1995 NFL on NBC Intro (Week 8 -- New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins).wmv

(c)1995 WAVY-LIN Media Group (ID at beginning); NFL; NBC Universal Begins with WAVY-TV 10 ID (around the time that station began using the "On Your Side" branding full-time), then the NFL on NBC intro for the Miami Dolphins-New York Jets game in Week 8; marking the 2nd meeting (behind the Week 1 game) as well as the first trip to the Meadowlands since the "fake spike" game the previous season. The Dolphins were coming in off a 3-game skid after starting 4-0; while the Jets (still swooning from the fake spike) came in at 1-6 and just off an embarrasing loss to the expansion Carolina Panthers. Calling the game were Tom Hammond and Cris Collinsworth. This was an interesting assignment as Collinsworth (the #2 analyst) was teamed with Tom Hammond (usually a middle-of-the-pack guy) in lieu of usual broadcast partner Marv Albert being sent to (according to a response to a question I posed on the 506 Broadcasting Forums) the McDonald's All-American game in preparation for his lead role with the NBA on NBC. This led to Dan Hicks (better known either for golf coverage and/or being the husband of then-NBC sideline reporter Hannah Storm) getting moved up for the Oilers/Bears game with Bob Trumpy. NBC must have noticed the two gelled fairly well; considering that these two would work the early wild-card game for NBC's first three seasons with the current Sunday Night Football/Football Night in America era.

Attention Coaches - Here's How to Plan an Effective Youth Sports Practice

It's no coincidence that the most organized coaches are also the most successful with their youth and high school sports teams. Below, you'll find specific strategies for Seasonal, Monthly, Weekly, and Daily practice planning that will help you stay organized and goal-focused throughout the year.

Implementing just a few of these tips will reduce your practice planning stress, give you loads of credibility, and dramatically improve the flow of your practices and the performance of your athletes.

Season Plans

Begin by dividing your year into 4 coaching phases: Off-Season, Pre-Season, Early Season, and Peak Season. Next develop a high-level "at a glance" view of what you want to accomplish during each one of those periods.

Make sure you consider:

Technical, Tactical, Physical Training Skills: What general skills are you wanting your athletes to focus on during different portions of the year? For example, you might want to improve your team's free throw shooting, or work on swimming flip turns, or practice penalty shots, etc.

Team Goals: Is your team looking to develop speed in the off-season? Are you fine-tuning your routines prior to a big cheerleading competition? Are you learning a new offense before the season begins?

Fundraising Goals: How much cash does the team need to raise to cover the costs of the season. When does that money to be raised by? What types of fundraising events

Coaching Emphasis: Are you focused on recruiting during the off-season? Are you focused on improving your coaching knowledge by attending conferences and clinics during pre-season?

Tournaments, Seminars, Clinics: Make note of any upcoming events you or your team will be participating in. Is there an out-of-state tournament that you would like your team to participate in? Is there a coaching clinic about a topic you're interested in?

Workout Schedule: Is your team practicing 6 days a week during the early season? Do you expect your athletes to train 3 days a week during the off-season when there aren't regularly schedules practices?

Monthly Plans

Once your season plan is in place, consider creating a month by month planner on the office bulletin board to serve as a useful reminder about the year's objectives, goals, and events. This is the time to get a little more specific about the objectives you and your team would like to accomplish, and the exact timing for individual events.

For example, what's the date and location for the first tryout? Are you planning a car wash on March 15th that will raise $500 to pay for your summer tournament? When does the first round of the playoffs begin? 

Weekly Plans

At the beginning of each week, it's wise to take 10 minutes to plan out a rough outline of your practices. What time does practice start and end? What gym will it be held in? Will players arrange their own transportation to the field, or will a school bus be provided?

You'll also want to consider some more specific practice and team objectives you'd like to accomplish. Are you preparing to face a particular opponent? Are you working on developing speed or strength? Are you trying to improve your team's communication skills?

Do you have a meeting with a parent or administrator? Do you need to check in with a particular teacher about an athletes performance in the classroom, etc? These are all items appropriate for your weekly plan.

Daily Plans

This is the nitty gritty portion of your practice planning sequence. You'll want to make note of the EXACT activities and drills you want to perform, how long to do them for, and what order to do them in. It's best to get all of this down in an easy-to-read template that you can keep on your clipboard and refer to throughout practice.

Before each practice, sit down and outline your top three primary goals for the day. Do you want to master a play that you will run in an upcoming game, do you want to work on building speed or strength, do you want to help your athletes improve a technical skill critical to your sport?

Next, make note of any equipment that might be required for the day's practice. Do you need pylons, jump ropes, extra balls, etc?

When you're ready to plan your drills and activities, start with the team warm-up. Structure your warm-up into 3 phases: Aerobic Warm-up, Stretching, and Technical Skills Warm-Up. Many coaches find that three 5-minute phases work well. During the aerobic warm-up you may decide to have you athletes complete a light jog, jumprope, or perform some other kind of gentle aerobic activity to increase their heart rate and warm up their body.

Once your athletes are sufficiently warm, you can transition into the stretching phase of your warm-up. Focus on stretching the muscles that are used most often in your sport.

We recommend completing your warm-up with a technical skills tune-up where athletes practice specific athletic skills required by their sport (i.e.- basketball free-throw shooting, volleyball serves, etc).

Now you can move onto the "core" of your practice, first list the skills you would like to work on with your team (place this in the first column under "skills to improve"). Next, assign a drill to each skill that specifically targets the area you are seeking to improve.

Finally, note any coaching points you'd like to remember during the practice (i.e. keep head up, make sure players bend their knees, make sure Andy keeps his elbow back, etc.)

Complete your practice with a cool down that lasts at least 10 minutes. Slowly bring your athletes' heart rates down with gentle aerobic activity (do not abruptly stop practice or aerobic activity as this may cause injury). Once your athletes are breathing normally, lead your team in a thorough stretching session.

Make sure you allow athletes water breaks every 15 minutes to ensure they remain hydrated throughout your practice. It's best to schedule these into your planner so that you don't forget.

After practice, make notes on how the day went at the bottom of the practice planner. Are there any areas you'd like to focus on for the next practice? Did a particular drill work well (or not work well)?

Follow this simple formula and your practices will run much smoother, you'll get more accomplished in each practice and you'll see an exponential increase in your athlete's performance!

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College Athletic Recruiting - How You Can Get Noticed

If you are wondering what it takes to win the college athletic recruiting game, you are not alone. Thousands of high school athletes from all across the country simply don't know what it takes to get noticed and get recruited. If you find yourself in that position, this article can help you get started on the path to being recruited.

What You Must Know

The first thing you should know is that college athletic recruiting is never guaranteed, no matter how good you are. Sure the top 2 to 3% of high school athletes are pretty much guaranteed to be recruited, but for everyone else, recruitment is not guaranteed by any stretch of the imagination.

I have seen some very good athletes who seemed to be on their way to playing in college, simply get ignored by college coaches. Why does that happen? Here are some of the key reasons why:

- They play at a small school

- They play at a school not known for the sport they play (being a good basketball player at a football school)

- They play on a bad team that never reaches the state playoffs or tournament

- No one is promoting them

Sometimes, all of these factors contribute to an athlete not being recruited.

