Archive for October, 2007
Professional Basketball History
by admin on October 31st, 2007
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The first official basketball history would be at YMCA in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1896. It was the fallout of a dispute between members of the YMCA team and a YMCA official, resulting in a professional team, playing for money. 2 years later, the National Basketball League was founded.
In the 2oth century, the top professional teams were the Buffalo Germans and the Original Celtics. The first major national professional league was the American Basketball League.
In the 30s, the most successful teams were the New York Renaissance and Harlem Globetrotters. Both of these teams consisted of all-black players.
In the 40s, the game was monopolized by the Minneapolis Lakers, led by George Mikan and coached by John Kundla. This team won 5 NBA championships in the decade.
Come the 50s, guard Bob Cousy and forward Bob Pettit were celebrated players. From 1957 to 1969, The Celtics won 11 NBA titles, 6 of them led by Bill Russell.
From 1963 to 1975, the UCLA team won ten national championships. Star players during this period were center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, center Bill Walton, guard Gail Goodrich, forward Jamaal Wilkes, and forward Marques Johnson. Abdul-Jabbar made history by becoming the leading scorer with 38,387 points in his career.
In the 80s, basketball was dominated by the Detroit Pistons with Isiah Thomas and Dennis Rodman.
And most recently, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls are the highlights of the 90s, with the Bulls winning 6 NBA titles. Star players in this period were Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Shaquille O’Neal. And the women star players were Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie, and Jennifer Azzi.
Women basketball has also undergone some changes throughout the years. In 1966, dribbling was legalized in play. 3 years later, a 5-player full court format was introduced. In 1984, women officials (coaches, players) were admitted in the basketball hall-of-fame. Some of these famous women who obtained recognition for their skills and expertise were Ann Meyers, Carol Blazejowski, Cheryl Miller; Anne Donovan and Nancy Lieberman-Cline.
The NBA’s rival was the American Basketball Association (ABA) and its trademark red, white, and blue basketballs. The best player for ABA was Julius Erving. ABA was dissolved in 1976.
The passing of years have seen the rise and fall of many teams and players. Without a doubt, all the players strive to do their best to be immortalized as the champions of the decade.
About the Author
Find more about Basketball and Basketball history
Originally Syndicated via RSS from www.official-sports-home.com
Betting soccer and basketball predictions - 5 winner picks
by admin on October 31st, 2007
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Betting Highlights on tricky bets of the day and the valuebets on Tuesday, 28 of February.
Pick: Port Vale v Scunthorpe looks home win in League One England. If you are uptodate with the latest injuries, yellow cards and redcards, players forms, the lower leagues soccer is your football gambling, especially if Live soccer betting available.
Also looks super soccerbet: Greeece to win v Belarus, played in Cyprus. Bet soccer livebetting.
Tennis betting, but be careful with the first rounds, best bet to avoid…
European Basketball betting: Playoff Quarterfinals start with the first matches in Sweden with Akropol v ?resundskraft, Plannja v 08 Stockholm, Solna v Norrk?ping. Also quarterfinal in ULEB Cup, the home teams are clear favorites, except perhaps Crvena Zvezda, matchup playing at home with Dynamo Moscow. gamebookers team, Aris is underdog away! In Australia, the Grand Final third match in National Basketball League, NBL. This is best-of-five serie, but hardly imagine that 3 matches will decide! Sydney Kings v Melbourne Tigers (beginning: 09.45CET), seems home win, but Tigers leads 2-0.
However, the ball is round, good luck with your soccer picks. Bet with confidence, bet with gamebookers ecobika do the same. soccer predictions
About the Author
soccer predictions basketball tips: soccer predictionsSweden Basketball Playoff series.
Originally Syndicated via RSS from www.official-sports-home.com
What Does An Ex-Basketball Coach Know About Pulling Web Metrics?
by admin on October 31st, 2007
What Does An Ex-Basketball Coach Know About Pulling Web Metrics?
by: Jason Blackston
In my previous life…..
Actually, my previous JOB life, I was a physical education teacher and the varsity girls basketball coach. This is where I learned about testing, or as my mentors on the internet say, “Pulling Web Metrics.”
Simply put, pulling metrics is just testing your product or service. Your objective is to see how many sales you get out of a certain amount of clicks to your web site.
So what does my previous life as a coach have to do with your success on the internet? Great question, and now I will give you a great answer.
