gruden was from the area and was only too happy to come home to coach the Tampa Bay Bucs. He immediately changed the offense to a more efficient powerhouse and at the same time the Bucs were placed in the new NFC south Division. They had a superb defense that led the league and this led to the 2002 season to be the Bucs best season ever. They won the NFC South title and had a record of 12-4 that year. They then went on to win against Jon Gruden's former team, The Raiders of Oakland. Even though the Raiders were reputed to have the nation's top offense, the Bucs prevailed and won the Super Bowl XXXVII with a score of 48-21.

They had slump years in 2003 and 2004 but returned to their winning ways in 2005 and marked their 30th season as members of the NFL. They won the NFC South division that year with an 11-5 record. They went on to lose though in a Wild Card round game to the Washington Redskins. 2006 saw a bad year for the Bucs with injuries and a lot of their starters being rookies. They finished the year with a 4-12 record and were forced to spend money in the free agency that year in order to get some fresh talent for the team.

The 2007 season had the team winning the NFC South title and ended the year with a 9-7 record. Along with this they got the 4th seed in the NFC. This made their 2nd division crown in three years under the direction of Jon Gruden. The Wild Card playoff game played in January of 2008 found the Bucs losing to the to-be Super Bowl Champs, the New York Giants with a score of 24-14.

The sky is the limit for the Bucs and hopefully 2009 will find the team healthy and with a will to go the distance.

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

nfl football field

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Baltimore Ravens Light Weight Fleece NFL Blanket (Grid Iron) (50"x60")

This is the softest, brightest, and plushest printed blanket on the planet! This luxurious throw can be used at the game, on a picnic, in the bedroom, or cuddle under it in the den while watching the game. These blankets are extra warm and have superior durability. They are easy to care for, and are machine washable and dryable. The throw blanket is made of acrylic and polyester.


Here is my list of the ten most crafty, genius, and fiery, head coaches. Oh yeah and winning helps their rank too.

10. Jon Gruden: "Chucky" as he's known around the league for his hot headed temper and wild antics. Keyshawn Johnson actually thought he could chew out Gruden once, he didn't make that mistake twice. I thought Gruden was gonna kill him, literally. But despite that, Gruden knows how to craft high powered offenses with little talent. Look what he did with the Raiders the year before they won the Super Bowl. Know look what he's doing with the Buccaneers. Making Jeff Garcia look good at what he does, shockingly.

9. John Fox: Yeah I know, your like enough with the Johns, but it was just coincidence. Next John Madden right? Well for current coaches, John Fox has taken the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2003 and the NFC Championship in 2005. He lost both, but he has helped get the Panthers some well needed recognition. They are not viewed like the Houston Texans or Cleveland Browns, people actually respect them.

8. Lovie Smith: Hard to respect a football coach named Lovie. But he has probably dealt with that his whole life, and earned some respect. Bears fans love him now because he turned around their team in a short amount of time. He had them in the playoffs in 2005 and in the Super Bowl in 2006. They lost to an amazing Indianapolis Colts team with a man named Peyton Mannning, who has wanted a ring his whole career, but kept coming up short against the Patriots. Who knows how the Bears will fare this year as they are 5-3 and Kyle Orton will be out for a week or more. Coaching will make the difference during this critical second half of the football season.

7. Mike Shanahan: Hasn't won a Super Bowl in nine years, but still a great coach that gets his team to the playoffs and AFC championships quite frequently. More of a conservative coach than most, but it got him where he is today.

6. Jim Zorn: After taking over for Joe Gibbs (those are big shoes to fill) has done an admirable job fielding a good team this year. They are likely to find a playoff spot and may be a sleep pick to win it all this year.

5. Andy Reid: A very great coach that has taken his team to the Super Bowl but came up short against the New England Patriots. His Eagles have a lot of talent this year they just are capitalizing. They will be in a battle with the Cowboys for a possible third playoff spot in the NFC.

4. Tom Coughlin: Won the Super Bowl last year and has fielded an almost better team this year some have said. Hard to believe considering they lost Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora on defense.

3. Bill Belichick: As hard as it is for me to want to put him on this list, I kinda half to. Considering all his Super Bowl rings and manage to win without Tom Brady. Belichick is considered to be one of the shadier coaches thanks to the Spy Gate controversy. Now we'll see if he can win a ring without Tom Brady.

2. Tony Dungy: Yes they are 4-4 at the moment. But they have a great coach who can turn any team around and won a Super Bowl two years ago. Don't forget he's got one of the greatest quarterback and wide receiver combos to play the game.

1. Jeff Fischer: I am putting him at number one because he is undefeated right now and that is without Vince Young. Kerry Collins is winning games for him! He doesn't have a team of superstars, they all just play well as a team. It will be interesting to see if they can stay undefeated the whole year.

Clarke Baldwin is a journalist who has worked for Dallas Morning News and other publications. You can find his site at Super Media Blog and this article at Top Ten NFL Head Coaches in the Sports

nfl football online

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Marvin Harrison Indianapolis Colts Blue NFL Replica Jersey

Looks like Marvin Harrison's real jersey - and at a great price! Reebok - the official onfield brand of the NFL - has made this jersey to look and feel like the real thing, but at a price that'll make you stand up and cheer. Makes a great gift for your favorite fan!


We must use every opportunity to teach young people life lessons using subjects that interest them. This is thinking outside of the box, which will pay off with their enthusiasm to learn.

Instead of being rigid and insisting we use our old teaching formats, we have to open our hearts and minds. Too often we try to ram lessons down young people's throats from our perspectives, or use outdated tools we learned from books which become lectures that turn kids off. It's much better to go into their world and use subjects which hold their attention to teach life lessons.

How? First by trusting our inner wisdom. We should put down our teaching crutches and communicate with young people from the heart. This means listening to them. They will tell you what is most important to them.