What You Should Do

If you find yourself in this situation, you need to take some steps to get your name known by college coaches. You need to take control of your recruitment and market and promote yourself to college coaches. You need to target at least fifty schools and begin making direct contact with coaches. Most of them will be glad to hear from you if you can play at their level of competition...because coaches always need players.

Summary

If you want to win the college athletic recruiting game, you need to get yourself noticed. If you don't, you playing days could end when you high school career ends. Don't let it happen to you.

"You can learn more about how to get on the path to playing in college, download our Free Report titled: Five Secrets You Must Know To Get Recruited For Athletic Scholarships.

Get your free report now at: http://www.recruitedforscholarships.com/freereport.html

Will the New Orleans Saints Survive the Playoffs?

With a great regular season already in the bag and a playoff spot sealed the NFC south's best team, the New Orleans Saints now have the opportunity to truly prove that they are the best football team in the NFL. If you are a Saints fan like me then you are totally anxious about seeing what Drew Brees and the rest of the Saints will do in the playoffs.

With the Saints losing their last two games their is a bit of a reason for concern. The game that the lost to the Dallas Cowboys was not so much of a heart breaking event like their loss to the Tampa Bay buccaneers was, especially considering the fact that the Buccaneers were 2-12 coming in to that game. This definitely makes one wonder if the Saints stand any chance against the stiff competition that they will face in the playoffs.

The Saints next game will be against the Carolina Panthers on January 17th. I believe that the outcome of this game will shed some light on what the fate of the team will be in the post season. If they lose this game then it will be three in a row that they have lost, which would NOT be good. Even though they will go to the playoffs either way, it won't do much good for the team's morale. I myself am a firm believer in momentum carrying a team further than they would normally go without it in the post season, and another loss for the Saints would totally kill their momentum heading into the playoffs. Hopefully that will not be the case with the Saints and they can overcome this little speed bump that they have encountered during the past few weeks. If not then everyone's hopes of seeing them face off against the Colts in the Super Bowl could be shattered, and that would truly be a travesty...

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Baltimore Ravens 2010 Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions

Image : http://www.flickr.com

The Baltimore Ravens entered the regular-season finale in 2008 needing a victory to reach the playoffs and last season was no different as an 8-7 Ravens team went to Oakland knowing a loss would keep them at home. Baltimore had little trouble in a 21-13 victory that got it a Wild-Card round matchup with New England.

And the Ravens then laid a 33-14 beat down on a Pats team that had been unbeaten at home in the regular season. Baltimore also snapped the Patriots' home playoff win streak at 11 games, handing New England its first home playoff loss since 1978. The Ravens did this despite Joe Flacco going 4-for-10 for 34 yards and a pick.

While Flacco was lousy in that game and then the following week in a loss to the Colts, he was very good during the season with 3,613 yards passing on 63.1 percent completions with 21 touchdowns and 12 picks. Pretty much all his numbers were up from his rookie year despite the lack of a true No. 1 receiver. The real star of Baltimore's offense last year and one of the NFL's breakout players was running back Ray Rice. The former Rutgers star joined Jamal Lewis as the only Ravens player in team history to have more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage. Rice rushed for 1,339 yards and caught 78 passes for 702 yards. But other than Flacco, Rice and to some degree Derrick Mason (73 catches, 1,028 yards, seven TDs) the Baltimore offense lacked playmakers.

Baltimore thinks it solved that problem with the offseason trade for Arizona WR Anquan Boldin and the signing of Donte Stallworth, who sat last season out due to suspension. Boldin should give the team the No. 1 threat it has lacked for years, but this still will be a running team.

The Ravens remain among the league's best defensive teams, ranking third overall last year and fifth against the rush. They have one of the best players in the league on the defensive line (Haloti Ngata), at linebacker (the ageless Ray Lewis), and in the secondary (Ed Reed). The only concern for this unit is whether Reed will miss the first six weeks, as he has hinted he may go on the PUP list as he recovers from offseason hip surgery. Certainly that would hurt this unit.

The experts list Baltimore's 2010 wins total at 9.5 and the Ravens as the AFC North favorites at -160.

Let's see how the 2010 Baltimore Ravens schedule breaks down:

Week 1: Monday, Sep. 13, at NY Jets, 7:00 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, at Cincinnati, 1:00 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, Cleveland, 1:00 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, at Pittsburgh, 1:00 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, Denver, 1:00 PM
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, at New England, 1:00 PM
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24, Buffalo, 1:00 PM
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, Miami, 1:00 PM
Week 10: Thursday, Nov. 11, at Atlanta, 8:20 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, at Carolina, 1:00 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, Pittsburgh, 8:20 PM
Week 14: Monday, Dec. 13, at Houston, 8:30 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, New Orleans, 1:00 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, at Cleveland, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, Cincinnati, 1:00 PM

This schedule is ranked as the 12th toughest in the NFL, with an opponents' 2009 winning percentage of.508 (130-126). The Ravens don't have to worry much about travel, with 15 of their 16 regular-season games in the Eastern Time Zone for only the second time in team history so watch those NFL point spreads. And there are no West Coast trips, which is always a benefit.

If Baltimore can get to the bye week above.500 that would be a major accomplishment and set this team up nicely for an easier schedule post-bye. Four of the Ravens' first six games are on the road, including the first Monday night game (against the Jets) at the new Giants Stadium. That's the first time the Ravens will face former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, New York's head coach. That game should be a bruising, low-scoring affair. The Jets have opened as three-point favorites. Then Baltimore gets a chance for revenge against a Bengals team that swept the Ravens last year, allowing Baltimore a total of just 21 points. Of course a former Ravens defensive coordinator also coaches Cincy: Marvin Lewis. It's the first time in franchise history that Baltimore opens with two road games - a split would be a great result.

The Ravens should handle Cleveland and then catch a huge break that they play Pittsburgh in Week 4 and not Week 5 because Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger will be not allowed back until after four games. Thus a road win there could give Baltimore the early upper hand for the division. The Ravens will be solid favorites in home games against Denver and the Bills but a likely dog at a New England team that will be out for vengeance - if Pats WR Wes Welker goes on the PUP list, Baltimore would avoid him as it did in last year's playoff game.

Baltimore should beat Miami with a week off prior before facing three straight NFC South teams. That quick turnaround against the Falcons likely favors Atlanta because at least it's at home on the short week. And that tremendous Carolina ground game will challenge the Ravens. That game at Houston looks like a loss as Baltimore traditionally has not been a good team on Monday nights (5-8). The matchup against the Saints marks the fifth year in a row the Ravens face the reigning Super Bowl champions. That it's in the elements is a huge advantage for Baltimore. And really there's no reason the Ravens shouldn't win their final two games rather easily.

As an NFL handicapper, it looks like an 11-5 team to me and the AFC North champion. I hate to project much further, but the Ravens seem like excellent value to win the AFC at +600 as well as +1100 to win the Super Bowl. If everything breaks right and there are no major injuries (especially to Flacco, Boldin and if Reed gets 100 percent), there is no reason this team can't win it all.