As a coach, I would test my girls in practice to see how many free throws each girl could make out of 100. I would do this everyday.
*For those of you who are not familiar with Basketball: A freethrow, also known as a foul shot, is awarded to a player who gets fouled by a player on the other team.
*I could get more technical with the rules, but this is all you really need to know about, for me to get my point across.
Now if Jane averages 70 made shots out of 100 freethrows, she is a 70% freethrow shooter. O’kay, next let’s say Cathy averages 45 made shots out of 100 freethrows. This means Cathy is a 45% freethrow shooter.
Here’s what I’ve learned from testing these players:
First, Jane makes more freethrows than Cathy. So if the game is close at the end, I want the ball in Jane’s hands.
Why?
Well, if the score is close and Jane gets fouled, the odds of her making the freethrows are better than if Cathy gets fouled. This means more points…
And more points means victory for Jane, Cathy, and the entire team!
**Online Business is not much different**
On the internet you can test your products similar to how I tested my players in basketball. Now as a coach, I put my players on the freethrow line and asked them to take the shot.
Same rules apply online. You want your products put to the test. An easy way to do this is by utilizing Pay-Per-Click search engines. Google Adwords is a great place to start.
You can find out more about Google Adwords at: https://adwords.google.com/select/?hl=en
By utilizing Google Adwords you can test your products. Pay-Per-Click means you’ll pay a certain price each time someone clicks on your advertisement.
However, you can find great keywords at low cost. If you need help finding good keywords, I suggest downloading Good Keywords. It’s a free software program and has helped me find some great search terms.
http://www.iwanttips.com/gkwds/index.html
Marketing on the internet is somewhat different than my coaching experience. The statistics are much different. In basketball, I wanted someone who could make 70 to 80% of the freethrow shots taken in a game.
On the internet, I am shooting for a 2 to 3% conversion rate. That’s right, I’m looking for 2 to 3 sales out of every 100 clicks. That doesn’t mean I don’t want more, but 2 to 3% conversion is a good mark.
Let’s you are paying 10 cents a click, and out of 100 clicks you got 3 sales. And your price for your product is 40.00.
* 3 x $40 = $120.00
* .10 x 100 = $10.00
* $120.00 - $10.00 = $110.00 Net Profit.
You’ve got a good product that you can continue to test and market. If you had gotten 300 to 400 clicks and no sales, you’d have to take a good look at your product.
Sometimes people fall in love with a product before they test it. I’ve been there! It’s always best to test, test, test!
Going back to my basketball analogy. The fact remains that Jane made more freethrows than Cathy. I want her on the line when the game is on the line.
Same rules apply when it comes to marketing online. I want to promote the products that “Pull the best Metrics.”
And you heard that straight out of the ex-basketball coach’s mouth!
* You can download this article at:
http://www.govisitors.com/jb/article3.html
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About The Author Jason is one of the owners of |
Originally Syndicated via RSS from www.official-sports-home.com
The History of the NCAA Basketball Tournament
by admin on October 31st, 2007
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The NCAA Basketball Tournament is among us. This tournament is a looking glass for human hope, excellence and positive social change. It is, in short, a microcosm of the human existence, with all of its exuberance, tragedy and triumph. The NCAA Basketball Tournament is American sports.
The excitement and tradition of “March Madness” or the NCAA Basketball Tournament as we know it today has been shaped by many significant events in NCAA tournament history: The first NCAA men’s basketball tournament was held in 1939 with the first NCAA tournament championship game held at Northwestern on March 27, 1939. Only eight teams competed in two regions. Oregon defeated Ohio State in the championship game, and the West region held a third-place game.
Although the NCAA basketball tournament now determines the national champion, that was not always the case. Until the 1950’s, the NIT was considered a more prestigious tournament than the NCAA basketball tournament, and teams often chose to enter the NIT and bypass the NCAA tourney. Because of this dichotomy, two of the best centers of the 1940’s never met in an NCAA basketball tournament. George Mikan’s DePaul team traditionally entered the NIT, while Bob Kurland’s of Oklahoma.
In 1973, with the championship game held on Monday night for the first time, UCLA behind Bill Walton’s 44 points on 21 of 22 shooting, won its seventh straight championship, defeating Memphis State. NC State, led by David Thompson, ends UCLA’s title run in 1974, defeating the Bruins in the national semifinals in double overtime.
