After some British bookmakers revealed that the favorite to win the Australian Open title is Andy Murray, the reaction from Roger Federer and some other tennis players have reacted surprised about it, because for them Andy Murray is a good player but still needs more tennis to compare to star players such as Nadal or Federer itself.

Federer stated that it took him a lot of time, years actually, to win a Grand Slam and Andy Murray has not even won one Grand Slam to be considered by bookmakers as a favorite player in a major tournament. He also has explained that the defending champion is Novak Djokovic, and not Andy Murray who has only finished two times beyond the fourth round on a Grand Slam and his best performance was last year in the final for the US Open.

Federer also said that Rafael Nadal had an incredible season last year in major tournaments and with all his accomplishments it would make a lot of more sense to believe that the Spaniard could be among the favorites to win such title, but not yet Murray, even though he is aware that he has lost against Murray twice this month. Anyway, Murray doesn’t care about the rumors and he is just concentrating in playing at his best.

“It doesn’t make any difference whether people expect you to win or not. It doesn’t change my mentality,” Murray said. “The more matches you play, you realize what the bookies are saying doesn’t make any difference once you get on the court, whether they are saying good things or bad things.”

For Murray this is just an experience to learn about and he says that he is not afraid of playing against Federer; he will be able to play against him until the final if both get there, but he says that every time that he plays against the Swiss star he is less nervous about the situation. Murray is on the top half of the draw, so he may have to face Rafael Nadal in the semifinals as well.

Federer is trying to improve last season’s performance since it was kind of disappointing for some people. He lost opportunities to obtain some Grand Slams titles, in which he was the defending champion and favorite; however this year the Swiss entered with an strong mentality and with a mature attitude he is trying to leave behind what he went through last year, including a batch of a glandular fever or mononucleosis that left him out of some tournaments and affected his performance.

Last year the defending champion at Melbourne Park was Federer, but he was still ill with the mononucleosis and lost the semifinal against Djokovic. This year they could meet again in the semifinals and though there is still a long road before that, both of them are already in the fourth round of the tournament. Federer has played in great way against his opponents among which were two former champions, Carlos Moya in the second round and Marat Safin in the third. For the fourth round Federer will be facing Tomas Berdych and Djokovic will play Marcus Baghdatis.

As for Andy Murray, he does not have either an easy way up, because to get to the final he will have to face many hard contenders and will need to play harder and more focused in each of the matches.

One undeniable fact is that the first Grand Slam of the season is getting very interesting and whoever wins this year’s title will have to fight hard to achieve it. It is appointed to one of the Big Four, but we will have to wait and see if the bookmakers are right or not when the winner rises the cup this year at the Australian Open.

About the Author

Audrey Nolan is a top senior copy writer for the international tennis championships as well as the top ranking sportsbetting:www.instantactionsports.com/uk
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 1% [?]

I would like to paint you this wonderful picture that I enjoy hunting December whitetails purely for the ambiance of the winter woods, but for this bowhunter, the obvious sign of beaten down winter trails gives this archer the advantage of not having to try and guess where the deer may be. Yes, any advantage to put myself into a position to fill my tags is welcome.

Many a winter evening was spent precariously perched twenty feet of the ground, shivering and somewhat miserable waiting for a deer which would ultimately end up seeing or hearing me as I tried to draw my bow.

Several years ago, in an effort to try and swing the odds in my favor, I adapted a new approach to hunting winter whitetails; hunting out of ground blinds. I know what you’re thinking, “That sure is some great insight, oh mighty outdoor writer guy, portable hunting blinds have been around for years.” While questioning any tips I suggest may be wise, at least entertain my thought here anyway. I have tried hunting out of the “traditional” style hunting blinds in the winter, but I have found concealment and fooling the wary senses of a whitetail difficult.

Most deer blinds manufactured today are constructed with dark, green or fall patterns in mind. With a backdrop, consisting of predominantly white, more deer than not noticed the blind and knew something just wasn’t right. While the blind may not have scared them into the next county, deer were certainly on edge. Thus creating a situation where only a risky shot, at best, could be attempted. I have found however, a white-camo pattern ground deer blind very effective for late-season whitetails.

These snow camo deer hunting blinds give you the opportunity to hunt out of the blind the same evening you set it up, which is difficult to do with ground blinds designed for fall use. Most of the deer I have harvested out of the blind have been the same evening I set it up. Most often, I try and tuck the blind in a brush pile – they just don’t seem to pick it up. White and snow pattern clothes are necessary in order to blend in, and you do have to be cautious of movement while deer can see through your shooting holes.
The prospect of getting out of your tree stands allows you the opportunity to hunt places you may not have been able to before, plus allows the flexibility to move in reaction to wind directions.

Ground blind hunting does much to camouflage and comfort a late-season hunter. December hunts are an unbalanced mix of many hours of enjoying well, the solitude of the winter woods, with sporadic moments of deer activity. Thus, you need to be comfortable during those inevitable times of waiting. Hidden inside the blind, gives you the opportunity to bundle up with heavy clothes that would otherwise curtail any attempt at drawing and shooting your bow, which can be a problem with more traditional deer stands. As you see deer coming, you can simply remove the gloves, and, if need be, a coat to prepare for your shot.

Keeping that winter wind off you also does much to both control body temperature and minimize scent distribution. You will certainly stay warmer hunting out of a blind, which will mean more time in the field and a better opportunity to hunt when late season hunting is at it’s best; the colder the better.

While a tree-stand may be your best bet in some late-season hunting situations, incorporating ground blinds concealed with a snow pattern may do much to improve your December bowhunting success. Come December, while many of you are perched precariously in a leafless oak tree, shivering and questioning your sanity, I’ll be on the ground in relative comfort, totally concealed, wishing I could see farther.

Dr. Judy McFarlen, is the author of DiyDeerFoodPlots. We are fortunate to have Colin Williams as a guest on Diy Deer Food Plots. Colin is an avid hunter and niche writer who uses deer habitat management with deer food plots being one of his overall strategies for the farm.

Learn about Winter-Whitetails
and Ground Blinds..

Popularity: 2% [?]

Manchester United has something to be celebrating and it is their victory against the Wigan Athletic 1-0, which gave them two points to move just two points away from the leader of the table, Liverpool. However, the bad news is that their top striker Wayne Rooney had a hamstring injury that will keep him out of practice for at least three weeks, hoping not longer.

Wayne Rooney scored the winning goal that gave Manchester United the victory on Wednesday at the Old Trafford Stadium, on a game that was a little complicated for Wigan since the defence of United did a great job during the entire game.

The Manchester United has to face an important game on Saturday against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium, and with the absence of Rooney it will be more complicated for them, especially by adding that Johnny Evans is also injured and Patrice Evra damaged his foot on Sunday’s game against Chelsea, which was the most important victory for the team until now. If United, even with this complications, achieve the victory on Saturday they could be moving to the first place for the first time in the season, which is their main goal.

“We need to kick on now – this is the time because we are in the run-in,” Sir Alex Ferguson said. “I’m delighted with the win after beating Chelsea because big games take a lot out of you mentally, the concentration levels needed take their toll”.

He also added that they have some quite good players that will take the position of the players that are injured at the moment and that he knows these players will give the best of themselves to achieve the victory on Saturday. Carlos Tevez, for example, did a fantastic job when he replaced Rooney due to his injury on Wednesday’s match. Wigan had a hard time trying to stop him in several attempts he had with his team during the second half of the game.

For Sir Alex Ferguson, Wigan did a very good job. Their performance in the second half of the game was very neat and brilliant but he added that Manchester United had Nemanja Vidic in the centre of their defence and for Sir Ferguson; there is no better player in his position than Nemanja right now in the country because he considers that Vidic is a very complete football player.

On the other hand, for Wigan Athletic boss Steve Bruce; their loss was very disappointing because he knows that the team did a very good job during the whole game. The beginning of the game was very difficult since the goal was scored in the first minute but they overcame that situation and concentrated in the rest of the game, although the efforts were not enough at the end. Bruce also stated that they were playing against one of the best teams in the country and even so they did a good job and he was very proud of his players as well.

Manchester has a complicated game on Saturday but we hope that best for the team; hopefully they may achieve their main goal, the top position of the English Premier League table.

About the Author

Audrey Nolan is a top senior copy writer for the English Premier League games as well as the sports betting industry.
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 1% [?]

The current first place of the Western Conference, Los Angeles Lakers, was really flourishing against the Cleveland Cavaliers by beating them, 105-88. Both Kobe and LeBron were guarding each other during the game, both handled each other defensively but the last season’s MVP, Bryant, was more effective in his shots at the end of the fourth quarter compared to the “King James”. The Lakers superstar finished with 20 points, 12 assists and 6 rebounds, whereas LeBron James had 23 points, 9 rebounds and only 4 assists.

Kobe dislocated the ring finger of his right hand during an attempt to steal the ball from James at the beginning of the first quarter. In that moment many thought he was done for the game, but he had his finger back in its place and returned to the court. Even with the pain he was feeling, Kobe played through it amazingly and gave his team a motivation to get the victory at the end.

At the beginning of the game, the two teams were playing back to back, finishing the first quarter 26-24 in favor of the Lakers. Early in the second quarter, the Lakers got a lead of six points but then the Cavs scored seven straight points, taking the lead and going to half-time with a score of 49-50 with advantage for Cleveland.

However, the Lakers came back stronger in the third quarter and were shooting remarkably good, capturing a lead of 11 points with only 1:31 minutes left in the quarter, which finished with a score of 75-65 after a layup of Varejao for the Cavs. Coming into the fourth quarter, Kobe made a three pointer for the Lakers extending the lead 80-68. Later, after the Lakers expanded the lead to 18 points, the Cavs responded with an 11-0 run to cutoff the lead to 91-84 with only 3 and half minutes left of the game. However, that was the closer the Cavaliers got, because the Lakers recovered their lead to double digits after a Gasol dunk and subsequently Cleveland wasn’t able to come back.

For Coach Phil Jackson the key of their win was the defense, the contribution of Gasol, Bynum and Odom at the offense and also the input of the bench. “The defense stepped up tonight,” Jackson said. “We made outside shots, and our bench played well. We were able to keep them off the line, and that helped.”

The best scorers for the Lakers were Paul Gasol with 22 points and 12 rebounds, Kobe Bryant with 20 points and 12 assists, Andrew Bynum and Sasha Vujacic with 14 points each, Derek Fisher with 11 points and finally Trevor Ariza with 10 points. For Cleveland, the scorers were LeBron James with 23 points and 9 rebounds, Mo Williams with 16 points and 5 assists, Aleksandar Pavlovic with 12 points, J.J Hickson with 11 and Anderson Varejao with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

With this victory the Lakers are having currently the first place and the best record on the Western Conference with 32-8; adding 21 wins and only 3 loses at their home court. On the other hand, with this lost the Cavaliers are dropping a place in the Eastern Conference moving to the second position with a record of 31-8 overall, 11-8 on the road and 20-0 at home.