Doc Moseman is one of the pioneers of college football and the NFL handicapping industry. Check out his Web site for up-to-the-minute NFL odds and his famous winning college football and NFL picks.

Fantasy Football For All

Monday, February 8, 2010, the day after the Super Bowl...what a great day!!! Why? Because that's when I started to prepare for the upcoming 2010 fantasy football season. Sure, I'm a football addict with a serious competitive nature, but according to all accounts, there are tens of thousands (if not more) that are just like me. How about you? Itching for some pigskin? Craving that weekly dose of smashmouth?

Fantasy football lets you call the shots. As an owner, you control player drafting, trades, etc. and, depending on how your league is set up, the financial worth of each player on a roster. I've been in quite a few leagues and formed a couple more of my own and every one is unique. From how each owner drafts a team to which specific stats carry the most weight (points), no two leagues are completely alike.

If you're just getting your feet wet with fantasy sports, I highly recommend using an online network. You can get help with how to draft (pick) a fantasy football team (roster) and how to keep track of player stats, to understanding fantasy football terms. Most online leagues will track all wins/losses, transactions, player stats, etc. so all you have to do is decide who from your roster is best suited to "start" and who should "sit" each week. Of course, this is based a lot on who your players are playing against for that week's games. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each team, their historical performance at home and on the road, during night games, coming off a bye week, etc., are all relevant factors.

Here's a few tips to remember... When drafting players, know which positions offer the most talented pool of players. For example, if you join a 16 team league and high-ranking quarterbacks are at a premium (due to your league's point structure), you may wish to select one earlier than later and use late round picks for other skill positions. Secondly, think with your head - not your heart. I can't tell you how often owners will stock their teams with "home town favorites" only to be overwhelmed by others who draft players based on performance, regardless of which NFL team they play for. Lastly, plan for bye weeks and injuries. There's nothing worse than having to pick up a quarterback because those on your roster are all off during a bye week. Now you've got to drop a player to fit the new addition to your roster (and may lose that player to someone else in your league). And injuries are inevitable. As a matter of fact, I have never gone through a season without players (yes, multiple) who had to be replaced due to injuries.

I could go on and on about strategy and mock draft guides and playoff scenarios, but you should start out by getting as much information as possible. Try www.americandiversions.com for one of the top sites providing NFL fantasy football insight and player lists. Good luck and, who knows, we might meet up on the gridiron later this season!!!!

Try www.nfl.com or www.espn.go.com for even more fantasy football options.

The 12 Decisive Questions For Superbowl 44 and American Football Fans

1. Who will emerge from wild-card weekend as the 2010 version of the New York Giants 2007, who won everything as a fifth seed; or the sixth seed from 2005, the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XL champion? You can consider the Green Bay Packers. After a gap of one-year from the playoff, coach Mike McCarthy's team is making its best play since the loss last 8 November that was very embarrassing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who were then-winless, having won seven of its last eight. Quarter back Aaron Rodgers is playing a good game in the league right now; this was said by former Ravens coach Brian Billick.

The Dom Capers, 3-4 defense has a made a league-high 30 interceptions. Linebacker Rodgers has shown toughness and became an inspiration to teammates in shaking off a league-worst 50 sacks and became the first quarterback in the history of the league to throw for 4,000 yards his first two seasons as a starter. Aaron Rodgers is a phenomenal player, says Jim Miller from Sirius NFL Radio, a former quarterback. The Packers seem to have found their game with the help of Ryan Grant. But Mason Crosby a kicker is 27-for-36, translating 75% of his field goals and the postseason games can be reduced to a field goal, said Miller.

2. Can the Baltimore Ravens who are sixth-seeded, overcome a lot of injury from its secondary and with destructive tendencies as the second team with the most penalties? Cam Cameron Offensive coordinator has created a balanced, ninth-ranked scoring offense that runs Ray Rice running back through, who has 2,041 yards from disputes and a team-best 78 receptions. Miller said that he like this Ravens team all. Now, they have started to focus on running the football than earlier in the year. There are some issues regarding the secondary that lost Lardarius Webb and Fabian Washington. Now, they don't have the ability to prevail over their mistakes like they could then. Before, they were able to impose their will when they failed with the lack of steady offense. Now after making mistakes, they cannot overcome them.

3. Can the Philadelphia Eagles who are sixth-seeded, survive the loss of center Jamaal Jackson to a knee injury on Week 16? Coach Andy Reid is a former offensive lineman from Brigham Young University knows that postseason runs start up front. Nick Cole a right guard replaced Jackson, with Max Jean-Gilles stepping in for Cole. Can the Eagles finally win that hard to get Super Bowl with the most dangerous weapons of McNabb's career? It will be hard because he is a great player and a big guy that can restore the line of scrimmage, says Miller. Jamaal Jackson is a nasty player. Losing the key block in the center position is a very big loss.

4. Is it the same New York Jets? No. The same old Jets could have missed the playoffs in spite of the late-season gifts from the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals, who substituted their starters to rest while the Jets make the most of a win scenario with back-to-back victories. You can dismiss them as lucky at your own risk. Rex Ryan made an unpredictable overload blitzing scheme that was backed by the Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis' shut-down is allowing a league-best 14.8 points a game. The Jets made a league-best rushing attack averaging 172.2 yards.

Ryan said the Jets should be favored to win Super Bowl, their weakness? Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. After starting with a 3-0, in the April draft he was the fifth over all selection, he hit the rookie wall, and forgot to slide. He's 0-5 and he throws more than one interception. Whether they were lucky into the playoffs with Indianapolis pulling out their starters, the Jets are definitely good enough, says Miller. They have great defense and run the football. But the immaturity in their quarterback spot could cost them the game.

5. With Chris "Beanie" Wells the rookie averaging 4.5 yards rushing, can the Arizona Cardinals who are more balanced finish what they have not done in the final minutes of Super Bowl XLIII versus the Steelers? These Cardinals are now even better than the previous heavy team that came within a last-minute Ben Roethlisberger pass to Santonio Holmes touchdown pass of winning their first Super Bowl. Miller asks what quarterback has been better in postseason play than Kurt Warner? Now, they are a more well-rounded football team. But what about Kurt Warner? If he is hot, they are a sure winner, but if he is off in any of the game, then the team will lose. In four of their five losses where Warner has played, he has thrown 11 out of 14 interceptions.

6. Can the Bengals cope up with the scoreboard? Marvin Lewis the coach of the Bengals has been steady in guiding the tea, through two tragic losses, the sudden, October death of Vikki Zimmer, wife of Mike Zimmer defensive coordinator, and the tragic Dec. 17 death of Chris Henry wide receiver. But a 22nd-ranked scoring offense that is run-oriented is least potent among the playoff field. Take away Chad Ochocinco the receiver and Palmer has no other big-play options, as his one 300-yard passing game reflects. If they are two touchdowns down, can they catch-up? ask Miller. They need the game to be close where it's only a touchdown or a field goal. If it boils down to a shootout, the Cincinnati Bengals can't compete.