The following year, the NCAA tournament expanded to 32 teams, and then allowed more than one school from each conference to participate. Prior to this ruling, the restriction prevented several great teams from competing in the tournament, including the 1974 Maryland team. They finished the season nationally ranked #4, yet lost the ACC Conference final game to top-ranked NC State prior to the start of the tournament. After that, the NCAA began to allow more than one team per conference to participate. In 1976, Bobby Knight’s Indiana Hoosier squad completed an undefeated season with a victory over Michigan in the championship game. The Hoosiers are the last team to go undefeated and win the title.
The tournament expanded to 40 teams in 1979, and teams were seeded for the first time. “Magic” Earvin Johnson leads Michigan State over Larry Bird and Indiana State to win the national championship. The game drew the attention of millions throughout the country; its 24.1 TV rating remains the highest ever for a college basketball game and is still considered one of the greatest match-ups in NCAA Tournament history.
Expansion followed in 1980 to 48 teams, and then in 1983, to 53 teams. In what many believe is the greatest Cinderella story in college basketball, North Carolina State’s Lorenzo Charles dunks the ball as time expires in the 1983 championship game to lead the Wolfpack to a 54-52 win over heavily favored Akeem Olajuwon and Houston. Perhaps no one figure in college basketball history more personified the spirit of March Madness than Coach Jim Valvano. His underdog North Carolina State Wolfpack did what many consider a miracle by making an incredible run through the 1983 Tournament. Culminating in the defeat of the highly touted “Phi Slamma Jamma” squad from the University of Houston, Valvano was rocketed into the media limelight and quickly became the symbol of exuberance and enthusiasm. He discovered soon afterward that he had bone cancer, and for a short time became a commentator for college basketball. Before his death at age 47, he was named the recipient of the Arthur Ashe award for courage at the first ESPN ESPY awards. It was at this time he announced the formation of the V Foundation for cancer research.
In 1985 the tournament expanded to 64 teams. A Villanova Wildcat team shot a 22 for 28 field goal percentage to defeat Patrick Ewing and defending champion Georgetown in the championship game. Villanova remains the lowest seed (#8) to win the championship. In 1991, Duke upset undefeated UNLV in the semifinals and went on to win the national championship. In 1997, Arizona, led by Mike Bibby, Jason Terry and Miles Simon, becomes the first school to defeat three #1 seeds en route to the national championship, winning against Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky.
The NCAA Tournament’s popularity has grown to rival that of the World Series, the Olympics and the Super Bowl. CBS Sports in 1999 negotiated an 11-year, $6 billion agreement for television, radio, Internet, corporate marketing, licensing, publishing, home video and Hoop City rights for the Division I men’s basketball championship.
Today the NCAA basketball tournament is one of the most watched tournaments of the year. Always exciting you never really know who is going to end up on top!
About the Author
James Paul is an avid basketball fan and always looks forward to the yearly NCAA Basketball Tournament Visit his blog to ask questions and learn more at NCAA Basketball Tournament
Originally Syndicated via RSS from www.official-sports-home.com
Will the EU Accept the American Compensation
by admin on October 31st, 2007
After the withdrawal from World Trade Organization (WTO) the Government of the USA has made its first compensation offer to the European Union (EU). At the same time, some European gambling groups press the EU to consider the American compensation for losses suffered after Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed to be inadequate.
The EU will be able to study the US compensatory offer until October 22. The offer is believed to include opening opportunities in the storage, warehouse services and technical testing sectors to make up for any economic damage caused by the US withdrawal from its trade obligations on online gambling in the Uruguay Round over a decade ago. The withdrawal took place after a lost by the Americans WTO dispute with the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda.
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Online Casino Blog - Fresh online casino and gambling news every day !
The Origins Of Basketball
by admin on October 31st, 2007
The Origins Of Basketball
by: Catherine Kenyeres
Do you know the origin of basketball?
The origins of the game of basketball can be traced back to a gentleman by the name of Dr. James Naismith. In 1861, Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario, Canada. During his early school days, Naismith would play a game called duck on a rock whereby the child would endeavor to knock the duck off the top of the rock with a toss of another rock.
Later on, Naismith would go on to McGill University in Montreal and would later become McGill University’s Athletic Director. He would subsequently move on to YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts and in 1891, the game of basketball began.