The next games for both teams will be played on January 21st; the LA Lakers will play against the LA Clippers at the Staples Center and Cleveland will face the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden in Portland.

About the Author

Ally White is a top senior copy writer on NBA games and sports action for the sportsbetting www.instantactionsports.com/
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 1% [?]

The young team led by superstar LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers, outplayed the current NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, with a score of 98-83. LeBron was unstoppable in the two ends by scoring a total of 38 points and outworking Paul Pierce at the defensive end. The Cavs played amazingly and their defense was exquisite, holding Pierce and Allen to only 11 a 12 points respectively. The Boston Celtics shot just 41.2% from the field goal and only 26.3% from the three point line, which is one of worst shootings for the champions this season.

During the game, the Celtics were always trailing the Cavaliers, who in hands of LeBron James were always leading in the game. James ended with 15 points in the first half. Although the Celtics tried to come back after a good talk from his coach Doc Rivers, who expressed his concern at the way they were playing, the closer the team got in the score was during the third quarter when they cut the lead to just five points with only 3:24 left. However, with some shots by LeBron James and his teammates, the Cavs extended the lead again and finished the third quarter 72-60.

Even so, things got worse for Boston in the last quarter as the lead was extended to 20 points with 4:01 left. Kevin Garnett just scored 2 free throws and cero points at the field goal, for his part Ray Allen scored only a three pointer and Pierce a pair of jump shots. With the leaders scoring poorly, the Cavs and LeBron took advantage and played consistently through the end of the game.

This was the fourth consecutive lost and the seventh of the last nine games for the Boston Celtics, who started with a record of 27-2. On the other hand, this victory is the 19th consecutive one for the Cavs in their home court, where they haven’t lost since the beginning of the season. Their current record is of 29-6 and they are at the present in first place of the Eastern Conference.

Lebron James expressed after the game that his team is getting better each game and by that they are climbing to obtain their main goal, which is the NBA title.

“We want to continue to protect our home court, and we want to continue to get better. Tonight I think we got better,” the superstar James stated. “We don’t want to take a step back because we got a big picture and a big goal. You don’t want to waste a game. We got really better tonight.”

Lebron James finished with 38 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocks, followed by Anderson Varejao with 14 points and 9 rebounds and Mo Williams with 13 points. For the Celtics Kevin Garnett was the best scorer with 18 points and 15 rebounds, pursued by Perkins with 13 points, then Ray Allen with 12 points and Paul Pierce with only 11 points.

The next game of the Cleveland Cavaliers will be on Tuesday January 13th against the Memphis Grizzlies. As for the Boston Celtics, they will play two consecutive games against the Toronto Raptors on January 11th and 12th.

About the Author

Ally White is a top senior copy writer on NBA games and sports action for the sportsbetting www.instantactionsports.com/
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Here are a few tips to ensure you have quality deer photo’s that can back up the big whitetail buck story you tell the people at home when you return from your annual hunting trip.

Have you, in the past resorted to the pictures taken out of the back of the truck, or worse yet after your biggest catch is already messy from preparing for transport home? Did you too get caught up in the excitement and forgot to get the camera out of the truck, where you left it to keep the darn batteries from freezing into the useless.

This season, instead of pictures that show the “lack of planning motif”: Take your deer hunting photograph that is worthy of the mantel.

For those of you wanting to improve the quality of your hunting memory photos, the following advice may help:

1. Let’s Get Serious:

   Think of all the time money you spent even before you even got your tag in search of this year’s big one. We won’t forget the frozen fingers and toes either… Don’t lose your patience now, take some time to set up a good deer hunting photograph and you will be glad you did.

2. Location, Location:

   This isn’t the first time I have harped about location. Last time you heard it was in relationship to building your deer food plots. This time, I mean find a good location with some decent background that represents the site of the kill. If this happened to be on your deer food plot this often makes a great backdrop and also adds another level to the story of success. If such conditions are not favorable, be creative. Find a stream, or take it in front of the cabin. The salient point here is to take the time to set up your shots.

3. Clean up the House:

   I know you heard this from your mother before. It makes good sense now. Take time to wash your deer up as best you can. Water in a pail will do. I have even resorted to wipes on occasion. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
   Either way, wash off the bloody spots, smooth back the hair as best you can and moisten up the eyes and nose. (Some deer photographers carry glass eyes with them, just in case the eyes of a deer they are photographing have already sunken). Clean yourself or the person in the picture up as well, such as taking off a blood stained coat. Try and cover up the impact spots with your bow, gun, or leaves and position yourself in angles that will hide those gunshot holes.

4. Think Glamor Photography:

   Find the trophy buck’s best look or feature. If you’re taking the shot, have the hunter pose with different person and animal angles in an attempt to find the best shots.

5. Don’t be Cheap:

   Take a full role of film for each deer if you have to. If you are not working with digital you have probably had the experience of multiples that didn’t work out. If only one photo in the 36 exposures comes out perfectly, well that is all you need for a lifetime of memories.

6. Watch the Big Nose Syndrome:

   These are shots where the trophy whitetail and the hunter are so out of balance it looks unrealistic. When it comes to film, nothing real fancy here either, the standard quality Kodak or Fuji print film, ASA 100 or 200 with 36 exposures will work just fine. The advice I was given, if you do have a zoom lens, was to take your photos between the 70 mm and 90 mm range.

This article was produced by Dr. Judy McFarlen and Colin Williams.

Popularity: 1% [?]

The current Australian Open champion, Serbian Novak Djokovic, is preparing to conquer for second time the Melbourne title at the Australian Open by playing previous tournaments. Djokovic started his season participation at Brisbane by facing the Latvian Ernests Gulbis. Djokovic lost against the Latvian 6-4, 6-4. This was the first match for both players, Gulbis played in great way and Djokovic seems during the match, that he was not able to handle the pressure. However, Djokovic is confident that this tournament and the other ones before the Australian Open will help him adjust to the Australia’s climate, the way of playing and the focus needed to improve his game.

Djokovic was criticized by several former players this new year, whom doubt about his control over the pressure and the dominance of his game as defender of the Australian Open title, but Nole is relaxed and confident about himself and is not letting their comments to affect his believes. Djokovic considers that he is a player with quality and someone that can have a better season than the one in 2008. Before coming to his first tournament of the year at Brisbane, he prepared physically and mentally in the court at Monaco for two weeks and then he spent 10 days in the mountains of Serbia. Djokovic believes that with that preparation and training he is ready for the action and the new expectations for this 2009.

On the other hand, this season ATP 2009 will be an interesting one for the Serbian, due to the fact that new faces and players are arriving, and new contenders are harder to beat. Djokovic also stated that it will be difficult to know who could become the new No.1 of the world and best tennis player for this year, but his goal is to become the one. Even so, he knows that the competition will be harder this year because Tsonga is getting stronger, Murray and Simon are on the rise and Davydenko and Roddick are also doing their job at the ATP and finally we cannot forget the eternal competition of Nadal and Federer in their fight for the No.1 spot.

At the press conference in Brisbane, prior the start of the event, Djokovic expressed that been the defender champion at Melbourne will be a real challenge but he loves this kind of pressure.

“This is a professional sport so if you intend to be one of the best players in the world you have to learn to cope with that pressure and accept it as a part of your life. I take the best memories of my career out of Melbourne last year and of course there’s going to be a certain amount of expectations and pressure as the grand slam champion but I will try to use it in my favor and look at it as a positive challenge.”

With this we hope the best for this Serbian tennis player not only at the Aussie Open but also for the whole season. The fans, coach and relatives really hope to see him accomplishing its goals at Australia, at the rankings and in every objective set for this 2009.

About the Author
Ally White is a top senior copy writer for the international tennis championships as well as the top ranking sportsbetting:www.instantactionsports.com/uk
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 1% [?]

The current leader of the Spanish League, FC Barcelona, is working on the extension of four of their key players by lengthen their contracts until 2014. The first in line is the Mexican Rafael Marquez, who has been one of the most consistent and more loyal players that Barcelona has since 2003. The other three players are Victor Valdes, Carles Puyol and Samuel Eto’o, with whom Barça is accelerating negotiations. Sergio Busquets and Xavi have already signed the extensions of their contracts and the team hopes these four players would do it as well.

On the other hand, the club is preparing for the second part of the season and Coach Pep Guardiola is doing all the adjustments to preserve their winning pace. However, there is still a long way to go but the team hopes to obtain the league cup and they will work for that. Besides this season, the club is trying to secure the team’s future with the extension contracts.

It is known that Rafa Marquez wants to end his football career with Barça, which is probably why he will sign the agreement with the club. Marquez started his professional soccer career with the Mexican club Atlas in 1996 and then he moved to Europe in 1999, where he played for Monaco. However four years later, Marquez decided to move to Spain and signed a contract with Barcelona. Since then, Marquez has been loyal to the club and contributed to the team in winning two league championships and one Champions League title.

For its part, the Spaniard Carles Puyol has been a Barcelona player since 1999, and he has also being a key player and the current captain of the squad since the season 2003-04. In the case of Victor Valdez things are looking similar as he has been with the club since he was part of the youth teams, becoming later the starting line-up goalkeeper for Barça in 2003-04. Ever since then, Valdes has been one of the most important goalkeepers for the club and mostly the starting one for the Catalans.

On the other hand, Samuel Eto’o has become one the best strikers for Barcelona and a fundamental player in every game. Eto’o became part of Barcelona in 2004, after spending some time with the Real Madrid B and then moving to Mallorca as a loan from the Real Madrid at first and later signing with them in 2000.

With these foundations and the loyalty of these players, FC Barcelona expects a great future for the team and hopes the agreements could be made before the second part of the season starts. Currently, Barcelona has won 15 of the 16 league games so far, has scored 48 goals and has allowed only 10 goals in the 16 matches played.

Pep Guardiola is excited about his team and what they can do in the future. For now, the club is focusing on this season league title and maintaining or surpass their lead of 10 points in the top spot of the standings. Along with Pep Guardiola accurate training by stressing the importance of hard work and ethic as well with focusing on passing, possession and pressure, things could look great for the leaders. We hope the best for Barcelona in the second part of the season.

About the Author

Ally White is a top senior copy writer on Spanish League Soccer and sports action for the sportsbetting www.instantactionsports.com/
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 1% [?]

The 46-year-old and former player of the Espanyol, Bartolomé Márquez, was removed of his duties as the coach of Espanyol due to the bad results the team is having recently in the Primera Liga. The team started winning the first two games of the season and the expectations on Márquez were really high for the club, however, that was 11 games ago, things changed afterwards when the club couldn’t find the victory.

Last Sunday’s defeat was the fourth straight loss of Espanyol and the 7th in the season. The team has only scored 10 goals in 13 games, has tied 3 games, won 3 and lost 7 games. With these results Espanyol is in 17th place of the table with 12 points and in the relegation zone of the Spanish Primera Liga.

Espanyol is 20 points away from Barcelona, who is leading at the top with 32 points and is undefeated at the present. This Sunday Espanyol was unable to win at home against Sporting Gijon loosing 1-0, that result gave the delegate commission of the Espanyol a reason to sack coach Márquez of his position. ‘Tintin’ was informed of his relieve after the game and his fitness coach Xavi Pedrero was dismissed as well.