Continuation to the Super Bowl 44 Q & A. 7. Can the New England Patriots run the game as a wild card, with the distinction to the victorious favorite that lost its flawless dream season in Super Bowl XLII? Just when they thought that they have everything under control, the Patriots lost their very strong offensive heart and soul, when Wes Welker their slot receiver and his league-leading 123 receptions, got a serious knee injury on Week 17. A scoring defense on the fifth-rank allowed 17.8 points and the game has clamped down. Every one is still pointing at their defense. Is the pass rush still there for team New England? Ask Miller. They have shown the capability for the past couple of weeks to pressure the quarterback. It is a team that is starting to get its composure back together again.

8. Is Tony Romo prepared to take the Cowboys for the first time to a Super Bowl since 1996? Romo was able to remove his December mischief goblin, and came out as a poised decision-maker and clutch winner with the Cowboys' 24-17, Week 15 victory against the New Orleans who were then unbeaten inside the Superdome. As Trent Dilfer ESPN analyst notes, Romo is making confident pre-snap reads and taking advantage of his group of running backs Felix Jones, Marion Barber and Tashard Choice to set up play-action strikes to Jason Witten, Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton and Sam Hurd. Their wild-card rematch against NFC East rival Philadelphia is Romo's opportunity to achieve deliverance for his 0-2 playoff record. They are already starting to play like a Super Bowl team, said Miller. Because of the victory over New Orleans, they have already set a standard. If they can continue with it into the playoffs, they will be a tough team to beat.

9. Can Brett Favre lead the Vikings to that Lombardi Trophy he came off his Mississippi tractor to win? Moon said he really think they have as good shot as any team to win in the Super Bowl. They can run the ball on offense and they can also stop the run on defense as good if not better than anybody. And they have Brett Favre a quarterback who has a great deal, if not more, playoff experience than anybody. Those things are really a plus factor for them. What happened, why did they loose two of their last three? They have transferred into Brett Favre's team, instead of Adrian Peterson's team; this is what analyst Greg Cosell of the NFL Films says. Peterson has two times as many lost fumbles as 100-yard rushing games.

10. Are the San Diego Chargers this season's 2006 Colts - a not so lucky team hardened by harsh playoff frustration (2007 AFC Championship Game loss) to finish on the brink of celebrating a Super Bowl 44 breakthrough? The guys have been around for a while and have suffered a lot of heartaches and lots of disappointments, A.J. Smith Chargers general manager says. Going to the playoffs all the time pays extra. The longer time you're in the tournament, the more the tremendous pressure of trying to get to the Super Bowl. We already know the experienced. Rivers is playing at his best football of his career at the proper time. Can this be his time to win a Super Bowl title and follow 2004 first-round draft classmates Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger? He also wants to win it, Smith says of QB Philip Rivers. With a bit of luck, that will happen for all of us.

LaDainian Tomlinson Running back is in good health for the first time after his injuries limited him for the past two postseasons. And he's behind the game's best line, Madden said, who is keep an eye on the league closely in retreat and trying to bring acknowledgment to the game's best offensive lines in a crusade with Prilosec. I will tell you that the offensive line has gotten better, said Madden.

11. Can coach Sean Payton and Drew Brees get a Lombardi Trophy for the Hurricane Katrina-ravaged Gulf Coast region they recognize as their calling?
Can they ignite their offense after hitting the postseason in a three-game tailspin?
Drew Brees and the Saints have a remarkable offense, Greg Cosell NFL Films analyst says. No one does it better than Sean Payton in terms of formations and personnel. A concern is about their 26th-ranked pass defense. They found out that Malcolm Jenkins cannot play corner.

12. Can Peyton Manning & the team justify Colts coach Jim Caldwell's decision to pull out his starters in Week 16 versus the Jets, which passed a possible 19-0 in favor of preserving a Super Bowl 44 title run? Even if there is a rash of injuries, the Colts hold the seventh ranked scoring defense. They allow 19.2 points a game, and their sixth ranked offense has an average of 26 points. They won most games this decade with 115. They have a Super Bowl title to show for that success, compared with the Patriots three and the Steelers two during that span. This shows how great the competition will be in the next Super Bowl 44.

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A Broad Street Revival

It wasn't long ago that the Philadelphia Flyers faced a do-or-die situation in the 82nd game of their regular season. Win, and a playoff berth awaited. Lose, and their season was over. A month later, the Flyers are on the doorstep of a Stanley Cup Finals appearance. What happened?

To start, the playoffs happened. While cliché, the playoffs really are an entirely new season. The Flyers, Washington Capitals, and Montreal Canadiens have all proven as much. The Flyers spent most of the 2009-2010 season overcoming injuries and fighting off accusations of locker room issues. Instead of folding and looking toward next year, the Flyers regrouped to become the grittiest team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They erased the overwhelmingly favored New Jersey Devils with relative ease in round one, and followed that up by treating fans to one of the greatest comebacks in history. Overcoming a three games to none deficit is an amazing accomplishment. We could spend 1,200 words describing such a feat. As enjoyable as that may be, let's focus on what enabled the Flyers to pull off the greatest comeback the NHL has seen in thirty years.

As previously mentioned, the Flyers have overcome a rash of injuries, both in the regular season and the playoffs. They've essentially advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals with two goalies that were each listed as the team's third goalie at one point this season. The Flyer's top scorer and most lethal offensive threat (Jeff Carter) struggled through a rough year and was essentially lost for the playoffs early in the first round. Another offensive threat and veteran leader was also injured for a chunk of the playoffs and just recently returned to action. With or without those injuries, the Flyers are hardly one of the NHL's elite squads anyway (as far as talent is concerned). Ask any NHL fan from outside the Delaware Valley to name two players from the Philadelphia Flyers and they'll respond, "Chris Pronger" and "Ron Hextall." The Flyers aren't laden with superstars or marquee players. They're a hardworking, resolute group that have found their groove at the right time, and refuse to roll over when logic tells them they should. (This was perfectly exemplified in game 4 when the Bruins tied the game in the final minutes to force overtime. Most teams down 0-3 in that situation close up shop. The Flyers outplayed Boston in overtime to stay alive and momentum shifted to the Flyers. Tying the game late and then losing was the worst possible scenario for Boston. It gave too much confidence to Philadelphia and deflated Boston more than an outright loss would have. All the pressure immediately shifted to Boston. They never recovered.) Like the city they represent, these Flyers are fighters. They're Rocky Balboa, Vince Papale, and Bobby Clarke all wrapped into one.

While noble, overcoming injuries and playing with heart isn't enough to win in the playoffs. An unheralded complementary cast is necessary to succeed. Scottie Hartnell and Claude Giroux won't make Sportscenter's Top Plays on a nightly basis, but they will make a difference in a long series. TNT's basketball analyst, Doug Collins often uses the term, "50/50" plays. These are the small plays that appear insignificant but ultimately decide a series. Obviously, they're referred to as 50/50 plays because they're entirely up for grabs. These plays aren't given freely though, they're earned. Hustle, hard work, determination, and grit win most 50/50 plays. Hartnell and Giroux have provided the Flyers with an overwhelming majority of 50/50 plays. Giroux has an uncanny ability to find the open man and create offense, while Hartnell has thrown his body around to clear a puck, insight some energy, and even score a significant goal when needed. These guys are pocket knives. Whatever you need from them, they're willing and able to provide it. You can't win in the playoffs without "pocket knife" players.

