The Daytona 500, which is commonly referred to as the Super Bowl of NASCAR, is held each year in February. Drawing hundreds of thousands of fans each year, with even more watching at home on television, the Daytona 500 is racing’s most anticipated event. The sports news media agrees with large press attendance and pre-event weekend coverage. It serves as the season opener for the new racing season, but now it serves as so much more. While sports news continuously surrounds the annual Daytona 500, it is now focused on a new men’s fragrance of the same name.
Elizabeth Arden, which is the #2 American perfume creator, will begin offering the “Daytona 500" men’s fragrance beginning in April 2006. In addition to being found at participating retailers, the Daytona 500 fragrance is expected to be readily available online. Elizabeth Arden believes that the scent “embodies the confidence, power and intensity of the men daring enough to race in the ultimate adrenaline rush.” And what a rush it is. The Daytona 500 is arguably the most exciting race of the year and is widely published in sports news publications, as well as sports news programs.
Jeff Gordon, four-time Cup champion and defending Daytona 500 victor, already promotes another product in the Elizabeth Arden fragrance line. “Halston,” which is also a men’s fragrance, is promoted by Jeff Gordon, who serves as product spokesman. When Gordon signed on as a representative in February 2005, Elizabeth Arden claimed that their sales increased by 30-40% from previous sales. It is this relationship that creates the preexisting association between Elizabeth Arden and NASCAR.
With the release of the “Daytona 500" fragrance, sports news will once again be swirling around the sport. But, by April, with the Daytona 500 competition long since past, the new Daytona 500 sports news will come in the form of a men’s fragrance. With this being the first racing-related fragrance, it is only fitting that it would be named after the first regular NASCAR sanctioned event. During it’s earliest days, racing at the beach in Daytona quickly became the base for which the sanctioning body of NASCAR was born.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
5 top sports web sites
There are literally thousands of places on the web to get your sports news information. Whether you want the latest headlines, up to the second scores, editorials, or in depth analysis, there are a myriad of choices for you. While some sites only offer one or two of those things, there are several that offer all of those and more. My Top 5 are below:
5. Yahoo! Sports (sports.yahoo.com) - this site is all substance and no flash. It looks essentially the same as it did five years ago. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it just doesn't knock your socks off. Any information that you need is readily available and up to date. Columnists aren't as well known as the top sites, but they are solid.
4. FOX Sports (msn.foxsports.com) - a few years ago this site was a mess. It was the anti-Yahoo! - all flash and no substance. In the past few years they've toned down the flash and increased the substance. The live gamecasts at the top of the page are extremely innovative. For example, for a baseball game you not only see the score, but also an overview of the diamond and what runners are on base. If you are interested in a specific game you can roll your mouse over it and get more details. If FOX keeps innovating like that, they won't be number 4 for long.
3. Sports Illustrated (sportsillustrated.cnn.com) - this site excels in two things - editorials and rumors. They have THE best writers (they are Sports Illustrated after all) and they do an excellent job of providing tons of content. Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback column is absolutely priceless. They also compile a 'Truth and Rumors' section for each of the major sports. It's essentially a compilation of all of the rumors from local newspapers across the country. The best part about it is it's free, unlike ESPN's rumors.
2. CBS SportsLine (cbs.sportsline.com) - everything is great about SportsLine - they are often the first to break news, gamecasts are innovative and effective, and for what it's worth the fantasy sports are the best on the web. Well, they are great at everything except editorials and analysis, and they are horrible at that. Tony Mejia, Dennis Dodd, Pete Prisco, and Greg Doyle are the worst group of sports writers on the web. Where are the editorials from their on-air personalities like Jim Nantz and Billy Packer? ESPN and FOX manage to get their on-air personalities to write, maybe CBS should consider it. Read the comments at the bottom of any article by any of the aforementioned writers and you'll realize that I'm not the only one that thinks they are horrible.
1. ESPN (www.espn.com) - they are consistently ahead of the curve in every one of the important aspects. They are the worldwide leader in sports and they show no signs of giving up that crown on the web. I commend them for getting their best personalities - John Clayton, Steven A. Smith, Barry Melrose, and Peter Gammons - to write consistently good articles. The only downside is that too much information is hidden in the 'Insider', ESPN's paid service. It's frustrating to read a headline, click, and then realize that you can't read the story because you have to pay for it.