For the club commission it was very difficult to decide releasing Coach Bartolomé Márquez, especially because they knew that he is a true Espanyol. He played for Espanyol 8 years and has been in the coaching staff of Espanyol for approximately 10 years. Since his retirement as a football player, Márquez became coach in the small leagues of the club and scaled progressively to the top earning the position of head coach this past summer. However, with the latest situation of the team, Márquez was unable to find the chemistry to win.

The president of the club Daniel Sanchez expressed that this was an awkward situation but he knows that he needs to decide what is best for the club.“It was a painful decision because he is Espanyol through and through and a good man. He’s a person who understood to the very second the situation he had created. I have to thank him for what he has said to me in such a difficult period. We hope the best for him,” alleged Sanchez.

With this decision the club expects to announce the replacement of Marquez next Wednesday; for now the assistant coach Oscar Perarnau will be in charge of the first two practices of the week until the commission decides for the newcomer coach. The two candidates imposed for the club commission are Serbia coach Miroslav Djukic and Luis Fernandez, who coached the club during the 2003-04 season.

The next game of Espanyol at La Liga will be against Betis on December 7th. Betis is 11th in the table with 17 points and is looking for a victory as they also lost this past week against Valencia 3-2. However, Espanyol is looking to return in the winning path as they need it badly due to the fact that they are in the relegation zone and they really need to add some points. We hope the best for the new coach and Espanyol.

About the Author

Ally White is a top senior copy writer on Spanish League Soccer and sports action for the sportsbook www.instantactionsports.com/
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Training your Legs
Last Updated 4/11/2008

Popularity: 9% [?]

Popularity: 10% [?]

Popularity: 10% [?]

MMA has become the fastest growing sport in the world today. Thanks mainly to the market dominant organisation UFC, mixed martial arts has evolved into a highly commercial business with mainstream appeal, represented by several fighting events a year and even reality TV show, The Ultimate Fighter. Mixed martial art is all set to overtake boxing both in commercial value and popularity.

The evolution of mixed martial arts began in the late 19th century when a boxing champion met a wrestling champion and was slammed to the mat in two minutes. This pattern hasn’t changed over the years and due to an increasing number of competitors, training camps, and information sharing and kinesiology; the understanding of combat-effectiveness has been greatly enhanced and as grapplers become strikers, strikers become grapplers and wider ranges of skills are developed to counter the many styles you may be faced with.

Mixed martial arts competitions are the ultimate contests between two people and contrasting fighting styles. With only a few rules between them, fighters face several minutes of non-stop striking and grappling to force an advantage over the other. Not only do fighters now require a range of skills and fighting techniques, they must be at the peak of their physical fitness and be physically and mentally prepared to deal with anything thrown at them, countering moves and striking back within split-second decisions.

The physical demands required are more and more rigorous and hours of daily training requires the pinnacle of sports nutrition to aid growth and recovery. To this end, sports supplements are essential in giving competitors that crucial edge. It is one of the rare sports where fighters must train to be boxers, runners, wrestlers and bodybuilders and getting the right nutrients at the right time can be the difference between success and failure.

A typical MMA fighter’s diet

As we know, in any athlete, a good nutritional diet not only improves energy levels and increases the effectiveness of strength training but it also enhances the bodies’ ability to resist illness and injury and avoid fatigue. Without doubt, nutritional intake is the most important aspect of an athlete’s regime. Like boxing, the competitors in MMA range drastically in shape and size so will vary hugely in their approach to the right diet. However, whether you’re looking to pile on the muscle or tone down, the right nutrients will determine how best you achieve these goals.

As in all sports, there are a number of basic nutritional principles that will ensure you are supplied with the energy and strength to train to compete in one of the world’s toughest sports. Despite the differing advice and techniques out there, we always recommend avoiding any form of fad diet or so-called ‘revolutionary’ diet you may have heard fighter’s adhere to. Eat 5 or 6 meals a day of smaller portion size and drink lots of water. Stick to the basic principles of natural carbohydrates, proteins and fats and combined with the right supplementation, will provide you with all the substance you need to train and compete with the best of them.

Protein: Whether training or after actual fights, a fighter’s muscles will experience small tears as the muscle fibres are stretched and strained beyond their comfortable limit. Protein is essential to ensure the muscle heals stronger than before and is ready to commence further punishment day to day. More so when leading up to a fight, a competitor’s body and therefore muscles are tested to the limit in a last push to reach their potential. Furthermore, keeping topped up with protein ensures the bodies’ energy supplies are also increased, preventing muscle loss when the body requires energy from its own muscle. Similar to bodybuilders, dieticians suggest Protein makes up around 35% of your daily food intake.

Carbohydrates: Large amounts of carbohydrates are essential to any sportsman’s diet, and never more so than a fighter. Carbohydrates give you the energy required to train hard, keep stamina high during a fight and replace lost glycogen stores to give you the speed and power on hand at the start of the fight, all the way to the end of it. Processed carbs such as pasta and white bread are less effective than natural ones such as fruits, beans, oatmeal and whole grain wheat. Dieticians suggest Carbohydrates make up around 50 of a fighter’s diet.

Fat: The misconception of fat is that it’s all bad, which as we know, is a fatal flaw in any sportspersons diet. Good fats such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 ensure internal bodily function so eating the right amounts of fish oils, nuts and seeds and supplements such as flaxseed oil can improve all functions of the mind, body and soul.

Supplements for fighters

There are a number of sports supplements that can aid fighters in a variety of ways and give them the edge that can prove to be the difference between knocking an opponent out, or gassing in the second round.

Whey Protein: As usual, protein is essential to any sportsmen who want to reach the top of their game and maximise their full potential. They prevent soreness after intensive exercise by increasing the bodies’ ability to repair itself, build muscle and stay strong and lean.

Check out our great Protein range: Whey Protein

Creatine: For that explosive power in the ring to the recovery and muscle growth out of it, creatine is an essential supplement for anyone serious about developing as a fighter. Not only has creatine been proven to enhance strength and prolong energy levels, it has also been shown to improve hand-eye co-ordination and mental focus, something never more relevant than to the pro fighter. The energy, power and focus needed to produce the victory late on in a fight when all else has failed can only come from a great creatine product.

Check out our great Creatine range: Creatine

Testosterone Boosters: Boosting natural levels of testosterone can have huge impact on a fighter’s strength, stamina and power. Post-workout, testosterone levels are depleted so boosting them with natural testosterone stimulants are a great way to encourage protein synthesis, boost energy and increase muscle mass. A great supplement for the more serious fighter, especially for those wanting to increase size and looking toward the heavier weight class.

Check out our great Testosterone Booster range: Anabolic Compounds Anti-Estrogens Tribulus ZMA

Fat Burners: For those of you wanting to come down a weight class in the most efficient and effective way can look no further than some of the great fat loss supplements out there. Ergopharm’s AMP V2 or San Nutrition’s tight Hardcore are just two of many products available that can safely increase metabolism, encourage fat loss, prevent muscle loss through catabolism and increase energy levels.

Check out our great fat loss product range: Fat Loss Products

Glutamine: Great for preventing muscle loss and damage that can occur following extremely heavy training sessions, Glutamine is essential in any fighter’s list of supplements. It also enhances the immune system and can be used as an energy source as continuous exercise depletes your bodies’ glycogen stores.

Check out our great Glutamine range: Glutamine

BCAA’s: Another supplement that shouldn’t be underestimated, Amino Acids are commonly known as the building blocks of protein and not only stimulate muscle growth, but aid recovery and prevent muscle loss, key to promoting and improving the muscle reactions required during fights. Furthermore, they can increase the body’s fuel supply by storing glycogen and have also been said to decrease the production of serotonin, thereby lowering mental fatigue and the feeling of tiredness, vital to any pro fighter.

Check out our great BCAA’s range: BCAA’s

Flaxseed Oil: This supplement is highly recommended to improve your general health and well-being, as well as many other possible effects such as the prevention of several cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Flaxseed oil is highly unsaturated and heart healthy and also readdresses the imbalance of Omega-3 and Omega-6, which can reduce the activity of cell-damaging free-radicals.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Boxing has long been one of the most intense sports you will ever compete in. At any level, several minutes at the mercy of your opponent for up to 12 rounds will determine whether you have what it takes to succeed in the sport. Boxing requires a number of individual attributes rarely required in one lone sportsman.

They must have the mental focus to remember exactly what steps to take in the chess-game that can develop inside the ring. A mental focus that must remain despite blood dripping down you cheek, vision impairment or the sight of your opponent coming in to finish the job. They must have the stamina to stand toe-to-toe with their opponents for as long as it takes, both defending numerous energy sapping blows, whilst having the strength to counter their opponents punches and land blows of their own powerful enough to force them back or achieve your goal – knock them out! Finally, they must have the skill and speed within themselves to force their muscles into quick yet explosive, powerful movements to strike an opponent trained well in avoiding them. All these things and many more require countless hours in the gym. Make no mistake about it, the difference between world champions and nearly men are those extra efforts you commit your body to in training. Few people recognise the motivation and energy required to reach the top level.

Boxing also relies heavily on physical shape and size (try telling that to Mike Tyson). An extra inch of reach or height can give a fighter the advantage he needs. This is where the endless hours of training are required to make the most of what nature gave you. Your cardio work must be at the very top level, your skills must be constantly honed and improved upon and the extra power needed to knock an opponent out must be strived for.

However, one cannot simply step into the gym 5 or 6 hours a day and give it their all without taking on board the best nutritional advice on offer and taking advantage of a growing range of sports supplements that will give you that extra edge. Sports supplements are becoming an essential ingredient in all aspects of modern sport and can make the difference between first and second place. If you’re sat in your corner, waiting to stand up and begin the 12th round of a fight, muscles aching, head spinning, legs shaking, you will need to know you did everything you could to make sure your body is in the best physical shape to stand up and finish the fight on a high. Sports supplements will give you that extra pinch of power to see your opponent kissing mat.

A Boxer’s Diet

The diet of any serious boxer will coincide with their weight class, therefore they may be restricted in the amount of food they eat and amount of weight they require to add. As in all sports diets, protein, carbohydrates and fats are all essential to provide the energy and nutrients a boxer needs to stay fit and healthy.

Protein: Whether training or after actual fights, a Boxer’s muscles will experience small tears as the muscle fibres are stretched and strained beyond their comfortable limit. Protein is essential to ensure the muscle heals stronger than before and is ready to commence further punishment day to day. More so when leading up to a fight, a Boxer’s body and therefore muscles are tested to the limit in a last push to reach their potential. Furthermore, keeping topped up with protein ensures the bodies’ energy supplies are also increased, preventing muscle loss when the body requires energy from its own muscle. Similar to bodybuilders, dieticians suggest Protein makes up around 35% of your daily food intake.