In addition to the pocket knives, a successful playoff team requires heroic performances. Even though he looks as if he skates in mud through open ice, Chris Pronger has proven his worth throughout these playoffs. He's big, mean, and more importantly, the reason Flyer goalies have had mostly clear views of the shots coming their way. Pronger clears the front of the night like a plow, and he isn't afraid to deliver or absorb a severe blow in the process.

On the offensive end, the Flyers are getting "who are you, and what did you do with your old self?" performances from Danny Briere and Simon Gagne. Fittingly, both players have been tagged as career underachievers for the Flyers. In the second round especially, Briere and Gagne have carried the scoring load. Both scored goals at critical junctures of the series. Gagne returned from injury to net the overtime game winner to avoid the sweep in game four, and then sealed the series with his late 3rd period goal in game 7. Briere has scored big goals throughout the series as well and has also been a catalyst for the Flyers offense. It took awhile, but Briere is finally playing like the player the Flyers thought they were getting when they plucked him from Buffalo three years ago.

Even more critical to the Flyers success is the character of the team. The Flyers never stop fighting, always play with urgency, and never believe they're finished. These characteristics are all a direct reflection of leadership. In hockey terms, the Flyers' captain is a bad man. That man is Mike Richards. Over the past two seasons, Richards has received harsh criticism for his leadership skills-he's not tough enough, not focused, stays out too late, etc... Well guess what? When your team claws its way back from a 0-3 deficit to win a seven game series, that means your captain knows what he's doing, and he's doing it well.

Great athletes rise from adverse situations. It took Richards some time to figure out his role as captain, but he's certainly responded to that call now. Watch any Flyers game over the past month and one player will stick out. He's the player that goes all out for an entire shift. He scores, he facilitates, he defends, he fights, he hits, and he's the fiercest player on the ice. For lack of a better term, he RUMBLES. Now look at that man's number; it's number 18. Mike Richards has grown into the leadership role the Flyers knew he was capable of when they slapped that "C" on his sweater. He couldn't have picked a better time.

The Flyers playoff run is full of feel-good stories and obviously, a historic revival. They discarded long time nemesis Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils in round one, poetically fought off a 0-3 series deficit to win game seven 4-3 after trailing 0-3 early in the first period, and have managed to gain home ice for the conference finals as a seventh seed. It's a great story. Now here's the inconvenient truth of the situation; if the Flyers don't win the Stanly Cup, or at the very least advance to the Cup Finals, it will all be mostly forgotten.

I know, I know, you're angry and think I'm wrong. Settle down and listen. It's not fun, but this is the way sports work. If the Boston Red Sox don't go on to win the 2004 World Series after storming back from 0-3 against the Yankees, do we remember that comeback like we do today? No, not really. Maybe we remember the comeback, but it's severely watered down. Look at 4th and 26. It was/is perhaps the greatest play in NFL playoff history. Unfortunately, the miraculous fourth down conversion is mostly ignored in the sports world because the Eagles wet the bed against Carolina in the NFC Championship. If a title doesn't follow a great playoff moment, that moment is ultimately for naught. It's a harsh reality, but also very true.

Right now the Flyers' second round comeback against the Boston Bruins is historic. For it to become legendary, a parade down Broad Street must ensue. We remember the Red Sox's rally in the ALCS because they won the World Series. We adore Rocky's determination and toughness because he eventually took down Ivan Drago. Without a Stanley Cup, we'll have a nice story and fond memories of the 2010 Flyers, but nothing legendary.

Enjoy the article? Thought it was horrible? Please share your thoughts. Contact me at ryan@4thanddone.com
Website: http://4thanddone.com/

Wall Blocking Technique For Youth Football

The more years you coach, you start to recognize certain things remain the same. For myself, it is an introductory offensive line blocking system, known as Wall Blocking. There are some "gurus" who insist they are the founders (which is astonishing since I was implementing it BEFORE they began coaching), but no matter it is a mighty, uncomplicated and good way of coaching your offensive line. It teaches your players how to block as a unit. It is a variation of zone blocking.

This blocking has been the one staple in my over twenty years of coaching pee wee football, for my offensive linemen. Use it since it is simple to teach and works on a variety of grade levels. This style of offensive blocking has served me well with the older tackle kids as well as the younger flag players. It has been used with great success on my championship fourteen year old travel teams as well as the younger teams I have been a part of. Heck, I have even exploited wall blocking on my five year old flag football team.

The easiest manner in which to instruct wall blocking is to start the linemen with very tight splits. When we talk about a line split we are talking about the space between the offensive lineman. You instruct the entire line that on the snap of the football all of the lineman move united, keeping as close to each other as possible.

Teach this technique to both the right and the left making sure the lineman stay together "like a wall" as they move together in unison. The secret is making sure that all of the offensive linemen open up, seal, move in the same direction and at the equivalent speed. There will be multiple repetitions needed to make sure in the wall stays intact, especially when the players start moving in a direction. Keeping repeating it to the kids, telling them we cannot allow any holes, or penetration in our wall. Tell the kids the if there are open areas, or penetration against our wall, we will leak, allowing for the worst case scenario. The biggest problem is when a defensive opponent rushes into our running backs, stopping them for no gain.

We have a main goal and that is to hold together a compressed moving wall, in a single direction.

A few of the primary advantages of wall blocking include:

Not difficult to instruct It is successful versus any defensive alignment It neutralizes defensive blitzing It works both ways (left and right) It has been successful with every age group It has been successful with every kind of unique skill level It has been successful in making outstanding open areas for the running game

Wall blocking has been and always will be an crucial blocking plan I teach to every player, on every squad I coach. I always instruct this technique early in the season since we will use it all season. I understand the benefits it gives my team no matter which style of offense I am using this season.

Jim Oddo has been coaching pee wee, flag, pop warner and youth football for over 23 years. He has attained an 80+% winning percentage. Read how to win with over 400 FREE tips and posts regarding every area of little guy football at: http://footballplaybooks.info. In addition to coaching tips, there are many different offensive and defensive playbooks all modified in Youth Football Playbooks.