One way to teach young people life lessons is through sports. Athletes are like rock stars to young people. Look at the millions of dollars of endorsement deals they get to sell products to our youth. .

Even if a young person doesn't like sports, you can still use the Super Bowl as a platform to teach since it has been all over the news. Using current events is a good way to get their attention.

Here is a life lesson you can use from Super Bowl XLIII to help young people achieve their goals:

All of the players on both teams, the Cardinals and the Steelers wore helmets with the initials GU printed on the back in the Super Bowl. GU stands for the late Gene Upshaw, the Hall of Fame guard who during a quarter century as union head helped get NFL players free agency and the riches that came with it being a free agent.

In 1968, two young football rookies, Art Shell and Gene Upshaw, became best friends when they met at the Oakland Raiders training camp. They would visualize their dreams and share them with one another. Upshaw hoped one day to be a politician, Shell wanted to be a football coach, and they both longed to be elected to the Football Hall of Fame.

By 1987, their dreams started becoming reality. Upshaw, who by then was the executive director of the NFL Players Association, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Later that year, it was Shell's turn. He became the NFL's first African American head coach in 64 years when he was named coach of the Los Angeles Raiders.

When Shell heard the news, he called Gene, who was elated, "I can't believe it, Gene," he said. "All those plans we made years ago have actually come true."

In his 15 seasons as a Raider player, 1968-82, Shell was named All-Pro three times and played in eight Pro Bowls, more than any other Raider ever. Like his friend Gene, he was also elected to the Hall of Fame.

Life Lesson: Visualize Your Goals

If you lectured young people on how to achieve goals using visualization, it wouldn't be nearly as effective as giving them an example of how someone famous used it in their life.

Using the powerful tool of visualization was one of the keys to Shell and Upshaw's tremendous success. They held pictures in their minds of what they wanted to become. They used their imaginations, worked hard, and dedicated themselves to creating an image of what they desired to manifest. Their dreams didn't materialize instantly, but they still continued to focus on those images and eventually the came true.

All successful people picture in their minds what they want to become, then work diligently to achieve their dreams. Because mind is creative, the universe brings you what you hold in your mind good or bad.

The life lesson to teach young people is: Choose to hold what you want to happen in your life, and let go of everything else.

If you want to effectively communicate with youth and to inspire them, it's important to know how they perceive you. I invite you to visit http://www.sportingtherightattitude.net/inspire.htm to learn how you can help young adults become successful. Walter Jackson, keynote speaker, behavioral consultant, and author of "Sporting the Right Attitude: Lessons Learned in a Troubled Family.

http://www.SportingtheRightAttitude.net
Lessons Learned in a Troubled Family, an inspirational book for young adults.

nfl football helmet

Monday, July 27, 2009

Fossil Pittsburgh Steelers Men's Applied Watch

Classic style, durability, and functionality are all features of this water-resistant NFL® men's Applied watch by Fossil®. It has a high-quality stainless steel case and band with a convenient folding clasp for easy on and off. The 3-hand analog movement provides accurate time-keeping, and the team-colored face with date indicator proudly displays the official team logo.


Nothing in the sports world is more fun than the NFL Draft ... and nothing is getting any bigger and better. It's probably the fourth or fifth most attractive event now, behind only the Super Bowl, World Series, NCAA Championship football game and the Masters (if Tiger Woods plays).

With 32 teams making selections, there's bound to be a surprise or two or more, and that just heightens the appeal. We're going to predict some shockers for this year's draft ... we're not saying they will happen, but hey, they could.

SHOCKER NO. 1: No team is more unpredictable than the Patriots. Master guru Bill Belichick always has some tricks up his sleeve.

Last year, he surprised by taking Tennessee linebacker Jerrod Mayo at No. 10. He was rewarded by seeing Mayo voted NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

This year, he holds a trump card with his in-demand backup quarterback Matt Cassel. We think he'll send Cassel to Tampa Bay for its top pick, No. 19.

Why Tampa? Because Tampa is bringing in a new GM and new coach, and the new regime will want to make a splash. Also, previous coach Jon Gruden was fired in part for not developing a young quarterback.

That will give the Pats No. 19 and No. 23 ... but wait. By the time they select, the top four linebackers will probably be gone (Ohio State's James Laurinaitis, USC's Rey Maualuga, Wake Forest's Aaron Curry and Virginia's Clint Sintim), the top cornerback (Ohio State's Michael Jenkins) and the top two defensive linemen (Boston College's B.J. Raji and Mississippi's Peria Jerry).

Of; course, not all of them could be gone but Belichick can't take that chance, so he'll trade up with his two picks for San Francisco's at No. 10. Remember, these two teams have traded before and it helped both ... the Pats ended up with Mayo and the 49ers with good young left tackle Joe Staley. The 49ers have a multiplicity of needs, so they'll be glad to get two for one. Belichick would rather have one terrific player than two OK-to-good ones.

The Pats could take Maualuga or Jenkins for more obvious needs and do just fine. But we think Belichick's ultimate shocker will be Jerry, a powerful, explosive DT. New England's defensive line, always the strength of the team, suddenly is getting old ... Richard Seymour and Jarvis Green will be 30 next season, Vincent Wilfolk and Ty Warren 28. Belichick will think ahead and groom a top young talent in there.

SHOCKER NO. 2: The top quarterback prospect, Matthew Stafford of Georgia, will watch unhappily as he plummets.

Stafford looks a bit mechanical and robotic. Size matters in the NFL and Stafford, supposedly 6-foot-3, is shorter than this past season's top two rookie QBs, Matt Ryan of Atlanta (6-4) and Joe Flacco of Baltimore (6-6).

But also, agents for highly picked QBs demand not only the sun and the moon but the entire universe. A career-killing holdout frequently ensues. So why sign yourself up a hassle when he's far from a sure thing?

We think Stafford will fall to No. 17 and the Jets. He's worth No. 17 money, not top money.