Given the cold Massachusetts winters, Naismith needed to find a recreational activity that could be played indoors and he preferred a sport that would develop skill and one that was not exclusively relying on strength. The first game was played with two peach baskets for goals and a soccer ball.
Further to his credit, Naismith became a medical doctor specializing in sports physiology and a Presbyterian minister. Naismith was able to see his beloved sport of basketball, gain acceptance in numerous countries through the YMCA since 1893. As well, the sport of basketball was brought forth at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. As we speak, the game of basketball has become a very popular professional sport.
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About The Author Catherine Kenyeres is a freelance writer and publisher for http://www.best-4u-tickets.com. Catherine has written numerous articles for the sports enthusiast. |
Originally Syndicated via RSS from www.official-sports-home.com
Free NBA Picks - October 30th
by admin on October 31st, 2007
Free NBA Picks: Portland vs. San AntonioÂ
Take OverÂ
1 Unit on Portland OVER 189 We don’t expect either of these teams to be tightening the screws on defense already in game 1, which is what this number would suggest. 3 of the last 4 games in this series have gone OVER the Total. With Zach Randolph out of town and Greg Oden injured, we can expect the Blazers to look to get out and run more which will make this team a better OVERS club. We’ll take the Over here.Â
Free NBA Picks: Utah vs. Golden StateÂ
Take UnderÂ
1 Unit on Utah/Golden State Under 213.5 Without Stephen Jackson in the lineup tonight and with Jason Richardson no longer in town, it doesn’t matter how much Nellie wants to push the tempo, he’s missing too many weapons to put up big numbers in this one. I think the Warriors will have things figured out in a month or so, but it’s going to take some time to get used to playing with these guys who they have relied so heavily on. Jerry Sloan preaches defense, and his teams usually play a lot of it, especially early in the season when they are fresh. We’ll Take the Under here.
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Originally Syndicated via RSS from Touthouse Free Sports Picks
Basketball Tips To Improve Your Game
by admin on October 31st, 2007
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First, I want to discuss with you the two most important factors in all sports whether you’re in basketball or if you’re jumping rope.
These 2 factors have nothing to do with your size, your talent, or your ability but they have everything to do with how you play the game. And as a matter of fact, it’s the only two things we can control.
The first factor that I’ll discuss is your attitude. You may have heard that “attitude is everything”, well trust me it is. People hate being around others with a negative or pessimistic attitude. If that describes yourself, then stop right now and figure out where your bad attitude stems from and work to correct it.
The next factor is your effort. If you plan to do anything, you must do it one-way and one-way only: That’s ALL OUT!
Now, great basketball players all start out in the same way: with a plan.
So, tell me where is it you want to go? What are your dreams? Desires?
Now, let me ask you have you made any plans to get to where you want to go?
There was a quote that I heard that says, “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail”
Do you have your plans in front of you tracking your results?
So, with that said, I want to give you some goal setting tips for you to improve on your game. Goal setting is the key to getting what you want out of life. Remember that Life just doesn’t happen, you have to make it happen. And you must be relentless in your pursuit of your goals. So here are my top 10 lists of goal setting tips:
1. Define exactly what you want (the clearer the better)
2. Set priorities with deadlines
3. Develop a love for your work
4. Always do more than someone ask you
5. Respect all people
6. Write notes and track your progress
7. Develop love for learning
8. Picture success (what does it look like, feel like, can you taste it?)
9. Never say quit
10. Live your life with no regrets. (Go ALL OUT!!!)
So, I’m going to leave you with something that has extremely beneficial in my basketball days as well as my days as business owner. Eliminate these three words out of your vocabulary:
Try, But, Can’t
Eliminate these words and start today setting your own goals and you’ll see magical things happen to your game as well as to your life!
About the Author
“Who Else Wants To Discover the Shortcut, Sure-Fire Secrets to Increasing Your Vertical Jump ? Go to http://www.increaseyourvertical.com for more details and be sure to get my Free Basketball Tips.
Originally Syndicated via RSS from www.official-sports-home.com
The Origins Of Basketball
by admin on October 30th, 2007
The Origins Of Basketball
by: Catherine Kenyeres
Do you know the origin of basketball?
The origins of the game of basketball can be traced back to a gentleman by the name of Dr. James Naismith. In 1861, Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario, Canada. During his early school days, Naismith would play a game called duck on a rock whereby the child would endeavor to knock the duck off the top of the rock with a toss of another rock.