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2010 NBA Playoffs-Dwayne Wade Dunks on Kevin Garnett

— ***DISCLAIMER*** I do not own the rights to the clips used in this video. They are property of the NBA. I am in no way claiming ownership of said footage and music. ***END DISCLAIMER*** Lakers Los angeles game 3 Vs Thunder Kevin durant MVP 30 points a game kevin durant lebron james 23 micheal jordan kobe bryant 81 kobe bryant vs micheal jordan nba Los Angeles Lakers Denver Nuggets Philadaphia 76ers Sixers NBA Playoffs 2008 Basketball Detroit Pistons Phoenix Suns Kobe Bryant andy ketsoyan amazing dunk lebron james Paris Hilton Miley Cyrus Jonas Brothers 50 Cent Kanye west best ever video highlight wow cool San Antoinio Spurs 2008 Champions NFL NHL Yankees Angles Dodgers Lions Chris Paul New Orleans Hornets Suck Suck Dwayne wade Rushing into the paint and dunking on kevin garnett And a FOUL

Week 15 2009 Fantasy Fortunes Top 50 Fantasy Football Year to End Rankings

The following rankings are based on a fantasy football player's year to end season value. If a draft or auction were to occur today this is the rank and value we place on the players based on their past performance and predicted future production. The basis for the valuations is a 10 team league starting 1 QB 2 RB 2 WR 1 TE 1 K 1 Defense with a 50% yardage and 50% TD scoring system with no points awarded for receptions. The rankings are updated every Tuesday morning, allowing players to value their teams, analyze player values for trades and plan future moves to get the most return out of your Fantasy Football players.

1 Chris Johnson Titans, RB
The love child of Jar Jar Binks and Whoopi Goldberg keeps racking up points. Great playoff schedule. $43

2 Adrian Peterson
Vikings, RB He has racked up 1519 total yards and 14 tds (tied for rushing TD lead) and apparently can grow lizard skin at will. $38

3 Maurice Jones-Drew
Jaguars, RB What Would Jones Drew? Should bring home some fantasy hardware for teams. $37

4 Ray Rice Ravens, RB
He's a top 5 guy and we get the feeling he's only scratching the surface of his potential....if only he was featured more in their offense. $35

5 Cedric Benson Bengals, RB
With his hips healthy again he should be dancing back to early season form. Almost hung a hundo on the stout Vikes run D. $28

6 Ricky Williams Miami, RB
Ever since Crockett got hurt, Tubs has taken over. Look for Miami Vice solo act Ricky "Tubs" Williams to deliver the goods championship week, against the Texans. $28

7 Steven Jackson Rams, RB

4 TD's on the year is hard to forgive. But, with 2 good playoff matchups he could redeem himself. $25

8 Larry Fitzgerald Cardinals, WR
If old man Warner can keep it together his playoff matchups look incredible..... @DET then home vs STL. Pending results of Monday Night Injury. $25

9 Ryan Grant Packers, RB
Tough 1st playoff game vs PIT. He and Packers are surging though, we are believers. $24

10 DeAngelo Williams Panthers, RB
After last years fantasy playoff run, you gotta have him in your line up. $23

11 Andre Johnson Texans,WR
He and Schaub are clicking... Rams and Dolphins make for a good playoff schedule. $22

12 Thomas Jones Jets, RB
If you seek flashy highlight reel TD replays, go elsewhere, but if you like reliable production, you've come to the right place. $21

13 Aaron Rodgers Packers,QB
Now that he is getting the playground approved 5 banana count from his O-line, he is looking better than ever. Topping the charts in most scoring formats. $21

14 Drew Brees Saints, QB
If you're a Brees owner your rooting for one of two options; Saints try to go undefeated or the start losing.... either scenario keeps him on the field. $20

15 Anquan Boldin Cardinals,WR
This won't be the last time you hear this at this site, the Cardinals fantasy playoff schedule is as good as it gets. $20

16 Randy Moss Patriots, WR
Giving body language like he's starting to check out mentally for the season, on the other hand a strong finish would not surprise us. Tough read. $19

17 Rashard Mendenhall Steelers, RB
Despite killing owners with his recent performance against CLE, he remains a strong option going forward. $19

18 DeSean Jackson Eagles, WR
Seems to be clear of the concussion. He doesn't get a ton of receptions, but 18.9 yds/catch is tops in the league (of relevant WR's)....and he returns the occasional punt for 6 as well. $19

19 Frank Gore 49ers, RB
What happened to running 3 times and then punting? Obviously, the 49ers are better off with their new pass first offense, but that is not sitting well with Gore owners. $17

20 Jamaal Charles Chiefs, RB
He's been red hot since taking over the starting role. Chiefs are not a high powered an offense, but he is getting it done on his end. $17

21 Brandon Marshall Broncos, WR
Just set the single game NFL reception record (21) and looks to be hitting his stride, rewarding owners who stuck with him. $17

22 Joesph Addai Colts, RB
Quietly having a really nice season. He has pressed the pause button on the Donald Brown era for now. $17

23 LaDainian Tomlinson Chargers, RB
He's been surprisingly consistent since coming back from injury early in the year. $16

24 Wes Welker Patriots, WR
The league leader in Receptions (105) and second in yardage (1158) gives you week in week out consistent production, any TD's are just icing on the cake. $16

25 Vincent Jackson Chargers, WR
Is to San Diego WR's what MadMen is to AMC.....both have made something completely irrelevant worth watching now. $16

26 Kurt Warner Cardinals, QB
The old man has two great matchups to bring home fantasy championships; @DET then home vs STL. $15

27 Miles Austin Cowboys,WR
Blind Melon, The Proclaimers, Chumbawumba and Hanson want to know his secret for multiple hit success. $14

28 Sidney Rice Vikings, WR
Having the prototypical wide receiver 3rd year breakout season. Expecting even bigger things next year. $14

29 Chad Ochocinco Bengals,WR
Typical streaky season for Chad OchoTweets. Faces 10th (SD) and 24th (KC) ranked pass defenses weeks 15 & 16. $14

30 Calvin Johnson Lions, WR
Looking more like a 'second tier' transforming machine to robot action figure of the 80's......Gobot in disguise! $13

31 Pierre Thomas Saints, RB
He plays Suzanne Summers in the Saints aggravating Three's Company sitcom. He is the hottest by far, yet Mike Bell in the role of the butch brunette gets far too much screen time $12

32 Matt Schaub Texans, QB
He has been a house of fire all season. Faces STL (19th) and MIA (22nd) next two weeks. $12

33 Phillip Rivers Chargers, QB
The main reason the Chargers have won 8 straight. Model of consistency; never scored more than 23 or less than 9. $11

34 Tom Brady Patriots, QB
Everyone in the AFC is rooting for a colicky Brady baby to hamper his production. $11

35 Brandon Jacobs Giants, RB
Like B Jacobs....as much as everyone likes the Cool Asian guy with the twirling kicks in Karate Kid, at the All Valley Tourney, maybe it's just time to admit he's not quite as good as we'd like him to be. $11

36 Steve Smith Giants, WR
Nothing too flashy here, just a consistent 75 yds/game and a TD mixed in every few. $10

37 Peyton Manning Colts, QB
Will you get more than 2 quarters of production out of him? If he's playing for the perfect season, we think so. $10

38 Mike Sims-Walker Jaguars, WR
Having a solid year for the Jaguar-Leopards. As long as he's healthy he could finish very strong. $9

39 Vernon Davis 49ers, TE
A monster who probably deserves to be higher. He'll be spending his off-season lobbying for equal treatment of Tight Ends. $9