SHOCKER NO. 3: The other touted QB prospect, USC's Mark Sanchez, dismayed his college coach, Pete Carroll, by coming out early. Carroll didn't think he was ready.

We don't, either. He isn't as good as one of his predecessors, Matt Leinart, who has failed to impress in three seasons with Arizona.

QB-hungry Minnesota, at No. 22, would at first glance seem a likely destination for Sanchez. But wait. Last year (in the fifth round!) the Vikings drafted John David Booty, who was the other predecessor at USC. So they already have the guy Sanchez couldn't beat out in college.

We think Sanchez will fall to the second or third round.

SHOCKER NO. 4: Ohio State running back Beanie Wells will be the biggest slider. He has top talent but unfortunately, he has suffered frequent injuries his past two seasons; wouldn't you know it, he missed most of the second half against Texas in the Fiesta Bowl with a concussion.

This isn't a criticism of Wells ... it just seems he's unlucky. But teams can't afford the risk of shelling out huge bucks to a guy who has a track record of not seeing the field. Georgia's Knowshon Moreno is just as good as Wells and will be the first running back selected.

SHOCKER NO. 5: Draftniks ... the need-a-life guys who immerse themselves in draft scenarios to the point of obsession ... like to show how smart they are by having a team or two pick a tight end in the first round.

That's a loser's game. Tight end has become a low-impact part of the offense for almost all teams. They can wait until round 2 or 3 if they need one. We don't think anyone will take a tight end in round 1 this year ... if a team does so, it's nuts.

SHOCKER NO. 6: OK, so if the Detroit Lions with the overall top pick don't take a QB ... and why should they since Stafford wouldn't be any better than incumbent Daunte Culpepper ... what will they do?

Well, they won't ... or shouldn't ... take an offensive tackle, either. They already have good-enough veteran Jeff Backus at left tackle and last year they unwisely listened to the draftniks and picked Gosder Cherilus at right tackle ... he turned out to be the rookie flop of the year.

The Lions' defense is the worst in the league. That's what their priority should be. We think they will opt for huge (6-7, 265) DE Michael Johnson of Georgia Tech if he tests out sensationally well at the NFL Combine, and he probably will, to obtain the difference-maker they need. If not, they should choose Laurinaitis, who has been slipping in most projections but would provide the speed, smarts, hitting power and rock-intensity leadership they need.

And remember, you read it here first. If it doesn't happen, forget you read it here first.

By Gerry Storch

Gerry Storch is editor and administrator of http://www.ourblook.com, a political discussion/media analysis website that fills the gap between a blog and a book. In his journalism days, he was sports editor of Gannett News Service.

football nfl lines

Sunday, July 26, 2009

New England Patriots NFL Flex Fit Player Baseball Cap

You won't compromise your comfort or style when you wear this 2008 hat from Reebok?. The hat is designed with an interior elastic band that offers a fitted look, while stretching to fit your head comfortably. It's decorated in the team colors and designed with the raised team logo embroidered on the crown and the team name embroidered on the bill.


Only one current running back - LaDainian Tomlinson - merits being named one of the NFL's all-time 10 best, and only one other guy who has played in the 21st century - Emmitt Smith - makes the list. Does that mean today's RBs are worse than before? No, but times have changed ... there are two reasons why the old-timers dominate this ranking.

First, although RBs remain roughly the same size, defensive tackles have become enormous and linebackers and strong safeties have gotten much faster and to counter that, a passing attack has become more prominent. Second, the 16-game season gives backs such a pounding that most teams use a "running back by committee" system or insert a second-stringer with a contrasting style to give their starter a rest, hence diminishing his importance.

OK, LaDainian and Emmitt, here are your partners.

1. Jim Brown. No one has ever combined power and speed the way Brown did at 6-2, 228. In his nine seasons before he abruptly retired in 1966 at age 30, he led the league in rushing eight times (a record). He also still holds the mark for most seasons leading the league in attempts (six) and most seasons leading in rushing TDs (five). Most impressively, of all the running backs who ever played and had 750 or more career attempts, Brown after all these years still has the highest average gain (5.2).

2. O.J. Simpson. Lots of backs are fast but no one ever as blazingly so as Simpson (9.4 in 100-yard dash), and none with his shiftiness and eye for daylight. He was the first player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season (he did it in just 14 games) and he holds the record for most 200-yard games (six). He led the league in rushing four times.

3. Emmitt Smith. When he retired in 2004 after 14 seasons, mostly with the Cowboys, the same precise footwork he displayed in winning "Dancing with the Stars" had earned him most of the NFL's career rushing records. These include most attempts (4,409), yards gained (18,355), 1,000-yard seasons (11), TDs (164) and 100-yard games (78). Enough?

4. Barry Sanders. He rates as pro football's most electric runner ever with his quick, darting moves and squirming switchbacks. Before retiring abruptly (a la Brown) after just 10 seasons, he had set a record (still holds it) for most consecutive games with 100 yards (14). He is second all-time in in most 1,000-yard seasons (10) and the third all-time rusher (15,269).

5. Walter Payton. He held most of the running records when he hung up his spikes in 1987 but they've since been broken. He still ranks second, though, in rushing yardage (16,726) and 100-yard games (77).

6. Gale Sayers. Until he suffered bad injuries to both knees, Sayers may have been even better than his Bears colleague Payton. Three times he achieved the amazing feat of scoring a rushing TD, pass reception TD and kick return TD in a game.

7. Tony Dorsett. He compiled 12,379 rushing yards in his career, second only to Payton at the time. He set the NFL record for longest run from scrimmage ... a 99-yarder.

8. LaDainian Tomlinson. He holds the record for most TDs in a season (28 in 2006) and has reeled off five 200-yard rushing games. At age 29 and hopefully some mileage left on those wheels, he can add to his rank of third in career rushing TDs (115).