5. Yahoo! Sports (sports.yahoo.com) - this site is all substance and no flash. It looks essentially the same as it did five years ago. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it just doesn't knock your socks off. Any information that you need is readily available and up to date. Columnists aren't as well known as the top sites, but they are solid.
4. FOX Sports (msn.foxsports.com) - a few years ago this site was a mess. It was the anti-Yahoo! - all flash and no substance. In the past few years they've toned down the flash and increased the substance. The live gamecasts at the top of the page are extremely innovative. For example, for a baseball game you not only see the score, but also an overview of the diamond and what runners are on base. If you are interested in a specific game you can roll your mouse over it and get more details. If FOX keeps innovating like that, they won't be number 4 for long.
3. Sports Illustrated (sportsillustrated.cnn.com) - this site excels in two things - editorials and rumors. They have THE best writers (they are Sports Illustrated after all) and they do an excellent job of providing tons of content. Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback column is absolutely priceless. They also compile a 'Truth and Rumors' section for each of the major sports. It's essentially a compilation of all of the rumors from local newspapers across the country. The best part about it is it's free, unlike ESPN's rumors.
2. CBS SportsLine (cbs.sportsline.com) - everything is great about SportsLine - they are often the first to break news, gamecasts are innovative and effective, and for what it's worth the fantasy sports are the best on the web. Well, they are great at everything except editorials and analysis, and they are horrible at that. Tony Mejia, Dennis Dodd, Pete Prisco, and Greg Doyle are the worst group of sports writers on the web. Where are the editorials from their on-air personalities like Jim Nantz and Billy Packer? ESPN and FOX manage to get their on-air personalities to write, maybe CBS should consider it. Read the comments at the bottom of any article by any of the aforementioned writers and you'll realize that I'm not the only one that thinks they are horrible.
1. ESPN (www.espn.com) - they are consistently ahead of the curve in every one of the important aspects. They are the worldwide leader in sports and they show no signs of giving up that crown on the web. I commend them for getting their best personalities - John Clayton, Steven A. Smith, Barry Melrose, and Peter Gammons - to write consistently good articles. The only downside is that too much information is hidden in the 'Insider', ESPN's paid service. It's frustrating to read a headline, click, and then realize that you can't read the story because you have to pay for it.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Types Of Billiard Games
There are many different types of billiard games. The two most popular games in billiards are Eight Ball and Nine Ball. These are followed by Cut Throat and One Pocket. Snooker is up there pretty high as well depending on which country you live in.
There is another game played here in the US known as Straight Pool or Fourteen and One. This used to be the most popular game. This game takes a long time to play and involves clearing many racks to end one game. This could cause a game to last a very long time. (Especially if the players in the game miss often.)
I think Eight Ball became the most popular game because of the bar room tables. There are 15 balls and all of them are used in the game. A game consists of one rack and can be completed in a reasonable time frame. (I have seen some long games with players who can't make a ball.)
Nine ball is popular because it is fast paced and the game can be won with a combination any time during the game. I would have to say that Nine Ball is probably the most popular gambling game.
Serious pool players like to play One Pocket for money. This is definitely a game of strategy. The game uses all fifteen balls and each player has one of the bottom corner pockets. The game ends when a player legally pockets 8 balls in his or her pocket. You will usually see more defensive shots than offensive shots in One Pocket.
Straight Pool (14 and 1) is still a popular game with serious pool players. This billiards game will make a player out of you. Players shoot any ball in any pocket. (Call pocket, no slop) The last ball is left on the table and the cue ball stays in position. When a new rack begins, that last ball needs to be pocketed and the rack needs to be broken with the cue ball on the same shot.
There are many players who can run over 100 balls in Straight Pool. Willie Mosconi holds the record with over 520 balls pocketed without missing a shot. This includes breaking each rack while pocketing the last ball. No one has come very close to this record. John Schmidt (A current touring pro) ran 400 balls recently which is quite an accomplishment.
Cut throat is a game played by 3 players. One player gets 1-5, the second player gets 6-10 and the third player gets 11-15. The object of this game is to be the last player in with your balls on the table.