40 Kevin Smith Lions, RB
Fairly consistent for such a bad offense. Hope for 8 points, anything more is gravy. $8

41 Roddy White Falcons, WR
247 yds and 2 scores in the last 4 games, not setting the world ablaze, but a strong #2 WR. $8

42 Michael Turner Falcons, RB
The Burner......if last year he was fueled by petroleum products......this year he's apparently switched to "easy bake oven" technology. $8

43 Antonio Gates Chargers, TE
Slow start, but coming on strong. He's delivered fantasy championships before, in Gates we trust. $8

44 Reggie Wayne Colts, WR
Hasn't gone over 50 yds in the last three weeks, cutting his owners deep......I'm talking like BJ Penn cutting Diego Sanchez's forehead with a head kick deep. $7

45 Marion Barber Cowboys, RB
716 yds and 4 TD's on the year....he's on the list based on potential, not for past performance. $7

46 Marques Colston Saints, WR
Marques, along with posse; Shonne, Toni, Geoff, and Alicks frequent the island of misfit name spellers. $7

47 Quinton Ganther Redskins, RB
Shined in his first start against the Raiders, now let's see how he does vs an NFL team. $7

48 Fred Jackson Bills, RB
Every other week streak means, bench next week, cash in on championship game pending your options. $7

49 Beanie Wells Cardinals, RB
Received the bulk of the carries in the Monday night game vs SF. If he continues to get the lion's share of the work, he has plenty of upside with the aforementioned AZ playoff schedule. $7

50 Greg Jennings Packers, WR
His reversal of fortune this season rivals only that of an amateur competitive eater; one minute focused and poised for a Coney Island Championship, the next he's got semi-digested wet hot dogs & buns all over his shoes. $7

http://www.FantasyFortunes.com A fantasy football site which does a weekly humor based top 50 ranking of year to end values for players in the nfl.

Chicago Bears Playoffs - Why The Chicago Bears Will Make The Playoffs in 2005

In 2004 the Chicago Bears went 5-11, and were one of the worst teams in the National Football League. The Bears allowed 66 Sacks on their various quarterbacks, and were last in the league in just about every major offense category.

So how do the Chicago Bears have even a remote chance at making the playoffs in 2005?

The biggest reason the Bears are improved this year, is because Kyle Orton will have a couple of weeks to work out his timing with the 1st unit offense. Rex Grossman has a plus arm, but does not have the durability to be an NFL quarterback.

If you have 66 sacks in a season on a QB than not all of the blame can be placed on the quarterback of a team. That is the reason why the pro-bowl offensive lineman, John Tait, moved over to the Left Tackle position. Tait knew it would be easier for the Bears to acquire a Right Tackle than a Left Tackle, and decided to move positions so that he could protect Kyle Orton. The Bears picked up the pro-bowler RT Fred Miller in the off-season, to shore up the right side of their offensive line. With Ruben Brown and Olin Kreutz, the Chicago Bears will have 4 former pro-bowlers anchoring their offensive line.

The Chicago Bears also improved their receiving core in the offseason. They acquired one of the best free agents in the market in Muhsin Muhammad. Not only will Muhammad be a great receiving option for Orton, but he will able to tutor a lot of the young receiving core on the Bears. Justin Gage, a young tall receiver, will benefit from Muhammad's presence, as well as newcomer, Mark Bradley.

The Chicago Bears have also improved their play-calling ability, with their new offensive coordinator, Ron Turner. Turner was successful with the Bears in the mid-90s, when Erik Kramer posted some of the best numbers of his career. Kyle Orton has already stated that the offense is further ahead at this point than they were with Terry Shea, and with Cedric Benson joining the Bears running game, the Bears will be an offensive force to be reckoned with.

The Chicago Bears defense was solid in 2004, despite the fact that every game they were on the field the entire time. Mike Brown is healthy this year, Charles Tillman is healthy, and with Jerry Azumah, Nathan Vasher, Brian Urlacher, and Lance Briggs, the Bears defense could dominate this year.

The National Football League is designed with free agency for last place teams to turn it around quickly, and for first place teams to fade. The Bears have a light schedule, and have a beefed up team. The Chicago Bears will make the playoffs in 2005, and end a drought of pain and suffering for football fans in Chicago.

Benjamin Nicholson

Scout and Sports Analyst

[http://www.grinnation.com]

benjamnicholson@aol.com

[http://www.grinnation.com/bearsplayoffs.htm]

Ben Nicholson has been covering the National Football League for 10 years. He is currently a scout for a major sports team, and most recently has been covering the history of the Chicago Bears.

Cowboys top Eagles 34 14 For first playoff win since '96

Cowboys top Eagles 34 14 For first playoff win since '96 For educational purposes only. "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."

How to Get Hold of Detroit Pistons Tickets

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Watching a National Basketball Association (NBA) game is an exhilarating experience, especially if you're watching it live and especially if you're watching one of your favorite teams, like the Detroit Pistons, play. You can witness intense hard court action right in front of you. But how can you get a hold of a ticket to a Detroit Pistons game?

A ticket to a Detroit Pistons game, as for any NBA game, is sold through many ways. There are several options for a Pistons fan. First of all, you need to know the game schedule so that you can then choose which game or games you want to attend. Do you want to go to a game located nearby or are you more concerned about who the Pistons will be playing? Then of course you'll want to think about what section, row, and seat you prefer to sit in. You can purchase Premium Seats if you don't mind spending a little extra money and want to get close to the action. Here, you can have your picture taken with your favorite player or even get a signed autograph.

There are also ticket packages. The Season Plan grants you access to every Detroit Pistons game of the season, while the Half Season Plan grants you tickets to attend less games - you can choose to attend 5 or 10 games in this case. There are also ticket packages for Preseason, Regular Season, Playoffs, and Finals. Then of course there are special discounted tickets for large groups.

You can purchase single tickets or subscribe to an aforementioned plan through direct sellers or retailers - and it is common for people to buy tickets via the Internet. Some websites even offer images of the stadium so a basketball fan can handpick the most ideal seats.

It is easy to purchase tickets online and some websites and dealers even offer memberships on top of normal ticketing services, which allow you to take advantage of special discounts and giveaways, especially during the holiday season. Another benefit of buying tickets through a website, is information regarding events, venues, dates, and times are easy to retrieve as well.

Be cautious though. You might inadvertently buy counterfeit tickets. The team's official website will instruct you on how to determine the difference between authentic and fake tickets.

After you've purchased your tickets, the next step is to enjoy the game!

Jack Peterson has an interest in Sports and Detroit Pistons, for more FREE information and articles please visit Detroit Pistons Resources

The Dissolution of Latrell Sprewell

It took awhile, but every NBA free agent eventually found his way to a team. Curry is with the Knicks, Allen is with the Sonics, Johnson is with the Hawks, and free agency is pretty much over. Wait...I'm forgetting someone. Hey, where's Latrell Sprewell? Yes, Minnesota's separation of Cassell and Sprewell has gone so well that Sprewell isn't even in the NBA right now. In fact, he might never come back.