9. Franco Harris. He rushed for 1,000 yards nine seasons but is best known for his quirky "Immaculate Reception" in his rookie year of 1972. With the Steelers trailing the Raiders 7-6 in the playoffs with five seconds to go, he snagged a Terry Bradshaw pass that had caromed off the shoulder pad of Oakland's Jack Tatum and ran it in for the winning score.

10. Eric Dickerson. No one has ever topped the 2,105 yards he gained in 1984. He got to 10,000 yards rushing faster than anybody ... in just 91 games (Brown needed 98, Sanders 103, Smith 106).

Among today's young RBs, Adrian Peterson of the Vikings has a chance to crack this list (he set a record last year when he gained 296 yards in a game, against a tough Chargers defense, no less) as does, presumably, rookie Darren McFadden of the Raiders. Ask me again in 2018. Marcus Allen (second in most career TDs with 123), Earl Campbell (led league in rushing three times) and John Riggins (rumbled for 11,352 yards in his career but in an oddity, he gained more yards after age 30 than before) are other guys to remember.

Gerry Storch is editor and administrator of http://www.ourblook.com - a political discussion/media analysis website that fills the gap between a blog and a book. In his journalism days, he was sports editor of Gannett News Service.

sunday football nfl

Saturday, July 25, 2009

KR NFL Chicago Bears Single Ball Bowling Bag

- 420D nylon water resistant material - Adjustable shoulder strap - Metal Hardware - Foam ball rest - End pocket for shoes - Holds up to size 15 shoe - Large front accessory pocket - Embroidered with NFL team logo


Football has specific demands that need to be addressed when training. As you are working to become a better player focus on training the following areas.

* Explosive acceleration and fast sprinting speed.
* Muscular endurance and strength in the lower body.
* Muscular balance and high levels of neuromuscular coordination.
* Body awareness and agility, the ability to know where your body is, and be able to move it.
* Good flexibility to avoid injury, football players are prone to poor hamstring flexibility.
* Correct balance between your quadriceps and hamstrings, as well as strength imbalances between your left and right leg.

Set Your Goals:

*****Get better- Work harder
*****Standout from the rest in all competition
*****Become the best you can through effective training
*****Raise your personal bar of excellence with each routine
*****Leave nothing on the field- give everything you have.

Follow a football training conditioning program. There are four components necessary to prepare for football season:

Strength, Power, Speed, and Agility.
Fundamentals, speed, strength, agility, power, and endurance are what coaches are looking for in their high school football players. If you can build these areas to their maximum potential then you will be noticed by coaches and recruiters.Use the football drills to improve your ability and talent. Then learn to incorporate the benefit of the drills into your game. Develop the ability to showcase your talents and skills on demand.

Strength training is important to prevent injury and to improve your athletic performance. It is strength training that will make you a stand out player... continuous, effective, sport-specific training. If you have the desire to play at the next level, know that it will require hard work , determination, and a great strength training program.

Power, on the other hand, may be viewed as quickness in running or jumping. Power is displayed in the speed of your motion.
When training to increase your power focus on the speed of the lift as well as the amount of weight that you lift. Now, this may seem contradictory to those of you who were always taught to lift weights slowly. However, the important difference with power training is that you lift explosively but WITH control. Controlling the weight is essential to proper power development.
The theory is that moving a heavy weight very fast requires more power than moving that same weight slowly. If you are looking to develop serious power and improve your athleticism there are many power routines that you can incorporate into your workout. Understand that these routines are different from training for muscle mass or bodybuilding.

Speed training is equally important for football players. The secret to speed training is to apply power to good running mechanics. Knowing the proper sprinting technique is crucial.
Maximum velocity isn't achieved until 30-35 meters into your run. So for a sport like football where you are more interested in shorter sprints, maximum speed may not be the number one goal of your speed training.
Acceleration becomes the desired outcome of your training. However, training to improve maximum speed also will improve your acceleration, power, coordination, and dynamic flexibility.

Agility is the ability to change direction quickly, as well as accelerate and decelerate at a moments notice. Football is an examples of an "open-skill" sport. This means there is ever changing movement required from the athlete.
When one player is covering another the critical factor becomes which player can move faster into a superior position. The competitive edge goes to the player with the most agility.
Think of agility as applying speed, accelerating, decelerating, maintaining balance, maximizing power and changing direction while your surrounding environment continues to change.
You can improve your agility through drills. However drills will only be effective if you have a foundation of strength, power, and speed already in place.

I have been coaching athlete's for over 40 years and I would like to share some of my experience and knowledge with you. If you would like to get more information about developing your competitive edge as an athlete please visit http://www.strength-training-coach.com

Joe Ross

nfl football helmets

Friday, July 24, 2009

NFL Americas Game: San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XXIX

Prior to the 1994 season, quarterback Steve Young had already enjoyed great success in the NFL. A two-time All-Pro with the San Francisco 49ers, Young was considered one of the NFL's most nimble and accurate passers. But Niners fans felt differently about him. In their estimation, Young had a flaw that was difficult to overcome: He wasn't Joe Montana. Montana led San Francisco to four Super Bowl victories. Young, as the starter, had yet to win one. So the team was determined to build a champion around their talented quarterback in '94. The front office went on a shopping spree in the free agent market, landing, among others, superstar cornerback Deion Sanders. Those additions -- and a career year from Young -- helped put the team in the same class as any of the 49er clubs from Montana's era. San Francisco went 13-3 to earn home-field advantage in the playoffs, where it swept past the Chicago Bears, and its chief rival, the Dallas Cowboys, to reach Super Bowl XXIX. There, Young surpassed his legendary predecessor with a record-breaking performance against the San Diego Chargers. Join NFL Films as they retell the story of the '94 49ers, a team truly young at heart. America's Game uses exclusive interviews with Young, Brent Jones and Merton Hanks to recount San Francisco's fifth world championship season.