Carbohydrates: Large amounts of carbohydrates are essential to any sportsman’s diet, and never more so than a boxer. Carbohydrates give you the energy required to train hard, keep stamina high during a fight and replace lost glycogen stores to give you the speed and power on hand at the start of the fight, all the way to the end of it. Processed carbs such as pasta and white bread are less effective than natural ones such as fruits, beans, oatmeal and whole grain wheat. Dieticians suggest Carbohydrates make up around 50 of a boxer’s diet.

Fat: The misconception of fat is that it’s all bad, which as we know, is a fatal flaw in any sportspersons diet. Good fats such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 ensure internal bodily function so eating the right amounts of fish oils, nuts and seeds and supplements such as flaxseed oil can improve all functions of the mind, body and soul.

Off-Season: When not fighting or involved in less intensive fight training, boxer’s must alter their diet slightly to make up for this, usually consisting of keeping carbohydrate intake high, whilst limiting fat and protein intake to around 20% each.

Pre-Fight: Experts recommend fighters eat smaller, more regular meals when preparing for a fight to keep energy levels topped up to a maximum and discourage the intake of larger, stodgy meals that will bog the body down in the digestion process. Lighter starchy foods such as brown bread and cereals are preferred over most others.

Post-Fight: Immediately after a fight or heavy training session, boxers must supply their bodies with high amounts of protein and carbohydrates to increase energy glycogen levels and prevent the body from using its own muscle mass as energy.

Supplements for Boxers

Creatine: For that explosive power in the ring to the recovery and muscle growth out of it, creatine is an essential supplement for anyone serious about developing as a boxer. Not only has creatine been proven to enhance strength and prolong energy levels, it has also been shown to improve hand-eye co-ordination and mental focus, something never more relevant than to the pro boxer. The energy, power and focus needed to produce the victory late on in a fight when all else has failed can only come from a great creatine product.

Suggested supplements: Creatine

Whey Protein: As usual, protein is essential to any sportsmen, especially boxers, who want to reach the top of their game and maximise their full potential. They prevent soreness after intensive exercise by increasing the bodies’ ability to repair itself, build muscle and stay strong and lean.

Suggested supplements: Whey Protein

Energy Drinks: Isotonic energy drinks or boosters such as BSN’s No-Explode or Syntha-6 offer explosive energy during training and fights and also boost depleted nutrient levels prior to intense exercise.

Fat Burners: For those of you wanting to come down a weight class in the most efficient and effective way can look no further than some of the great fat loss supplements out there. Ergopharm’s AMP V2 or San Nutrition’s tight Hardcore are just two of many products available that can safely increase metabolism, encourage fat loss, prevent muscle loss through catabolism and increase energy levels.

Suggested supplements: Fat Loss Products

Glutamine: Great for preventing muscle loss and damage that can occur following extremely heavy training sessions, Glutamine is essential in any boxers list of supplements. It also enhances the immune system and can be used as an energy source as continuous exercise depletes your bodies glycogen stores.

Suggested supplements: Glutamine

BCAA’s: Another supplement that shouldn’t be underestimated, Amino Acids are commonly known as the building blocks of protein and not only stimulate muscle growth, but aid recovery and prevent muscle loss, key to promoting and improving the muscle reactions required during boxing. Furthermore, they can increase the body’s fuel supply by storing glycogen and have also been said to decrease the production of serotonin, thereby lowering mental fatigue and the feeling of tiredness, vital to any pro boxer.

Suggested supplements: BCAA’s

Popularity: 10% [?]

Popularity: 12% [?]

Popularity: 12% [?]

Popularity: 11% [?]

With all the dietary information and diets tips bombarding the bodybuilding world, it’s no wonder people can become confused as to the right body building diet to follow for the right result. Although any change in diet should be followed with care, it remains that there is no one true bodybuilders diet to follow that will guarantee a perfect outcome. However, with all the different opinions circulated, it is natural a few myths will creep in, so lets look at a few examples.

Fat-free diets

Not only is this extremely difficult, as there simply aren’t enough whole foods that contain virtually no fat, it is also extremely bad for you. Whether you’re looking to increase muscle mass, lose weight or simply maintain what you have, the body needs a combination of vitamins and nutrients to function and more importantly, to grow.

It is however, important to eat the right fats in controlled amounts. Meats, eggs and dairy products are all high in saturated fats and can elevate cholesterol so should be limited, whereas foods such as fish, seeds and nuts contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and can lower cholesterol. Health experts suggest fat makes up 30% of your diet. If you starve your body of fat, your body reacts by storing any fats you do intake and using proteins, vital for building muscle, for energy instead and therefore, you will start to burn muscle for energy!

Digesting Protein

Another common dietary myth is that the human body can only digest a certain amount of protein, often said to be around 30 grams a day. In actuality, the body can digest protein consistently throughout the day, and as protein is without doubt the most important supplement to any bodybuilder, it is imperative you get enough of it. Experts have estimated that a dedicated bodybuilder should consume around 1gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and this is a good guide to go by. The minimum we would recommend is around 40-50grams of protein per day but overshooting this mark to between 150-200grams (dependant on bodyweight) wont cause you any problems.

Protein supplements are a vital part of any bodybuilders’ diet to ensure these needs are met. Remember, for the best part, muscle is made up of protein. It maintains, preserves and rebuilds muscle.

Water weight

Another dietary myth is that too much water will make you gain ‘water’ weight. This is simply not true and unless you are taking creatine, your muscles will not retain too much water. Water is the most important liquid you can drink and only too little water will do your body harm. Drinking too little water can cause no end of health problems, whereas too much will simply mean you visit the toilet more. Experts tell us to drink around 8 glasses of water a day. For those of us participating in cardiovascular activity, it is important to drink more to counteract dehydration. Remember, water has the ability to not only hydrate your body, but it flushes your system of impurities and toxins, cleansing your body in the process.

Supplementing a healthy diet

As important as it is to combine exercise with a healthy, balanced diet, it is also imperative you don’t drift one step further and begin supplementing wholesome foods with….well, supplements. The base of anyone’s best body building diet should be lean meats, fruits, vegetables and nuts and a basic combination of the right fats, carbohydrates and proteins. A poor diet cannot be underestimated and no amount of supplementing can undo the damage a poor diet can bring. Instead, supplements should be used alongside a healthy diet and exercise to aid your physiques progression. Supplements have a range of benefits but are not replacements for meals, they’re additional weapons in the quest for the perfect physique.

Counting Calories

Again, a typical bodybuilder mistake is overcomplicating and overestimating the importance of their calorie intake. As discussed, the most important aspect of your diet is getting the right nutrients from the right foods, separated into protein, fats and carbohydrates. The most important thing to remember is that, at least early on, limiting your calorie intake will do much more damage to your bodybuilding credentials than too many. Calories not only provide our bodies with the energy we need to train, but the foods we are denying ourselves by limiting calorie intake contain the very nutrients we need to grow and develop. If your goal is weight loss, by all mean carefully limit your calorie intake to around 2000 calories a day but if your goal is building muscle, this is no way near enough. The exact amount you need is arguable and dependant on you size and weight but many bodybuilders calorie intake ranges from 4000 to 12,000 per day. Whatever your goals are, it is important to remember that knowing where your calories come from is just as important as knowing how many you are getting.

Large Meals

Not so common a myth these days but an important one to debunk just in case. Stuffing yourself full at your traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner meals is less effective than the now popular idea of having around 5-6 meals day, therefore keeping your body consistently supplied with the right nutrients and energies required to get through your day. Large meals can leave you bloated and less energetic and leave your body with the daunting task of digesting and processing everything you throw at it. With well-portioned, healthy meals your body gets the right nutrients at the right times and your body never feels starved, which speeds up your metabolism thereby also aiding weight loss. As we well know, any time your body feels starved of any kinds of foods, it can have adverse effects.

Don’t eat after 6pm

Whether it’s 6pm, 8pm or whatever exact time people pull out of a hat, there’s very little truth to it and it’s a myth too many people fall for. It doesn’t really matter how late you eat, if you eat more calories than you burn during the day or night, you’re going to put weight on. If eating at night results in you caloric intake going beyond what you burn, then again, you’ll put weight on. What’s more important is that you eat a varied, healthy diet and exercise well.

I’m not suggesting eating as late as possible, if you’re going to eat around 5 or 6 good meals a day, 6-7pm is probably a good time to eat your last meal of the day but eating or snacking later wont do any real harm as long as it’s as part of your nutritional plan. Of course, taking it to the extreme and stuffing your face just before bed won’t do anyone any good, as below….

Midnight Snacks

I’ve heard of several guys getting up at 3am and feasting on whole chickens and the like. There was a time when I might have entertained this theory, several years ago of course, but like all theories before this one, all have been debunked.

Sleep is for sleeping, it’s when our bodies and mind rest and recover and is essential for growth and muscle repair. Waking up alone for more than a few minutes will interrupt this sleep, disturb your body and leave you feeling groggy and restless the next day. Getting up and ramming chickens down your neck will cause your digestive system to reboot and therefore you’ll never get the vital rest your body needs. Remember, our bodies are designed to rest functions such as our digestive system while we sleep and it’s rest the body needs. The nutrients we intake during the day should be ample enough to allow muscles to recover and supply our bodies with what’s required.

If you feel you need extra protein or your body has become used to eating at all hours, try supplementing the chicken with some casein, a slow-release protein that will slowly and quietly add protein to your system without the need to disturb your body and mind.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Popularity: 12% [?]

The famous V-Shape is something every bodybuilder strives for and if you want to get taken serious as an amateur or professional, you need to do whatever it takes to get it. I can’t stress enough the importance of training your back; it supports the rest of your upper body and pulls your shoulders back, giving you great shape and platform. However, it takes much more than back training to attain the V-Shape. The shape is made by a strong, wide back, powerful chest and arms, bulging shoulders and slim waist. Here’s everything you need to know to attain the all-important V.

There are 3 main muscles that need serious training to give you a strong, balanced back.

The Trapezius (Traps)

Your traps are the muscles between your neck and shoulder and are the starting point of the V. Well developed traps give you great shape and are easily visible under a t-shirt. Exercises that target you traps will thicken and strengthen your upper back and broaden your appearance.

Exercises:Deadlifts & Shrugs.

The Lattisimus Dorsi (Lats)

Your lats are the muscles located in the middle of your back, under your arms and are the key to a great V-shape. Also known as ‘wings’, lats widen your stance, lift your arms and bring the V up from your waist.

Exercises: Lat Pull-downs, Bent-over rows, Chin-ups

Spinal Erectors

Your lower back muscles need to be strong to support your upper body and thicken your lower back.

Exercises: Hyper Extensions & Straight Leg Deadlifts

Is that it?

Hell no, it takes more than a thick, wide back to get the V-Shape. Along with following a few set rules, there’s also a number of other muscle groups that need equal attention.

• Your Shoulders or Delts need to be thick and boulder-like to look well-placed as the corner-stones of your V. Remember, there are 3 parts to your deltoids and you must utilise several shoulder exercises to get great looking shoulders.