There are many other games in pocket billiards. You could visit Wikipedia and do a search for billiards game for a pretty complete list. You will find details and rules of every game.
There is another game played here in the US known as Straight Pool or Fourteen and One. This used to be the most popular game. This game takes a long time to play and involves clearing many racks to end one game. This could cause a game to last a very long time. (Especially if the players in the game miss often.)
I think Eight Ball became the most popular game because of the bar room tables. There are 15 balls and all of them are used in the game. A game consists of one rack and can be completed in a reasonable time frame. (I have seen some long games with players who can't make a ball.)
Nine ball is popular because it is fast paced and the game can be won with a combination any time during the game. I would have to say that Nine Ball is probably the most popular gambling game.
Serious pool players like to play One Pocket for money. This is definitely a game of strategy. The game uses all fifteen balls and each player has one of the bottom corner pockets. The game ends when a player legally pockets 8 balls in his or her pocket. You will usually see more defensive shots than offensive shots in One Pocket.
Straight Pool (14 and 1) is still a popular game with serious pool players. This billiards game will make a player out of you. Players shoot any ball in any pocket. (Call pocket, no slop) The last ball is left on the table and the cue ball stays in position. When a new rack begins, that last ball needs to be pocketed and the rack needs to be broken with the cue ball on the same shot.
There are many players who can run over 100 balls in Straight Pool. Willie Mosconi holds the record with over 520 balls pocketed without missing a shot. This includes breaking each rack while pocketing the last ball. No one has come very close to this record. John Schmidt (A current touring pro) ran 400 balls recently which is quite an accomplishment.
Cut throat is a game played by 3 players. One player gets 1-5, the second player gets 6-10 and the third player gets 11-15. The object of this game is to be the last player in with your balls on the table.
There are many other games in pocket billiards. You could visit Wikipedia and do a search for billiards game for a pretty complete list. You will find details and rules of every game.
Different Body Posture For Gymnastics
For athletes participating in sports like swimming and gymnastics, there is a need to assume a totally different body posture compared to other sports to be able to complete well. This posture can carry over to their personal lives as well, and one can easily identify a swimmer or gymnast by the particular way they stand, walk or carry themselves. While football and basketball are "leg based" sports, swimmers and gymnasts have assimilated a decidedly hunchbacked posture because of the "hand based" orientation of their particular athletic activities. The hunchbacked posture in gymnastics is part of the sport's proper form and is known as "hollowing out". Constant training in this posture can lead to the athlete's assuming the same form in the daily course of his or her life, which is potentially a cause for serious injuries in the knee, shoulder, neck and lower back.
The Fundamental Athletic position in most land-based sports requires the athlete to assume a medium stance with the hips back, and the chest and head aligned with the spinal curves. This posture enables swift movement forward, backward or sideways. It is the basic position assumed for squatting, deadlifting and executing Olympic lifts, as well as to maximize leg, hip and back power during leaps and jumps.
A gymnast assuming the proper position hollows out the chest, push the head forward, tucks the hips in and contracts the spine. The only instance when a gymnast takes on the fundamental athletic position is during landings or dismounts.
Athletes beginning their gymnastics training at a very young age while their bones are still undergoing growth and development will encounter problems with the gymnastic posture. This is especially true when they reach puberty and the end of their growth cycle. The "hollowing out" posture, and even the specific manner gymnasts are required to run, can become a fixed poste for young gymnasts, and this can cause serious and long-lasting side effects when they are older. Most gymnastics programs aggressively cultivate this peculiar posturing in young gymnasts. Strength and conditioning exercises have been geared to develop exactly that: training gymnasts in the required stance, thereby generating imbalance. This is a great disadvantage for female gymnasts who are made to forgo upper body conditioning altogether.
Former parallel bars gymnast, Mark Alexander, having worked with fellow athletes for more than 30 years, has observed that most female gymnasts from the Elite level are unable to perform push-ups or maintain a sturdy handstand. Most gymnastics clubs have misguidedly neglected to encourage flexibility exercises among their gymnasts, instead leaving them to fend for themselves.