Football is proverbially seen as a man's sport, an excuse to get together with the guys and drink until the final touchdown. While men do seem to be the most common demographic (perhaps they can relate to the idea of men knocking each other unconscious and screaming) there are many women that do actually enjoy the game. This is not simply referring to women who tolerate the Super Bowl parties and serve up BBQ wings to the army of NFL fans walking through the door. These are actually female fans that keep track of the score, root for the home team and would kick the average guy's butt when it comes to organizing a Super Bowl party.

What is to explain this phenomenon and why don't more women enjoy football? Realize that some sports parties are characterized by gender bonding. If men want to hang out with their friends then, nothing personal, they may not warm up to the idea of a wife or girlfriend crashing the party. The man may even fear that the women will bring an awkward energy to the event, such as criticizing some guy-like staples or focusing on the negative aspects of football. The man may be afraid of such a scenario and attempt to keep the game as mysterious and unwomanly as possible.

However, some guys are open to the idea of their spouse joining in on the Sunday fun, especially if she is a natural follower and enjoys watching a good show. The woman may warm up to sports in an effort to bond with her spouse or to make more friends. They may find exhilaration in showing the team spirit, having the common enemy and foe as their mate. When you think about it, football is a rather operatic sport; at once an expression of primal human emotion and a gladiatorial battle between giants. People live vicariously though these sports figures, and so both men and women find human aspiration thrilling and maybe even inspiring.

Then of course there are women who just love football for the same reason that men do-because it's fun, because they enjoy making predictions and cheering on their favorite teams, and because they've watched every Super Bowl since 1975. Men are not the only ones who can become obsessive over sports. There are some female NFL experts out there who can feel the same rush of adrenaline that comes from watching Tom Brady throw a game-winning pass. Everybody loves a good competition and football is America's most competitive game, with the most passionate of fans. It is at once, a patriotic event (watch the city of Atlanta be humbled by Dallas, while New York feuds with Green Bay) and a riveting thriller involving real life heroes and villains who grab that ball for dear life.

There's only one thing more satisfying in life than watching the Super Bowl with the guys, a bucket of wings and a pint of your favorite beverage all to yourself-all that plus a girl by your side who never asks to change the channel.

Catch every NFL game on DIRECTV NFL Sunday Ticket. The NFL Network will air live games along with replays and in depth commentary about whats happening around the league (only guaranteed with Satellite TV). NFL Superfan on DIRECTV will replay each game in 30 minutes commercial free for those die hard fans on a limited schedule. NFL Superfan also allows you to watch live football games from your PC or laptop. Visit DirectStarTV today for the best Direct TV Deals. Direct TV has the exclusive rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket. If you need to catch your out of market games, this is where you need to be.

sunday football nfl

Thursday, July 23, 2009

New Orleans Saints Classic NFL Throwback Logo T-Shirt

Whether you've loved the New Orleans Saints since back in the day or just think their old logo is retro cool, this cotton New Orleans Saints Classic Throwback Logo T-Shirt from Reebok is for you. Features distressed screen printed throwback team logo on chest for that well-worn veteran look.


The year was 1972 when the Miami Dolphins set multiple records and became, arguably, the greatest team in professional football's history. They completed the first perfect season by winning 14 regular games, two play off games and Super Bowl VII. They also went on to be victorious at Super Bowl VIII, though throughout the next two or three decades they would never taste Super Bowl glory again. This season the Miami Dolphins hope to make its 39th season (43rd overall) the most successful yet. There have already been shakeups in management (as this is Bill Parcells first season as Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Jeff Ireland as General Manager and Tony Sparano as Head Coach. This is not surprising, considering that in 2007 the Dolphins earned the worst record in the league with a 1-15 win-loss sheet.

On the plus side, this did earn the Dolphins' first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Will the Miami Dolphins be successful? It's time to analyze the draft picks to see just how deep these dolphins hope to swim this season. The Dolphins had been negotiating with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long since before the draft occurred. It took him a while to sign, but on April 22 the team finally secured him to a five year $57.75 million dollar contract with $30 million guaranteed. They also assured Long they would take him first in the draft. (It's about pride, man!)

Besides Long, the Dolphins scored some other notable signings. There was defensive end Phillip Merling of Clemson, quarterback Chad Henne from Michigan, defensive end Kendall Langford from Hampton, guard Shawn Murphy from Utah, running back Jalen Parmele from Toledo, guard Donald Thomas from Connecticut, defensive end Lionel Dotson from Arizona, and running back Lex Hilliard from Montana.

So far four other draft picks have been signed to deals: Jalen Parmele, Lex Hilliard, Lionel Dotson and Donald Thomas. After the draft, the team signed 18 undrafted free agents including Scorpio Babers, Davone Bess, Titus Brown, Michael Byrne, Dan Carpenter, Jayson Foster, Dan Gore, Daren Heerspink, Aaron Lane, Selwyn Lymon, Matthew Mulligan, Kelly Poppinga, Marcel Reece, Kory Robertson, Keith Saunders, Matt Spanos, Anthony Toribio and Justin Wynn. However, time passes quickly when millions of dollars are on the line and when millions of Miami fans grow restless. The Dolphins have already released Aaron Lane and Marcel Reece-in fact that they even didn't last a week playing for 2007's worst team.

Fan reaction to the Dolphins has ranged from critical to mixed. Nobody argues that Jake Long was a good signing and that most of the draft picks were sensible and desperately in need to restructure the Dolphins. However, when it comes to predicting victory experts still believe the Dolphins need to rebuild over time. Plus, they are in danger of losing Jason Taylor who is juggling his NFL career with an acting gig and also demanding to be traded. Even Miami's biggest fans admit that without Taylor the team's success in 2008 will be a long shot. However, the 2008 Miami Dolphins get ready to play hard, anxious to reclaim the glory days of the 70s.