• Your Triceps are the outline of your V-shape, are 1/3 bigger than your biceps and also look much better filling those essential t-shirt sleeves.

• A powerful, defined Chest is essential for symmetry and to provide balance to your upper body. Make sure you work the upper pectorals with the incline bench-press (see our articles section for Chest advice).

• Your abdominals need to be strong and visible to truly get that V-Shape, unless you’re going for more a figure-of-eight. Combining exercise, diet and weights will give you a great stomach.

• Finally, no physique is complete with thick, strong Legs. You may have attained the V-Shape upper body-wise but with chicken legs underneath, it wont count for much, on the beach or in competitions. There’s a number of exercises that will thicken your legs and improve your core strength, check them out in our ‘Training your Legs’ article.

So what else can contribute to the V-Shape?

Technique – Using the correct technique is all the more important when training your back muscles. Your back consists of many muscles linked together and is constantly under rigorous strain from day to day activities and virtually all weightlifting exercises. Keeping your back straight and shoulders back is key and controlled movements means you have less chance of injury and your gains are maximised.

Don’t overtrain – Your back is also susceptible to over-training and try not to train your back more than twice a week. Making mistakes like this can add to injuries and cause gains to slow despite putting more and more hours in the gym, leaving you confused as to why.

Nutrition & Supplements – As we grow outside the gym, our nutritional intake and diet supplementation need to be especially strong when trying to develop large muscle groups such as your back. If things are lacking in this department, expect your entire physique to suffer. This is especially true when trying to build the V-Shape.

Without a strict diet your abs wont be visible and your V-shape will end in huge disappointment.

Key Exercises – There are several key exercises that need to be utilised to enhance your core strength and add to that V-Shape.

Deadlifts and Squats work a number of key muscle groups such as your legs, back, forearms and shoulders and should be included in any big workout. It also encourages growth through its working of the leg muscles, the biggest muscle groups in your body. Other compound exercises as the bench press, cable rows, chin-ups and pull-ups strengthen your chest and back muscles, giving you a thick upper back and wide lats.

Popularity: 11% [?]

1.) Manute Bol
Height: 7′7”   Weight: 225 Pounds
Manute Bol played 10 seasons in the NBA (1985-1995). He played for four different teams: Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 18.7 minutes played per game over his career, but only 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 points per game. Considering all he has to do is catch the ball and lay it into the basketball without jumping, how come he only averaged 2.6 points per game? He was known for his blocked-shot ability. He set a rookie record in his 1985-1986 rookie season blocking 397 shots. He is also tied for the most blocked shots in one-half with eleven and is tied for the most blocked shots for one quarter with eight, in which he accomplished twice. He still holds the record for most blocked shots per minute with (.176). He also played with Muggsy Bogues during the Bogues 1987 rookie season pairing the tallest and shortest players in NBA history in one season. He is also the only player in NBA history to block more shots then he has scored.


2.) Gheorghe Muresan
Height: 7′7”   Weight: 303 Pounds
Gheorghe Muresan played only 6 seasons in the NBA (1993-2000). He played for two different teams, the Washington Bullets and New Jersey Nets. He averaged 21.9 minutes per game over his career, but only 6.4 rebounds and 9.8 points per game. Another big man, yet a fairy low rebounds/per game average. Some of you might remember Gheorghe Muresan from the movie “My Giant” (1998), where he starred with Billy Crystal and Kathleen Quinlan.


3.) Yao Ming
Height: 7′6”   Weight: 310 Pounds
Yao Ming played 6 full seasons and is still currently in his 7th season in the NBA (2002-Present). He has played for the Houston Rockets his whole career in the NBA. He averaged 32.6 minutes per game, while ripping down 9.2 rebounds and scoring 19 points per game till this day. Unlike the 2 tallest centers in the NBA, Yao Ming has been a workhorse and knows how to tally a stat sheet and is the only player in the top 10 tallest NBA players that is still playing.


4.) Shawn Bradley
Height: 7′6”   Weight: 275 Pounds
Shawn Bradley played 12 seasons (1993-2005). He has played for three different teams:Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, and Dallas Mavericks, where he spent the majority of his career. He averaged 23.5 minutes, 6.3 rebounds and 8.1 points per game during his career. Although he did average 2.5 blocks per game over his career, he has been known for a “Giant” who got dunked on many time.

5.) Chuck Nevitt
Height: 7′5”   Weight:250 Pounds
Chuck Nevitt played 9 seasons in the NBA (1982-1994). He did not play in 3 seasons over the 12 years of his career. He played for five teams throughout his career: Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, and San Antonio Spurs. He did not play more then 45 games in any season and just averaged 5.3 minutes, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.6 points per game throughout his career. Throughout his career he basically got play time during garbage minutes meaning his team usually had a big lead or was down to much to make a comeback, especially in Detroit. While in Detroit, the fans called Detroit’s blow-outs, when Nevitt was able to get his minutes, “Nevitt Time”. His nine seasons of minutes played totaled up to be about the length of 18 full NBA games.


6.) Slavko Vranes
Height: 7′5”   Weight: 275 Pounds
Slavko Vranes only played three minutes in one game with the Portland Trailblazers during his entire NBA career (2003-2004). He was drafted by the New York Knicks in 2003, but was released during the season, not playing one minute of any Knicks game. The Portland Trailblazers signed him a month after his release from the New York Knicks to a 10-day contract, where he played his only three minutes in the NBA.

7.) Mark Eaton
Height: 7′4”   Weight: 290 Pounds
Mark Eaton played 11 seasons in the NBA (1982-1993) and spent his whole career with the Utah Jazz. He averaged 28.8 minutes, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.0 points per game throughout his career. Mark Eaton was known for being a monster on defense averaging 3.5 blocks per game over his career and during his third season in the NBA he averaged a whopping 5.6 blocks per game.

8.) Rik Smits
Height: 7′4”   Weight: 265 Pounds
Rik Smits played 12 seasons in the NBA (1988-2000). Just like Mark Eaton, Rik Smits played his NBA career with one team, the Indiana Pacers. He averaged 26.6 minutes played, 6.1 rebounds, and 14.8 points scored per game during his career. Similar to Ralph Sampson and Mark Eaton, Rik Smits has had very a productive career.


9.) Ralph Sampson
Height: 7′4”   Weight: 235 Pounds
Ralph Simpson played 9 seasons in the NBA (1983-1992). He played for four different teams: Houston Rockets, (where he spent the first half of his career), Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and Washington Bullets. He averaged 29.8 minutes played, 8.8 rebounds, and 15.4 points per game throughout his NBA career. He was teammates with another 7-foot player ,Hakeem Olajuwon, they were nicknamed the “Twin Towers”.Throughout the middle of his career he battled knee injuries because of his big frame and when he was traded for the Rockets he was never able to stay healthy for a full season of games battling with knee and back injuries.


10.) Priest Lauderdale
Height: 7′4”   Weight: 325 Pounds
Priest Lauderdale only played 2 seasons in the NBA (1996-1998). He played one season with the Atlanta Hawks and one season with the Denver Nuggets. During his two-year career in the NBA, he averaged 7.1 minutes, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.4 points. After he left the NBA, he went to play basketball in Bulgaria.

About the author:

Sports_Guru36 originally published this article at RootZoo.com where he’s often found feeding his sports talk addiction and is easily one of the best sports fans out there.   He’s often found on RootZoo’s NBA Forum.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Online gaming has spread its wings wide all over the Internet; but there is something about poker that makes you stay and learn the craft; it has earned its mainstay status in online gaming and online casino gaming. Being an online game enthusiast or developer for instance doesn’t guarantee you a good hand or wisdom to excel in the wily and cunning world that poker is perceived to be.
Some tips from seasoned and weather-tested online poker players have this to say for those who have just discovered the game, both online and offline:
Same as any battle, before you engage, try to size up your enemies and your own capabilities. Most losers in the game suffered the deluge of attacks because they joined in too early and unprepared. It pays to learn well the tricks and trade of the game before you take the plunge.
The second most common fault a poker beginner is more likely to commit is bluffing too much. Other players who have braved the tides in the game can easily point out some inconsistencies and patterns that might give away your real intentions or the hand you are dealt with. So the trick is to learn it one step at a time, and avoid bluffing too much.
On the other hand, to make sure that you don’t go beyond what you can dole out, set a specific amount for a bet limit; this will save you from a lifetime of unwanted credits, and lets you earn a good reputation with your fellow gamers.
Coupled with enough practice time, an online gamer’s interest in learning more of the trade will give him an edge later on. This mind-set will allow him to learn more than anybody does who plays without any interest in learning the craft through time. Any master in the game doesn’t have 100% foresight of what their hand will bring them; that surely means there’s always room for improvement.
For more information, you can check on online gaming software and development

Popularity: 15% [?]

Some of the finest landscapes painted in the past century have been views of golf courses – both by renowned artists and amateurs alike – in some cases chosen through an interest in the sport itself and, in others, simply for the beauty in the eye of the beholder. There can be few vistas as breathtaking as a well-designed set of links, and these golf pictures appeal even to the least sporting amongst us.

A golf picture can often grace the walls of the formal drawing room in a stately home or the living-room of a semi-detached family home with equal ease.

Of course an unoccupied landscape is one thing, golf pictures depicting famous or even unknown individuals are another matter. When asked, during a rare lull in the volume of the conversation at a recent drinks party, who the subject of a very fetching portrait occupying a large area above the sofa might be, the hostess laughed and said she had no idea who the gentleman may have been. Although her husband’s golf pictures were usually less anonymous, he had not minded that nobody seemed to know who this chap was, because anyone who had cultivated a moustache of such fabulous proportions deserved a place in posterity!

It was quite a moustache, admittedly, and the portrait was otherwise pleasing too – leaning on a wonderfully old-fashioned looking iron – a mashie, perhaps, or a niblick? – our hero, with one hand shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun, was gazing towards the spire of a typical English country village church while, just beyond the periphery of his gaze, a caddy dressed in the manner of an eighteenth-century lackey was gathering up the rest of his clubs and preparing to accompany his master to wherever the ball landed. Indeed, on closer scrutiny, one could just make out the golf ball as it flew towards a point some two hundred yards away from the front of the picture.

At the end of the same sofa was another striking item in a collection of framed golf pictures that served to make this home both handsome and memorable. Called ‘The Triumvirate’, this beautifully mounted and framed picture depicted three stars of British golf of the Edwardian Era. Painted by Clement Fowler in 1913, just before the outbreak of the first World War would change the face of Britain for ever, it shows one gentleman in plus-fours and knee socks, who has clearly just driven the ball with some energy towards an unseen point to the left of the picture. Two other gentlemen, one standing, the other seated, are gazing in the same direction and, far in the distant background, is the R & A clubhouse, establishing their whereabouts as the Old Course at St. Andrews.

One does not need to have any interest in the sport at all to enjoy such wonderful golf pictures, since they are like windows into a glorious past – and yet, as in few other sports, such scenes could still be enjoyed today, at golf courses all over the world, were it not for some major differences in clothing fashions!