Just how bad was Sprewell's season last year: how about no-job bad. In a Marketing Evaluations Q-rating for sports athletes, Spree was dead last, that's right, the worst. First came his quote about having to feed his family with a $14.6 million salary. Then there was an incident where he cursed out a Clippers fan within earshot of television cameras. Finally there was the chemistry issues mixed with his T-wolves teammates and his horrible production that kept Minnesota out of the playoffs one year past from having the best record in the league.

Sprewell had the absolute worst year of his career last year, suffering career-lows in Points, Rebounds, Assists and Minutes Per Game. Combine that with his unforgettable altercation with P.J. Carlisemo and the high contract he'd surely demand, and the Nuggets, Clippers and Lakers have all stopped taking phone calls. And lets face it; Spree is the one guy (who if he were still playing) that has a worst reputation than Ron Artest. Except, Sprewell doesn't act as innocent as Artest does.

Hold on a minute; maybe we're being a little too quick to jump the gun. Let's let Sprewell speak for himself: "I stopped at Cub Foods for the first time since 1991 and picked up six packages of Pork Ramen for 78 cents. I barely had enough for the 58-cent box of Best Yet Mac and Cheese, but we'll just pinch our pennies for the next day or so." Now that was pretty moronic, but let's see if we can go a step higher: and I quote: "One of my boys got teased by a sixth grade girl on the bus, that stupid little whore." There we go. And yet, people don't seem to like him. A real head-scratcher.

Overall, Sprewell might not play at all this season, and he deserves no excuses. Choking a coach is more than enough to get you thrown out, but he got a second chance. Sure he did okay at first in New York, but he's really collapsed since then. A guy as separated from the real world as anyone, Spree turns 36 in 2006. Getting paid millions of dollars to play basketball is a hell of a privilege, and Spree has worn out his welcome. No team will dare pick him up, because of the negative press they'd receive. Not only that, but it was Latrell Sprewell who monopolized those stupid rim-spinners on cars (AKA Sprewells). Add it all up, and that $7 million extension the Wolves offered him a year ago is starting to look awfully good now, especially if he never plays again.

Visit Free Football Picks for more expert articles on sports.

NFL Predictions - 2010 Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens finished 9-7 on NFL Picks in 2009 and made the playoffs where they lost in the 2nd round to the Indianapolis Colts. The Ravens went 8-7-1 against the spread on football odds, going over the total 6 times, under 9 times and had one push. The Ravens signature defense was again the nucleus of the team, which ranked 3rd overall in total yards giving up a little over 300 per game, #8 overall in passing yards giving up an average of 207 per game, the team was 5th against the run giving up only 93.2 yards per game and opponents scored 16.3 points per game which was good enough for 3rd in the National Football League. The Ravens usually boast on e of the teams best defense but analyst everywhere continue to rated quarterback Joe Flacco among the best in the NFL but I'm not so sure of that, Flaccco has all of the physical skills but lacks something and this sports handicapper thinks his backup, former Heisman trophy winner Troy Smith is a better fit for the team. Ravens coach John Harbaugh has done an excellent job since taking over for Brian Billick a few years ago and expectations are high again this year at Ravens camp.

The 2010-11 Ravens will again be led by the defense, some think this unit is getting old but with the statistics they have been posting it just looks like they are getting better. Ray Lewis is the man in the middle and both the emotional and physical leader but fellow linebacker Terrell Suggs is vastly becoming of the best the in the National football League also. The defensive line is also solid with long time veteran Trevor Pryce, who led the team with 6' sacks last year. Haloti Ngata is also becoming one of the best defensive lineman in football and should dominate at his position again this year. The defensive backfield lost Samari Rolle to retirement and the leader of the group Ed Reed has had a nagging injury, Reid also thinks he is underpaid and so do I, this guy has been a playmaker ever since he came into the league out of the University of Miami and the Ravens can ill afford to loose him.

The Ravens offense made great stride with running back Ray Rice gained 1,339 yards in 2009 and should be one of the elite backs in the league this year. His back up Willis McGahee would be a starter on any team but he knows his role with Baltimore and is quite happy with it, he gets his touches and like Rice he can also take it the distance at anytime, fullback Le'Ron McClain is also a pro bowl caliber back. The tandem is one of the best in football, that is why Baltimore ranked 5th overall in rushing yards averaging 137.5 per game. The offensive line hasn't been the same sine lone time offensive Tackle Jonathan Ogden retired, this unit will have to gel this year, especially in their pass blocking. The wide receivers are good and now add Donte Stallworth and Anquan Boldin into the mix. THe real question mark is still Joe Flacco, he will struggle this year and that is why the Ravens finish 2nd in the AFC North behind the Cincinnati Bengals and will struggle with the Pittsburgh Steelers but this division could have 3 teams in the playoffs in 2010-11.

http://www.Charliessports.com provides Football Picks.

Greg C Nelson

NFL Football Picks and NFL Expert Predictions - Tennessee Titans Preview For the 2010 Season

The Tennessee Titans started the 2009 season by going 0-6 and turned their season around once Vince Young got the start to finish the season 8-2 just missing the playoffs. Although the tide changed for the Titans when Young was named the starter, the most significant impact player on the team and maybe in the entire NFL other than Peyton Manning was running back Chris Johnson.

Johnson is one of the most dynamic runners the NFL has seen in a long time and became the NFL's best running back by rushing for 2,006 yards and an amazing 49 carries of over 10 yards or more last season. With Johnson's unique talents and unmatched speed by anyone in the NFL, the Titans are now a run first offense that brings a lethal combination with Young at the quarterback position who had an 82.8 passer rating but is also a dynamic runner.

The Titans will pose an offensive threat with these two skilled players but they will need to improve their receiving core as they will count on a 2nd year player in Kenny Britt who will be their number one receiver going into the season. Britt produced big numbers in his first year catching 42 balls for 701 yards which was fifth in Titans history for a rookie while he scored three touchdowns averaging 16.7 yards per reception. If Britt can step up and improve this year bringing a third dimension to this offense, the Titans who were 12th in total offense last year will be hard for any NFL defense to stop.

The Tennessee defense that was considered to be aging cleared house and added 10 new defenders to a roster that was ranked 28th in total yards and scoring last season. The most noted players that are gone on defense are Kyle Varden, Jevon Kearse and Keith Bullock who played 10 years for the Titans and was the defensive captain. They have added players who will make an impact this season in linebacker Will Witherspoon and a rookie pass rusher Derrick Morgan who was ranked 10th in the draft overall amongst NFL experts although the leadership of the defense will be in question.

Jeff Fisher has been one of the NFL's top coaches for years but he will be faced with the challenge of putting all the new pieces together coming into this season. The Titans have brought in a lot of talent and will improve from 2009 but someone will have to take over the leadership role and form an identity for this team. The Titans will have to gain some confidence and win early especially playing in the tough AFC South Conference with the Colts and Texans. Our NFL experts for NFL Picks report that Chris Johnson has a chance to be the first running back in NFL history to gain 2000 yards in consecutive years and if he does complete that feat, the Titans will have a chance to make some noise in the playoffs.

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