Watch all of your Miami Dolphins games on DIRECTV NFL Sunday Ticket (blackout restrictions apply). You can also watch Miami Dolphin games online with DIRECTV NFL SuperFan or catch the game replay in 30 minutes with no commercials. Visit Direct Star TV today for the best Direct TV Deals. The NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL SuperFan are only available on Direct TV.

fantasy football nfl

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Ben Roethlisberger White Pittsburgh Steelers Youth NFL Replica Jersey

This high quality replica design features a heavy-duty nylon mesh body, nylon dazzle sleeves, and reinforced v-neck construction with NFL Equipment logo in front. Double needle construction on gusseted side panels, extended split drop tail, and player name plate. 100% heavy weight nylon. Screen printed numbers, name, and Reebok logos.


You don't have to be a sports fan to appreciate satellite TV. However, if you are a sports fan...you're going to LOVE satellite TV! Take for instance, MEGA MARCH MADNESS. Are you a nut for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournaments? Tired of missing one, two or more of the games? With satellite TV, you don't have to! You get the MMM package, and when you can't watch the games or if you want to watch something else while a game is on, let your DVR record the game so you can watch it later!

Or, if you don't get enough soccer and European sports, Setanta is the sports channel you'll probably live by. It has all of the Rugby, European Football, Barca, Seri A, and more you could want to watch that your other sports channels forget to program. Naturally, the jewel in the crown is -- the NFL SUNDAY TICKET. Football fans will get up to 200 NFL games with the NFL SUNDAY TICKET. That's about 14 games every Sunday. Sure, that's hard to watch all in one day, so again, that's why satellite TV has the fantastic option of digital video recording in high definition. Record games with the DVR and watch them later in the same crisp and clear HD format in which they were originally broadcast.

NASCAR fans will get revved up for the NASCAR HotPass. It gives you a chance to really feel like you're in the car with your favorite driver. You can't do that with cable TV! Only satellite TV let's you go behind the wheel every week with the best drivers in the sport. You'll get to hear everything like a crew chief and see it in high definition like a winner!

Of course, we can't leave out the basic family requirements that satellite TV meets! Times are tighter on the budget now. The family that can enjoy watching what's on TV, doesn't mind staying home and cutting corners quite so much. There are more specialty channels, premium movie selections and a wider range of family programming on satellite TV than ever before. There is always something that everyone will agree on and satellite TV offers your local channels, too.

Direct TV is the nation's leading provider of satellite television services. They offer the widest variety in programming packages for every taste, from sports to movies to family and educational television. Check out the many great Direct TV packages available online today. Why settle for less when you can go with the best, Direct TV?

new nfl football

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Northwest Oakland Raiders Gridiron Fleece Throw

Snuggle up in warmth while you watch the big game with this officially licensed NFL® team Gridiron fleece throw from Northwest. The fleece throw can be rolled or folded into a very compact size, making it ideal for slumber parties, traveling, or tailgating. The 100% polyester throw is boldly emblazoned with the team logo and colors.
Customer Review: Good, fast service
My transaction was smooth and the product was delivered before the date promised. I will do business with them again.


It seems in recent years that football in the UK is not only getting more popular, even drawing attention from other parts of the world, but also getting a lot more expensive, at least for the owners. They're paying out record amounts for players and whole teams as the action in Manchester has recently proven. Football is now a big money sport, no doubt about it.

Chelsea wanted Brazil striker Robinho, but was beaten to the punch by Manchester City. It wasn't easy for Manchester City, though, and it wasn't cheap. MC had to pay Real Madrid a record British 40m! As if that wasn't startling enough and rocking Eastlands, City also announced that Thaksin Shinawatra, the owner of the club, had agreed to sell the club to the Abu Dhabi Group.

In a day when big numbers seem to be commonplace, the takeover fee is 247m. That money helped move the deal with Robinho forward. With that much money moving into the till, picking up a great star was much easier. Now it remains to be seen how Robinho, who had repeatedly made it clear that he was interested in moving to the Chelsea side, will settle in and play for Manchester United.

The 6m per season he will be earning, about three times what he was earning, should help to make the transition a smooth one and give him all the incentive he needs. It could be a great year for Manchester United, but as we've seen in the past, big heaps of cash don't always translate into wins. Time will tell, but it should be an exciting season.

Check out Sandy's Sports Betting Guide at http://www.blognow.com.au/sportsbettingguide/ and get the best deals and bonuses from the top sportsbooks. Learn how to be a smart bettor and win big.

nfl football online

Monday, July 20, 2009

NFL Americas Game: Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XIV

By the fall of 1979, Pittsburgh was known as the "City of Champions." That October, the Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series, their second championship of the decade. Meanwhile, the Steelers had constructed a dynasty, boasting three world titles over the past five years. The fan base no longer hoped for victories. Now they expected them. So the standards were high for the '79 Steelers. But every player on the team was confident it could meet them. "Once you have the taste of victory, it's awful hard to give that up," recalled John Banaszak. "The attitude was: We're going to win this every year." Banaszak was one of several lesser-known Steelers who played a prominent role that year due to injuries. Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Franco Harris and Lynn Swann, all future Hall of Famers, were lost for parts of the season. But their backups capably filled in the gaps, and the Steelers went 12-4 during the regular season en route to a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV. So join NFL Films as they retell the story of the '79 Steelers. America's Game uses exclusive interviews from Banaszak, John Stallworth and L.C. Greenwood to recount the finale of Pittsburgh's world championship run.


Trick Shift Play Backfires in Big Time College Football

Many youth football coaches are "football junkies". We like watching pro or college football. Sometimes we even see things that we think we can use for our own youth football teams. Often times this is how youth coaches come up with trick plays.

College Bowl Game SNAFU

One trick play used in this Bowl season was during the Sugar Bowl, Alabama versus Utah. Utah faced a 4th Down and short near midfield.

Utah decided to "go" for it with a play that is designed to draw the defense off-sides. This was a pretty safe and savy strategy, you are either going to get 5 free yards and a first down or you are going to take a delay of game penalty and punt on 4th down. Punting from the 45 instead of the 50 even gives your punter more room to pin Bama deep inside it's 20 yard line. No matter how the play turned out, the Utes will have improved thier situation.