As I was enjoying the latter picture, the hostess came by to top up my glass and I asked where she and her husband had come by such wonderful golf pictures as these. The chap with the moustache, she told me, had been acquired at auction as part of a group of sporting pictures.

The Triumvirate was, she told me, her latest birthday present to her spouse, ordered online, on the deserved recommendation of a friend. She had, she said, been able to choose the ideal mount and frame, pay for her purchase and get the computer closed down before her husband had time to notice that she wasn’t in her usual armchair, so that her gift came as a total and delightful surprise to him. Being very interested in acquiring similar golf pictures for my own living room, I managed to persuade her to divulge the source of this excellent choice of birthday gift.
The Lordprice Collection in London, England, at www.lordprice.co.uk, has a vast collection of framed pictures of vintage sporting subjects, and others such as classic fashion pictures. Unusual and interesting <a href=”http://www.lordprice.co.uk/golf.html”>golf pictures</a> can be found here to suit any room or environment.

Popularity: 13% [?]

One of the oldest baseball franchises, with 125 years of existence, the Philadelphia Phillies could make history once again by winning their second World Series title, 28 years after winning their first one. The Phillies captured their 6th pennant of the National League this year by beating the LA Dodgers 4-1 in the National League Championship Series.

The Phillies have turn around their history this year as they have been the team that has struggle the most in the Major League by winning only one World Series in 126 seasons and being the team with the most lost games in the league history. But this season 2008 the Phillies have managed to achieve amazing things including beating one of the most remarkable teams in the league, the LA Dodgers, in the NL final and getting very close to become the new World Series Champions. However, they still have to beat the Tampa Bay Rays one more time to get the crown.

The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays with an outstanding score of 10-2 in game 4 this past Sunday at Phillies’ home, the Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia started strong since the beginning of the first inning and had 3 home runs in the game, something peculiar in a World Series finale. The Phillies starting pitcher Joe Blanton became the first pitcher to hit a home run in the World Series in 34 years. As well, Ryan Howard was incredible at the plate by hitting two home runs, one in the fourth inning for a three-run shot and then in the 8th inning for a two-run blow up.

“To be able to have two home runs in a World Series, I think that’s the kind of stuff you dream of when you are a teenager. Obviously you want to win also. But being able to do something like that and to help my team win, it’s a great feeling,” expressed the Phillies first base Ryan Howard.

This loss was different for the Rays because in the prior games the gap between the two teams was not as wide as this time. The pitching in the Rays was poor, even from his starter pitcher Andy Sonnanstine, who only played the first four innings. Also, two of Philadelphia’s runs were leaded by two fatal errors at defense by the second baseman Akinori Iwamura.

Now the Tampa Bay Rays is in hands of his manager Joe Maddon and will try to extend the Series to a Game 6 by winning Game 5 at Philadelphia. But the Rays will have to remember that the Phillies will begin their game with his starting pitcher Cole Hamels, who has not lost yet in the post-season and who could want to wrap up his 5th win and let the team to their second crown of the franchise history.

For the Rays, Scott Kazmir will be pitching looking for retaliation against Cole Hamels. Both pitchers faced themselves in the inaugural game of the World Series and Hamels was the winner of that game. We hope to see great baseball and excitement for the remaining of the World Series and to be witness of which of the teams will be the one to make history this year at the MLB.

About the Author
Ally White is a top senior copy writer on MLB games and sports action for the sportsbook www.instantactionsports.com/
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 9% [?]

The Spanish league was full of excitement this past weekend after the Valencia team delivered the biggest surprise by becoming the first team to be positioned at the top of the standings with 13 points and keeping their undefeated streak of five games up to this point in the season.

At the Mestalla Stadium, Valencia defeated Deportivo La Coruna 4-2 in a great game played by Valencia and his scorer David Villa who scored 2 goals and he is leading in scoring points this season with a total of six goals, this is indeed a very promising starting season for Villa.

Last season Valencia finished in the in 10th place with 51 points but they managed to obtain a great accomplishment which was to win the Spanish Cup for the 2007-2008 season. This new season 2008-09 Valencia had a solid start winning the last five games played in the hands of Head Coach Emery.

During this Sunday’s game, Valencia was down in the first 11 minutes of the game, but a good play done by Mata and the Italian defender Emiliano Moretti tied the game at the end of the first half. During the second half a play by Mata and Villa set Valencia with a good advantage. Later on at the 69th minute a goal by Joaquin increased the score 3-1 in favor of the Valencia CF and at the 82nd minute, Villa scored the fourth goal for his team. Although it was not the end of the game, the host player Lafita scored for El Deportivo ending the score at 4-2.

At the end of the game, Valencia’s Head Coach, Unai Emery expressed, “We are getting over the problems from last season and today we showed what we are capable of.  It is nice to be top but what we are concerned with is consistency and growing as a team. We don’t know our limits because it is early in the season.”

The president Vicente Soriano also told the media, he was really excited for this season and the expectations on his team during 2008 and 2009. Definitely the team has shown they are capable of becoming the best team of the league but it is still too soon. There are still things Coach Every and his players need to improve in order to become this season’s champions, especially overcome every obstacle they will find along the way before obtaining the title.

The next game will be against Valladolid which is currently in the 11th position of the standings with 6 points. Previously, Valladolid had lost against Malaga 2-1, however, the team hopes to battle for a win against Valencia on Thursday and built up their position in the standings.

For their part, Valencia is motivated and they keep playing very good.  The team will keep fighting for the top position of the league while adding more points. Therefore, we hope to see a great game and great football coming from the Valencia players. The fans also want to see their great team remain at the top spot while becoming this year’s league champions.

About the Author

Ally White is a top senior copy writer for the Spanish League- La Liga games as well as the top ranking online bookmaker: www.instantactionsports.com/uk/

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 14% [?]

It is easy to envy the owner who traded away Brady before the season started or the owner who ended up with a backfield of Marshawn Lynch and Brian Westbrook through some well timed trades.  It’s not easy to be that owner.  Trading is a tough game of chess, we all want to sacrifice our pawn for a queen but the moves aren’t so obvious.  The golden rule of trading is information. The more information you have the better deal you will get.

Well what kind of information do I need Gujupike? Here are the questions that should be answered before you accept or offer any trade. The three most obvious questions, which I will NOT address, are: where does my team need improvement (you should know how to spot that), who has players that can improve my team (basic skill), and how can this trade be beneficial for me.  If you don’t know those three before going into trade than you are bound to get outclassed.

Master these next few steps and watch your ranking improve.

What does my opponent want for his player? It’s not so important what they need it is more important what they want! That is a key that many players forget. They offer up trades that are, by all means, fair trades and do improve both teams but if your opponent doesn’t believe in Kurt Warner, or is a Raiders fan and can’t stand Jay Cutler there is no point in offering that trade. You will not get the value you deserve. It is important to talk to your fellow owners. If you are in a league with people you know than talk football with them as much as you can. Don’t probe for information because they will notice that and mislead you. Just simply talk football. The most honest conversations will reveal the most information. Do not be afraid to give information to get it. Just make sure you get more information than you give.

Research Research, Research. For the players that you want and for the ones you are giving up know as much about them as possible. Know their schedule, their bye weeks, there strengths. As much research as you put into drafting player should be done into trading him away or trading for him. I wouldn’t say its important to know the nuances of each player but take a glance at their stat sheet. Here is what you are looking for: Did your player got most of his points from one game or was it evenly spread throughout the last two weeks? Example: Hank Baskett, a lot of owners mistakenly jumped all over him after week one because they saw that he had over 100 yards receiving and a touchdown. However, those owners failed to realize that 90 of his yards came on one play and those owners were severely punished on week 2. Also another player that can be deceiving is Santana Moss. He has over 200 yards receiving in two games but 146 came from one game. If a running back ran for 95 yards make sure it wasn’t one long run for 80 and then 10 runs for 15 yards. Know thy players Know thy opponent.

Don’t be afraid to move your blue chips. If the draft was in your favor and you made some good sleeper picks (Chris Johnson, Matt Forte, DeSean Jackson) don’t be surprised if you don’t get value for them. You have to trade the blue chips you drafted early (Brandon Marshall, Terrell Owens) in order to get some players. Your depth comes in handy because you can replace the blue chip you traded from your bench. For example in one of my leagues my quarterbacks were David Garrard and Matt Schaub so I obviously needed help. I traded Marshawn Lynch for Drew Brees and moved Matt Forte from the bench to my starting. I never expected to trade Forte for a quarterback. Too often I see owners trying to move two or three bench players for a blue chip. An opponent accepting a trade with your sleeper picks is the same as him admitting you made better moves than him in the draft, most don’t want to do that.  If you move a blue chip the way I explain below you will come out ahead and make him feel like he cheated you.

Expect to feel like you are overpaying. When you try to trade for a top ten player you will always feel like you are overpaying, even if said player is underachieving. A lot of owners are trying to pick up Braylon Edwards cheap and they are finding out that owners aren’t willing to trade him for Santana Moss. Don’t be surprised, it’s early in the season and they still remember which round they drafted their player in and want some value for him. Remember overachieving players will never garner you underachieving players. Stop trying to trade DeSean Jackson for TJ Houshmandzadeh, it’s not going to happen. “The Godfather” said it best; give them an offer they can’t refuse. Overpay if you have to, as long as your team improves overall that’s all that matters. If they refuse an offer that’s clearly in their favor then move on.

Don’t forget the negotiation part of trading. A lot of players play the spectrum of trading wrong. On one end there is the trade that the other owner will never accept and on the other, an offer you will never accept. You have to know these ends. If you offer a trade that is too one-sided in your favor they might feel insulted and not trade with you no matter the offer; or they might get upset and demand more value from you to prove their “intelligence”. However, it is necessary to not offer your best offer first. Propose a trade that is seemingly fair and slightly in your favor (again not too much) just enough to wet the appetite of the other owners so the trade talks can open. Once the trade talks open then keep wetting the appetite of the other owner and then be like well I don’t know and watch him squirm. At this point the other owner has imagined your blue chip player on his team and his mouth is watering. Now we can try to extract more information from him. The key is this, offer a non-blue chip player in your first offer. Trade talks move up not down. Know that you are willing to trade your blue chip player but not unless he asks. When you say “hey I want Drew Brees” he is going to say “well I want Brandon Marshall” and that’s when you’ve got your information. Too often I see and hear of trades that are fair and balanced getting rejected because it was the first offer on the table. Play the game right and you will win.

So keep in mind the subtleties of trading and remember trading is an important part of building a championship team but it’s not the only way to win. Picking up key players off the Waiver Wire is extremely important. The last few things I want to mention are timing issues. Maintaining cordial relations with owners is crucial for future practices, don’t berate players if they offer you one-sided trades just simply message them politely on who you are willing to give up and who you want.  Keep the communication open. Make sure you offer trades up early in the week, give time for negotiations to work, Sunday night is a great time to put up your first offer. If an owner doesn’t respond in a day or two take your offer down and move on. Before you offer or accept a trade read your starting lineup out loud to yourself with/without the traded players. Compare and contrast lineups before the trade and after. Also, don’t panic if you are 0-3. If you were the unlucky guy who drafted Brady, Braylon Edwards, TJ Housh, Larry Johnson, Chad Johnson (ocho cinco) all at once then maybe you should panic but if you only have one or two players underachieving, relax. Stars are stars for a reason they usually find a way to pull out decent stats. Remember trading is negotiation and negotiation is all about information and psychology. As Sun Tzu said in the “The Art of War” If you know thy opponent you need not fear the outcome of a thousand battles.