Alexander's first sport was gymnastics, and at the age of 14 started a mostly skill-based training. He remembers having experienced mastering tricks before being aware of any inherent weakness, and without even attempting to develop basic strength. The sport principles require that a gymnast lands and remains grounded, or "stuck" in the same landing position. For this reason, most gymnasts executed landings with rigidly straight legs, bending only at the hips to establish balance. The result of this is an L5 - S1 fusion that could go undetected for a great number of years. Because of a lack of leg strength or proper lumbar curve positioning, dislocated knees were a frequent occurrence during attempts to "stick" a full twisting back.
As an analogy, consider gymnastics training as jumping off a roof and landing motionless with legs straight. Jump over and over, dozens of times each day, six days a week, over a period of several years. The impact generated by these landings are way beyond the gymnast's body weight. And the higher the altitude of the jump, the more force is involved. Landing mats are a mere token, and seldom help. Floors in gymnasiums act as mini-trampolines, allowing young athletes to soar to ill-recommended heights. Although there are foam pits available to cushion landings, they prevent the athlete from actually learning how to steady their bodies for actual competition.
Without the needed leg, hip and back conditioning allowing a gymnast to assume the correct position during landing, instead of diffusing, the impact is centered into the joints and bones. This is the explanation behind the never-ending injuries sustained by Elite and lower-ranked gymnasts. Most of these injuries last long into retirement.
The Fundamental Athletic position in most land-based sports requires the athlete to assume a medium stance with the hips back, and the chest and head aligned with the spinal curves. This posture enables swift movement forward, backward or sideways. It is the basic position assumed for squatting, deadlifting and executing Olympic lifts, as well as to maximize leg, hip and back power during leaps and jumps.
A gymnast assuming the proper position hollows out the chest, push the head forward, tucks the hips in and contracts the spine. The only instance when a gymnast takes on the fundamental athletic position is during landings or dismounts.
Athletes beginning their gymnastics training at a very young age while their bones are still undergoing growth and development will encounter problems with the gymnastic posture. This is especially true when they reach puberty and the end of their growth cycle. The "hollowing out" posture, and even the specific manner gymnasts are required to run, can become a fixed poste for young gymnasts, and this can cause serious and long-lasting side effects when they are older. Most gymnastics programs aggressively cultivate this peculiar posturing in young gymnasts. Strength and conditioning exercises have been geared to develop exactly that: training gymnasts in the required stance, thereby generating imbalance. This is a great disadvantage for female gymnasts who are made to forgo upper body conditioning altogether.
Former parallel bars gymnast, Mark Alexander, having worked with fellow athletes for more than 30 years, has observed that most female gymnasts from the Elite level are unable to perform push-ups or maintain a sturdy handstand. Most gymnastics clubs have misguidedly neglected to encourage flexibility exercises among their gymnasts, instead leaving them to fend for themselves.
Alexander's first sport was gymnastics, and at the age of 14 started a mostly skill-based training. He remembers having experienced mastering tricks before being aware of any inherent weakness, and without even attempting to develop basic strength. The sport principles require that a gymnast lands and remains grounded, or "stuck" in the same landing position. For this reason, most gymnasts executed landings with rigidly straight legs, bending only at the hips to establish balance. The result of this is an L5 - S1 fusion that could go undetected for a great number of years. Because of a lack of leg strength or proper lumbar curve positioning, dislocated knees were a frequent occurrence during attempts to "stick" a full twisting back.
As an analogy, consider gymnastics training as jumping off a roof and landing motionless with legs straight. Jump over and over, dozens of times each day, six days a week, over a period of several years. The impact generated by these landings are way beyond the gymnast's body weight. And the higher the altitude of the jump, the more force is involved. Landing mats are a mere token, and seldom help. Floors in gymnasiums act as mini-trampolines, allowing young athletes to soar to ill-recommended heights. Although there are foam pits available to cushion landings, they prevent the athlete from actually learning how to steady their bodies for actual competition.
Without the needed leg, hip and back conditioning allowing a gymnast to assume the correct position during landing, instead of diffusing, the impact is centered into the joints and bones. This is the explanation behind the never-ending injuries sustained by Elite and lower-ranked gymnasts. Most of these injuries last long into retirement.
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