I'm not sure why more teams don't try this very safe tactic which often yields teams a free first down with zero risk, even at the college level. Utah started out with it's offensive linemen in very wide splits and in two-point stances and Quarterback under center. After the players had been set for at least a second, Utah then moved in unison, with the offensive linemen moving inward together to narrow the splits and the Quarterback backpedalling to a shotgun formation.

The Ruling

While the play did result in Bama jumping off-sides, the Utes were called for a 5 yard penalty for "illegally simulating the start of the play" a 5 yard penalty. The officials got it right on this one. While you can try to get teams to jump off-sides via varying cadence, players can not shift quickly in such a manner that simulates the start of a play.

We use a very legal "no play" in these situations with great success. We usually run it 2-5 times a game to get teams to jump at significant times during a game, when we want to call timeout or even when we just want teams to stop jumping or anticipating our snap count. Our success rate of getting teams to jump offsides over the last 11 seasons has always been between 70%-90%. It is a great but under used strategy in youth football.

The rule invoked in the Utah-Alabama game is why many teams that shift, do so slowly and deliberately. That is why teams that run Jet Sweep type motion plays often have their motion man take a slow deliberate drop step before he starts his full speed motion towards the quarterback.

Here is a clip of the Utah-Alabama play in action: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB5yNZVYV3U

What Does This Mean for Youth Football Teams?

The moral of the story is, this is a great strategy and a perfect situation to run a play like this, however it was just poor play designing on the part of Utah. This coach should have known better. Now you know better, don't make the same mistake Utah did. Of course let's give Utah a break over the "body of work", they played a very brilliant and inspired game.

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. 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 Video Taste of Dave's teams:

Youth Football

football nfl

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Infants' Philadelphia Eagles Long-Sleeve Bodysuits 2-pk.




This is a PlayStation Portable exclusive video game that centers around Kratos. The game is a prequel to God of War and God War 2 on the PlayStation 2. Gamers will be able to delve into Kratos lifestyle prior to the unfortunate death of this wife and child. From the looks of it, God of War: Chains of Olympus looks as brutal as the PlayStation 2 games. Kratos will be armed with his usual chain blades and his ego. Even though God of War:

Chains of Olympus is a PSP game, it looks as if it was made on the PlayStation 2. The audio holds up nicely, and the visuals are right on par with the PlayStation 2 counterparts. There will no doubt be some memorable boss battles in the final iteration of God of War: Chains of Olympus, and the contact sensitive moments should be as flawless as ever. God of War fans will feel right at home with the controls. Kratos maneuvers are fairly easily to execute and significantly satisfying. Pulverizing adversaries are as engrossing as the previous games.

One notable alteration to the controls is that evading is performed with the two shoulder buttons since there is no analog stick on the PSP. There was absolutely no blunders with the frame rate, and everything ran smoothly. God of War: Chains of Olympus appears to push the PSP to the limits visually. Some opponents that Kratos encountered in the demo was a Cyclops and another enormous monster. The majority of the demo was action packed, but there were some minor puzzle solving aspects. God of War: Chains of Olympus is not God of War 3, but it will be the next best thing. The game is slated for a 2008 release date.

http://wwwfunnyman.blogspot.com/

new nfl football

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Reebok Men's Washington Redskins NFL Slippers

Root for a touchdown and support your favorite NFL football team by wearing the indoor/outdoor Washington Redskins slipper from Reebok. This scuff slipper features an embroidered logo on the vamp and on the heel pad, round toe, and a soft lining to keep you warm and comfortable even in the off season.
Customer Review: durable
I bought these for my hubby a while ago and he LOVES them. Very durable.
Customer Review: Zero stars
I purchased these as a gift for a friend and after a week of wear, both slippers fell apart at the seams! These are very poorly constructed and should actually be taken off the market. I wanted to rate them 0 stars but the site made me select at least 1 in order to complete this review.


College Football's season ending 'hurrah' that is bowl week heralds the conclusion of the 2008 season. For the more balanced among us, this signals the start of a new year and the chance to focus on surviving winter and to enjoy not having to cut the grass. For others, this time of year marks a merciful and justified end to more than four months of yelling, beer swilling, nacho loading and relationship damaging behavior.

2008 was notable for many formerly losing programs. Vanderbilt defeated Boston College 16-14 in the Music City Bowl on New Year's Eve. This was Vanderbilt's first bowl win since the Dwight Eisenhower Presidency and came over #24 Boston College. Not since Howdy Doody ruled Saturdays has Vanderbilt produced a post season victory. Vandy is now able to provide proof that the school indeed has a football program. Coming out of the cold after 53 years will provide enough fuel to keep the Commodore faithful happy through the offseason.

2008 saw many milestones achieved. It also saw some horrific collapses. Several formerly strong programs that expected to win, took a nosedive into the black hole of bowl in ineligibility. The Wolverines of mighty Michigan found out what life has been like for their Big-10 brethren at Indiana this year, as there was no bowl trip to a warm climate to salve the discomfort of a Michigan winter. Several programs that expected to be generating heat in the compost bin, didn't fail to disappoint. Perennial doormats of the west, New Mexico State and Idaho managed to field teams that performed expectedly abysmally. The big surprise this year was former Pac-10 power program Washington. The team smelled like wet dogs as they competed with cross state rival Washington State to solidly anchor the worst group of 2008 football programs.

How do Husky fans survive the offseason? The obligatory firing of the old coach and replacement with poor Steve Sarkisian from USC will provide a few weeks of hope, but in the end, reality will set in just like the Puget Sound fog. The one bright spot is that expectations for Husky football are now set so low, that even a single win over a Division II school would qualify as a step in the right direction. UW is now trying to schedule Western Kentucky and Murray State just as soon as possible. But the purple dogs would be wise to remember Michigan scheduling Appalachian State at home some years ago. The maize and blue's gagging in that game started the program spiraling into the septic tank. But well... if you are UW, there just isn't much further to fall, so you may as well try and outbid Indiana and Nebraska to get Murray State to show up on your field.