About the author:

Gujupike originally published this article at rootzoo.com, where he’s very active.  You can often find him chatting on their nfl football forums giving the best free fantasy football advice.  He’s earned a lot of respect for his knowledge on rootzoo.com

Popularity: 14% [?]

Training camps opened across North America this past week and hope is abound. The Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers will be leaving shortly for the Czech Republic and the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators will be heading for Sweden to open their seasons. All teams are contenders in September but by February after their mettle has been tested, some will resign themselves to not making the playoffs. Here is how the Eastern Conference Standings look heading into the season.

The Division Winners:

1. Montreal Canadiens – The Habs will celebrate their 100th season by winning the North East division and finishing atop the East conference for a second consecutive year. Montrealers suffered through a long rebuild but with a cocky swagger, Montreal is near the top of the league again. Montreal will seek its 25th cup and end its longest drought ever on the back of sophomore goalie Carey Price. Price is a sure bet to fill his mantle with Vezina trophies in his career. Newcomer Alex Tanguay will provide extra scoring punch in the Habs top 6. The only loss of significance was power play point-man Mark Streit.

2. Washington Capitals – The Capitals will again come out on top in the increasingly competitive south east division. The goaltending combination of Huet and Kolzig that ended the season has been replaced by former league MVP Jose Theodore, who bounced back with the Avalanche after a few down years. Rookie defensemen Karl Alzner is a strong bet to make the team this season as a 19 year old. Look for the steady stay at home blue liner to be paired with future Norris Trophy winner Mike Green and for Green to have the green light to jump into the offensive rush more frequently. Oh, and the Capitals have this kid named Ovechkin who is more effective than General Electric at lighting the lamp.

3. Philadelphia Flyers – The Broad Street Bullies era has been revived in Philadelphia. The Flyers are led by courageous captain Mike Richards. The team guts out wins and are backed by the competent goaltending of Martin Biron. The team is 4 lines deep with players that can score, hit, and defend. Braydon Coburn is emerging as an excellent two way defensemen, similar to Dion Phaneuf. Two years ago the Flyers were last in the NHL but after shrewd moves by GM Paul Holmgren have made a remarkable turnaround. The most significant loss in the off season was Captain Jason Smith, clearly on the downside of his career. There is plenty of youth to make up for his departure.

Playoff Teams:

4. Pittsburgh Penguins – It was a tumultuous off season for the Stanley Cup finalists. The team lost many key free agents, including playoff rental Marian Hossa, local kid Ryan Malone, grizzled veteran Gary Roberts, Pest Jarkko Ruutu, enforcer, Georges Laraque, and back up goalie Ty Conklin. Luckily for GM Ray Shero he was able to retain the services of steady stay at home defensemen Brooks Orpik to prevent the summer from being a complete loss. Pittsburgh less than adequately replaced these players with aging Miroslav Satan coming off a down year with the Islanders and solid 3^rd liner Ruslan Fedotenko who will get a shot with Crosby. Crosby, Staal, and Malkin will lead the Pens up front, while veteran Sergei Gonchar, the always improving Ryan Whitney, and blue chip prospect Kris Letang will shore up the blue line.

5. Ottawa Senators – Last year the Sens come out of the gate and had the best start to an NHL season ever before the wheels fell off. Troubled goalie Ray Emery got into fights at practice when he showed up on time. Injuries hurt the Sens and Coach John Paddock was fired in an attempt to shake the team out of its funk. Ottawa was too dependent on Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson, and Jason Spezza for goals last season and not much has changed. Young players like Antoine Vermette, Chris Kelly and Mike Fisher will be joined by Nick Foligno as forwards being counted on for secondary scoring. The biggest change for Ottawa will be on the blue line where long time Senator Wade Redden left via free agency after 2 disastrous seasons. Ottawa also traded Andrej Meszaros after his contract demands were too steep for GM Bryan Murray. New to the Sens blue line will be Filip Kuba and promising youngster Alexandre Picard acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay as well as former Oilers and Flyers Captain Jason Smith. Alex Auld replaces Ray Emery as back up to Martin Gerber the unquestionable (for better or worse) number 1 goalie this year. Expectations are as low in Ottawa as they have been since 1995.

6. New York Rangers – The Rangers were very active in remaking their roster this summer, and their big move is still likely to come. It is believed that sometime before November the Rangers will add former Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin. If/when Sundin if inked look for Scott Gomez to be dealt for a defensemen to shore up the blue line. The Rangers will also welcome Nikolai Zherdev, Markus Naslund, and Dan Fritsche up front and Wade Redden and Dmitri Kalinin to their blue line. Gone from New York are former captain Jaromir Jagr, Veteran leader Brendan Shanahan, super pest Sean Avery and Fedor Tyutin. Despite all the re-jigging, the Blue shirts will go as far as goalie Henrik Lundquist will carry them.

7. Carolina Hurricanes – Injuries have prevented the Hurricanes from making the playoffs the past two seasons and already the Hurricanes are having health issues. Winger Justin Williams was injured in the team’s first work out and will miss 4-6 months. Most of the roster is intact from last season with Joni Pitkanen being the only newcomer of consequence. Pitkanen was acquired in a trade for Erik Cole. Defensemen Bret Hedican and Glen Wesley retired in the off season. The Hurricanes will again be led by Eric Staal and by goalie Cam Ward. Carolina will need to win their divisional games to have a shot at the playoffs as Florida and Tampa will be breathing down their necks.

8. Boston Bruins – The Bean towners returned to the playoffs last season by playing a strong defensive game under new coach Claude Julien. The team was without its best player, Patrice Bergeron for the majority of the season after a hit from behind resulted in a terrible concussion. Michael Ryder is the only acquisition of consequence while long time Bruin Glen Murray was bought out. Improvement will come from within with Bergeron returning and youngsters like Milan Lucic, Phil Kessel, and Chuck Kobasew being counted on for greater contributions. Goalie Manny Fernandez will return from injury to challenge Tim Thomas for the #1 role, with both watching over their shoulder as Tuukka Rask is expected to challenge for a roster spot.

On the outside looking in:

9. New Jersey Devils – Lou Lamoriello has kept the Devils in contention for the past 15 years despite losing players to free agency and attrition. This may finally be the year where Lou’s magic wears off. The team lost no players of consequence and repatriated former Devils Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik, but that will hardly keep them up with the powers of the Atlantic division. Having to play the young upstarts from Pennsylvania (Flyers and Penguins) 12 times as well as 6 games against the Rangers may be enough to keep the Devils out of post season action. Also working against the Devils is Martin Brodeur is aging and doesn’t seem as capable of playing 75 games a season anymore. He looked ordinary against the Rangers and let Sean Avery rattle his cage. If Brodeur shows any signs of failing the bleak shot at a playoff spot will dissipate.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning – No team made more changes than the Lightning this summer. The team has new owners, new GM, new Coach, and almost a completely different roster than the one that opened the 2007-08 season. Program sales should reach an all time high in St. Pete. Only one star player was removed from the roster that finished last overall in 2007-08 and that is Dan Boyle. He was traded in a package that landed young defensemen Matt Carle. The team also traded Alex Picard and Filip Kuba for Andrej Meszaros giving the Lightning two building blocks for the blue line to go with the young talent up front. Superstars Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis will be joined by 1^st overall choice Steven Stamkos. The Lightning was active in free agency adding Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Mark Recchi, Radim Vrbata, and Vaclav Prospal. Despite all these acquisitions, the Lightning’s fortunes hinge on the play of goalie Mike Smith. Smith was acquired at the trade deadline from Dallas and still needs to prove that he is capable of handling number 1 duties. He will be backed up by aging veteran Olaf Kolzig, acquired via free agency after a lengthy career in Washington.

11. Buffalo Sabres – The good news for Sabres fans is that the team locked up Ryan Miller who could have been a free agent at the conclusion of the upcoming season and almost assuredly would have left the Sabres. The bad news is that the team is still reeling from the departures of Chris Drury and Daniel Briere in the summer of 2007 and will again miss the playoffs. The depth of the minor league system kept the Sabres competitive last year and will again this season. Derek Roy and Jason Pominville stepped up, but a thin blue line proved to be too much for the Sabres to overcome. No losses or acquisitions of consequence were made by GM Darcy Regier whose future with the Sabres was only solidified this week when he signed a contract extension. No major changes will result in the same result as last year.

12. Florida Panthers– Two big changes this season for the Panthers. The first is that leader Olli Jokinen was traded to the Coyotes on draft day for defensemen Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton. The second is new coach Peter DeBoer replaces Jacques Martin who served as Coach and GM last season and was told by ownership to pick one job. Veteran Cory Stillman was also signed and Bryan McCabe was acquired in a trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs for Mike Van Ryn. Any improvement from the Panthers will result in strong interdivisional play and continued development of their young players: Jay Bouwmeester, Steve Weiss, and Nathan Horton. If Florida is nowhere near a playoff spot in February expect Bouwmeester, who is growing tired of losing, to be moved in a trade because he will be eligible for free agency next summer and would be lost for nothing.

The Tavares Sweepstakes:

13. NY Islanders – It was another interesting off season for the Islanders. Ted Nolan lost his power struggle with GM Garth Snow and was abruptly replaced as coach. The bone of contention was the direction of the team. Nolan wanted to continue utilizing veteran players and attempting to make the playoffs whereas Snow decided it was time for a full fledged youth movement. The team was in the hunt until an all star game injury sidelined starting goalie Rick Dipietro and without the team’s franchise player their playoff aspirations were dashed. Ruslan Fedotenko and Miroslav Satan were two veterans that were let go, while the team signed power play spark plug Mark Streit away from Montreal and added Doug Weight from Anaheim via free agency in a pair of curious moves. Blake Comeau, Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini, and Sean Bergenheim are youngsters who will see their role increased with the team. A nice mix of vets and young players on the blue line will combine with Dipietro to help keep the Islanders in some games but lack of fire power will prove to be the Achilles heel.

14. Toronto Maple Leafs – The Leafs had a solid run from 1998-2004 contending for a playoff spot and making some noise. They haven’t made the playoffs since the lock out and will enter 2008-09 in full rebuild mode. Gone are long time Leafs Mats Sundin, leading scorer in franchise history, Bryan McCabe, and Darcy Tucker. Joining them in the march out of town were chronic underachiever Kyle Wellwood and flash in the pan Andrew Raycroft. The Leafs brought in veterans Jeff Finger and Nicklas Hagman to provide veteran stability at extremely high pay rates. They also coaxed Curtis Jospeh out of retirement with a post playing job with the team. The Leafs were pushovers last season and added Ryan Hollweg and Jamal Mayers in trades to provide some grit and toughness. Hope for Leafs’ fans is years away but the first steps are being taken as Nikolai Kulemin joins the team from Russia and “The Human Eraser” Luke Schenn was drafted 5^th overall. The team will be younger, tougher, and solid defensively but will struggle to score in the first season under Ron Wilson as coach. The team is waiting for Brian Burke to arrive from Anaheim to take over as President and GM in 2009. The biggest hope is that the moves lead the team to the league’s basement and the chance to draft local phenom John Tavares.

15. Atlanta Thrashers – New coach John Anderson inherits a team with superstar Ilya Kovlachuk and not much else. Some depth was acquired when Marian Hossa was traded but the team lacks top 6 forward talents and has a very thin blue line. Ron Hainsey and Jason Williams is 3^rd tier free agents added in the summer while aging players Bobby Holik and Alexei Zhitnik were shown the door. Frequently injured and always inconsistent Kari Lehtonen enters the year as the starting goalie but will be challenged by Ondrej Pavelec. Bryan Little and this year’s 3^rd overall pick Zach Bogosian will challenge for roles on this talent deficient squad. It will be a long year for the rookie coach in his long overdue first opportunity at the NHL level.

About the author:

MCDTLC is the author and he originally published this at rootzoo.com.  He’s a huge hockey fan and loves discussing the nhl standings.  He has also created some of rootzoo’s best sports polls.

Popularity: 14% [?]

The second best Serbian tennis player and US Open runner-up is considered by the experts the next player to achieve the top spot position in the WTA tennis rankings.  Jeca as she is also known also looks forward to win her first Grand Slam as she believes the time has come and she is preparing harder mentally and physically. Jankovic is still young and there are many things she will still need to experience from this point forward. Although, both, her coach and her now clearly understand what it takes to win a Grand Slam.

During the present campaing Jankovic had several opportunities to achieve a higher level; she got to semifinals at the French Open and the final at the U.S Open. While at the U.S Open she got every opportunity to beat the current number one of the world Serena Williams but she made a lot of mistakes during key moments. Despite her losing the Grand Slam she did learn experience…exactly as she told the sport media and that she will keep working harder and harder until she achieve her goals.

Currently Jankovic will play this week at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, where she enters as top seeded. Jeka will face the Italian Flavia Pennetta in the opening round and will look forward for her preparation for the next year’s big tournaments especially the Grand Slams.

Jelena has won 7 titles, three in Tier I, one in Tier III, two in Tier IV & V and one ITF Tour in Dubai. Her career began in 2001 when she played her first WTA tournaments.  Just two years later Jelena entered the Top 100 being No. 90 after her victory in Dubai.  During 2004 Jelena increased her ranking to No. 51 after winning her first WTA Tour title in Budapest. Later after defeating several top-20 players Jeca ended the 2004 season placed as the number 28 in the world. The 2005 season was considered her breach to the women’s tennis getting into three finals in Dubai, Birmingham and Seoul and by 2006 Jankovic improved her numbers to the 12th position.

In the 2007 season she reached her second Tier IV and played all the way to the fourth round of the Australian Open. Later after getting into the French Open semifinals Jankovic was ranked No.3. In 2008 Jankovic defended her Tier I title in Rome; currently she is ranked No. 2.

Nevertheless, Jankovic needs to become a stronger contender as the Williams sisters seem to be at the top of their game. “Naturally they are just physically stronger than 99 percent of the girls. Nothing falls from the sky. You have to work harder than anyone else if you want to be the best and that’s what I’m trying to do” stated Jeca.

With all these records and experiences we know Jankovic will reach a future the number one spot once again as she is a hard working athlete and tennis player and she continues to dwell upon her dream, a Grand Slam title.

About the Author

Ally White is a top senior copy writer for international tennis championships as well as the top ranking  online bookmaker  www.instantactionsports.com/uk/

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Watching the 2008 Olympics I am constantly bothered by one thing, and it isn’t the horrible commentary.  I’m baffled by the absence of golf.  I know what you might be thinking and I’m thinking the same thing, ‘Does the world really need another sport added to the Olympic roster?’ but the answer should be a resounding ‘YES’.

Golf is, after all, a legitimate sport, giving it a clear advantage over half the current so-called ’sports’ accepted by the Olympics.  Take ping-pong for instance.

If you’re reading this thinking ping-pong is legitimate, then I have no problem telling you that you’re a complete moron.  Ping-pong, which is not a sport, is a miniature version of tennis, which is a sport.  There is no disputing this fact.

If we’re forced to accept ping-pong as a legitimate sport, then why don’t we allow other miniature versions of other sports into the Olympics as well? What about foosball?  It looks a lot like a tiny version of soccer to me and is a hell of a lot more fun to play than ping-pong.  What about miniature golf?  Who wouldn’t want to see a completely serious American team putting for gold on the draw bridge hole?

Examples of Judged sports include: diving, dressage, all gymnastics, sometimes boxing if a decision is required, synchronized swimming and a plethora of other lame sports.  In a judged sport there is no clear winner and a third party decides which of the contestants did the best.  Even if these are the most qualified experts, they’re still just people with opinions.

One such event is called ‘Dressage’.  In case you missed this prestigious sport it involves a horse, a jockey and prancing. Yes, prancing.  ‘Judges’ sit on the sidelines and actually weigh the performance of prancing horses and pick the best one, because in dressage there in no finish line for the horses to cross.  There is no bar they must jump over.  There are no points other than the completely bogus points the judges award.  There are only prancing horses, and a bunch of expert morons, judging the whole shebang.

How can this ‘Sport’ get Olympic recognition while other real sports, such as golf, are completely ignored?   What else will the Olympics Committee approve over golf?  I can only imagine it will be some stupid judged sport where moronic women prance around with hula-hoops like cheerleaders on steroids.  Oh ya, that’s an Olympic sport as well.  It’s called Artistic Gymnastics.  Really, I’m not lying.  They actually award medals for it.

The problem could be that many people have hang ups with golf being in the Olympics.  I’ll address some of these hang ups right now.

Some say that golf is already a global sport with many international competitions to decide who is the best.  There is no need for it to be in the Olympics.  Soccer is more of a religion than sport to half the world.  It has a global following and many international competitions, with one such competition that is arguably more popular, if not more important, than the Olympics.  Has anyone heard of the World Cup?  So why is soccer allowed in the Olympics, certainly not because it already has a global presence.

Some say we shouldn’t have pros compete if golf becomes an Olympic sport.  Fine with me. So we only allow amateurs to compete.  Who really wants to see Tiger bending over to accept a gold medal on top of everything else the guy has won?  Not me.  So okay, fine, lets hand the reins over to some amateurs and let the games begin.

While it is true that you may not find naked statues of ancient Olympians holding five irons, there is a long list of other sports you will never see statues of ancient Olympians doing.  Diving.  Synchronized swimming.  Trampoline.  Sailing.  Dressage.  Artistic gymnastics.  My guess is that they would laugh themselves silly if they saw our current Olympics event list.  Golf, at least, they might understand.

The ancient Olympians practiced only finish line sports like, wrestling, chariot races, boxing that didn’t require a decision, and something called the pankration.  A sport very much like modern day mixed martial arts cages fights, but these were not light weight matches.  The ancient Greeks didn’t mess around.

During one pankration match a man named, Arrichion of Phigaleia won the event even though he was dead.  His opponent had him in a chokehold and Arrichion, in his desperation to get out, broke his opponent’s fingers and ankle.  The opponent almost passed out from the pain of shattered bones, and submitted.  When the referee untangled the two men, it was discovered that Arrichion had died from the chokehold.  Not a country to wimp out, the Greeks crowned the dead man’s body with an olive wreath and declared him a hero.

Would these guys understand any of our judged sports?

I realize golf isn’t the manliest of sports.  When compared to the ancient Olympics, every modern sport would invariably come up short.  All I’m saying is at least golf is a finish line sport which makes it more inline with the original idea of the ancient Olympics and therefore, in my opinion, more deserving of a spot on the current Olympics event list .

At the very least, why not make a longest drive event? How hard would it be for the host country to install a field of grass, or a single hole?  How awesome would it be to see the amazing drives the best of the best would deliver?

My fear is that even if golf does find its way into the Olympics, the people running things will screw it up somehow.  They’ll probably institute some lame ass artistic golf swing event, where judges evaluated a contestant’s swing posture and speed.  Then again after watching the Olympics this year, I’m not sure I could stomach their version of a golf commentary.  I’d be asleep before the third contestant.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Throughout this summer there were different speculations regarding the Spaniard footballer Xabi Alonso and his transfer to another European football team. One of the main reasons was that Xabi Alonso didn’t look as a vital element anymore for Liverpool’s manager Benitez last season when he lost his spot as midfielder being replaced by Javier Mascherano in 2008. However, as Benitez decided to put Gerrard has second striker, Alonso recaptured his place in the team. But, when the season ended and the summer arrived, different clubs began looking for new players and transfers. In Xabi’s case the clubs interested were Juventus and Arsenal. These two teams were looking for great midfielders with experience and for them Xabi Alonso could be a good fit.

The deal with Juventus did not materialize as Liverpool did not want to lower their 18 million GBP price for the Spaniard. On the other hand, Arsenal’s story was very similar, as there were money issues and the bid was to low to be accepted by Xabi, his agent and Liverpool.

The English team of Arsenal stated the pricing Liverpool has to be extremely high. The offer made for the Spaniard was 12 million GBP compared to the 18 million GBP that was given by the Reds.

However, now that there are no arrangements with other teams, Xabi Alonso will play these four months for Liverpool as he and his agent will wait for better deals in January. The Spaniard midfielder is now focusing in playing well with Liverlpool .

Xabi’s profesional career began in 1999 with Real Sociedad when he was just 18 years old. Within a few months Coach Clemente transferred him to play in the second division during 2000. After a disappointing season due to managerial changes, Real Sociedad decided to get John Toshack in 2001. While Xabi became the team’s captain taking the team to a new level, and then even qualifying the team for first time to the UEFA Champions League during the 2002-2003 season. After three years with Real Sociedad, Xabi was transferred with a total of 10.5 million GBP to Liverpool. Xabi has achieved amazing things for the Red, and his has gained status one of the best midfielders in Europe.

Internationally speaking in 2006 Xabi was called to play for Spain’s national team during the 2006 Germany World Cup. Xabi scored his first international goal against Ukraine. But Spain did not get further in the tournament. But for the Euro 2008, Xabi Alonso got international glory with Spain when they won in an exceptional way.

We know Xabi Alonso is a great player, we hope he will decide the best for his future as he still has a long way to go and a lot of football to show to his fans as well as his skills on the field. For now, we look forward to see him playing his best with Liverpool this season.

About the Author

Ally White is a top senior copy writer for the UEFA Champions League games as well as the top ranking online bookmaker: www.instantactionsports.com/uk/

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Popularity: 12% [?]