How did we as a society get to a point where our daily happiness is dependent on how the alma mater did on the field? This question justifies some exploration as a good chunk of the autumn economy is driven by young, t-shirt clad alumni putting pizza, nachos and beer on their new American Express cards.

College football afternoons call to mind a time of hope and anticipation for university alumni. That time of being young and able to scope out the coeds with impunity is for many, the best and most hopeful time of their young lives. Many alumni get out into the world and before they realize it, find themselves with a mortgage, a wife and two great but loud kids. They wistfully look back on the feeling of exhilaration and optimism when they let themselves believe that Tammy C. from Accounting 101 might really go out with 'em. For young alums the challenge is then to recreate those great feelings of exhilaration and optimism while encumbered by a real job.

University administrators take great advantage of this. Inviting alumni to fund raising events where they can mingle with students, alums and cheerleaders stirs just enough of that old college excitement that alumni are soon parted with significant sums of their money. When this occurs, a dysfunctional bond is created between alum and institution. Winning on the field becomes a validation of that relationship. And validation is important when going home to the wife to explain why one just contributed $500 to the University Therapy (read 'Hot Tub') fund.

Once the alumni and university relationship is firmly established, a dependency is created. Dependency like substance abuse gradually demands increasing contributions of attention and resources until a breaking point is reached. This breaking point typically occurs at the end of the football season when the credit card bills arrive and the wife is threatening to take the two loud kids and move to her cousin's place near South Beach.

It should be noted that these dependencies are created in winning as well as losing environments. In winning environments however, there are more alumni to shoulder the burdens of keeping the players in hot tubs and nice cars. For rebuilding or losing programs, these dependencies really threaten financial health, family well being and all manner of relationships. So, before one has to endure news that his former wife is dating Rodrigo from the South Florida Modeling Agency, immediate action is required. Fortunately, science has provided us with at least two tactics that work.

Replacement

Replacing the substance at the core of the dependency is a common strategy. Frequently, an over dedicated alum turns his attention to the basketball program. The general strategy is to decrease the dependency though gradual reduction of the substituted environment.

Unfortunately, an indoor sport doesn't allow for nearly enough seating to bring enough alumni and cheerleaders together to generate the same level of interest and excitement that a big outdoor venue provides, so using basketball to replace football as an area of interest frequently fails.

The big risk to the replacement strategy occurs when a basketball program actually gets exciting. This creates yet another dependency that one has to wait until baseball season to cure. By this time, the ex-wife and Rodrigo will be a sipping Champaign in a hot tub of their own.

Should the replacement strategy be chosen, the author recommends hockey. Even at a professional level, hockey is fast enough to allow the viewer to forget about gawking at college aged coeds. And almost no one has hockey cheerleaders.

Many wives may be prevented from achieving the status of ex-wives by including them in the replacement area of interest. Replacement interests need not be sports related. Especially if one's wife has participated to any degree in the football season, the recovering fan will need to consider all options for replacement - just to be fair. These areas may include opera, classical music and other artistic disciplines far removed from anything resembling a sweat sock.

Rebound

The term 'rebound' is a more clever way of saying quitting 'cold turkey.' After a period of time removed from the dependency, the fan will simply rebound to something resembling normalcy. Rebound depression is a natural consequence here, but... depression is better than sending off alimony checks to South Florida. The central tenant of the Rebound strategy is to tough it out, read the updates on what ridiculous statements the new coach makes, and watch as the best recruits in your area commit to USC. And just deal with it.

The more difficult part of this strategy comes when trying to talk the wife into unpacking the UHaul and telling her with a straight face that you will never again drop $400 to pick up the bar tab for the senior members of the Pom squad. Should the alum be successful in coaxing the wife into the house, he must actually make conversation about something meaningful - like life, love, finances and try to find areas of common interest.

These areas of common interest then overlap with the Replacement tactic as some of these conversations will require actual commitment and follow through. Attending an opera really isn't the point of this. Should you get into a situation where you are committed to participate in something your very significant other is interested in, remember that you must actually 'participate.' When your wife attended a football game with you, she probably didn't just sit there when your team scored. Now when the fat lady sings, you don't stand up and do the wave, but you get the point. One must invest the effort to learn who Pavarotti was and what really distinguished him from John Mayer.

Joint Recovery

Occasionally, husband and wife teams will experience the same withdrawal and depression problems together. While it may appear to be an advantage to share a dedication to a particular football program, joint recoveries from football withdrawal are frequently more than twice the work. They are certainly almost twice as expensive. Since both parties to the relationship are involved in the problem, there is no one available with a strong connection to reality to set the baselines for expected behavior.

Connecting to reality is then the central part of a joint recovery. Reality consists of things like cleaning the house, paying the bills and shoveling snow. Sharing in these tasks is not something anyone would naturally give up Sports Center to do. However, the recovery requires tasks and chores to be shared. It also requires the couple to investigate what other areas of interest the relationship might pursue. These might include things like biking, hiking, dog walking - usually something ending in "ing" would work. This again implies action and participation. The exception to this rule - for reasons that should be obvious - would be the addition of (new or more) kids to the relationship.

Concluding the 2008 football season is best done in some form of ritual. Something like taking the Christmas lights down or finally throwing out some salt on that driveway ice patch might help you get it into your head that it is winter outside. Football will have to wait until the spring game. And when the spring game does roll around, for God's sake, don't pay for a ticket to see it. Just let it go by and take the wife to a nice dinner. Otherwise, she and Rodrigo will soon be drinking rum and chomping calamari under a palm tree.

For more wit and wisdom, please visit the Sage's website at: http://firstworst.com

sunday football nfl