Later on, Naismith would go on to McGill University in Montreal and would later become McGill University’s Athletic Director. He would subsequently move on to YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts and in 1891, the game of basketball began.
Given the cold Massachusetts winters, Naismith needed to find a recreational activity that could be played indoors and he preferred a sport that would develop skill and one that was not exclusively relying on strength. The first game was played with two peach baskets for goals and a soccer ball.
Further to his credit, Naismith became a medical doctor specializing in sports physiology and a Presbyterian minister. Naismith was able to see his beloved sport of basketball, gain acceptance in numerous countries through the YMCA since 1893. As well, the sport of basketball was brought forth at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. As we speak, the game of basketball has become a very popular professional sport.
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About The Author Catherine Kenyeres is a freelance writer and publisher for http://www.best-4u-tickets.com. Catherine has written numerous articles for the sports enthusiast. |
Originally Syndicated via RSS from www.official-sports-home.com
Pro-Style Basketball Goals: How to Select the Right System
by admin on October 30th, 2007
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There are many reasons for wanting to find a pro-style system when preparing to purchase a basketball goal. These reasons are important to consider when checking out the various options and features offered by each manufacturer.
The Minimum Requirements for a Professional Basketball System
One of the primary reasons that people are interested in the pro-style basketball systems is because they, or their children, aspire to become professionals in the game. Of course, it only makes sense that a proper professional basketball goal is used in practice or training. For this reason, having a pro-style goal serves a greater purpose than just providing a sense of authenticity when shooting basketball hoops. While shopping around for the right system, be sure to check that the basketball goals being considered fulfill at least the minimum criteria to be considered ‘professional’. The standard features of a pro-style basketball goal should include:
* Shatterproof tempered glass or acrylic backboard;
* Flexible, breakaway basketball hoop;
* Weather-resistant structure, including a specialized rustproof coating and nylon bushings where metal meets metal;
* Height adjustment mechanism to set the precise level of the basketball hoop;
* Thick, sturdy padding around the post of the basketball goal;
* Must meet American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for safety in basketball goal design.
The Bells and Whistles of a Basketball Hoop
The various basketball goal manufacturers offer numerous additional features that can make their system an even more desirable choice. Often, consumers find they prefer basketball hoops with special conveniences or key advantages when undertaking such a considerable investment. Some of these extra special features can include:
* Motorized height adjustment;
* Portability;
* Nighttime basketball hoop lights
* Easy do-it-yourself installation;
* Guarantee of durability
Portability is a concept that many people generally do not associate with basketball goals. Most people assume that once they install their goal, it will at best add to the resale value of their home when they move because it will have to stay there. This is not always the case because some basketball goal manufacturers have designed the system to allow for portability. With many of these systems, the goal post footings are simply unbolted from the anchor installed within the concrete supporting the basketball hoop. Thereafter, the whole system, minus the old concrete and anchor, can be reinstalled at a new location. It is nothing more than a matter of pouring new concrete and laying in a new anchor for reinstallation.
Professional Basketball Hoops are not just for the Wealthy Pros
For many people looking to purchase a basketball goal, cost is often a consideration. The special features of pro basketball goals are obviously going to make them more costly than a basic portable or simplified residential system. The pro basketball hoops tend to range anywhere from around $700 to as much as $2,000 or more, with the higher-end goals including such options as motorized height adjustment and hoop lights. However, because many of them are designed for portability, an investment into a professional basketball system can be considered long-term, and worthwhile for individuals serious about their training.
About the Author
Always an avid sports enthusiast, Bill Gibson had become especially interested in basketball to the point he got involved in the industry. He can now be found either writing articles about his passion or enabling others to participate in his interest. His website can be found at http://www.basketballgoalstore.com/
Originally Syndicated via RSS from www.official-sports-home.com
Week 8 NFL Football: Results, Scores, Odds & Lines
by admin on October 30th, 2007
Week 8 NFL Results & Scores: By Sean Murphy, lead handicapper with The Miller Group of Covers Experts
Let the endless hype begin, or should we say continue. It’s the matchup everyone has been waiting for and it’s less than a week away.
The colossal showdown we’re talking about, of course, features the Houston Texans against the Oakland Raiders next Sunday afternoon.
Oh, and there is that other game. The one between the league’s only two unbeatens, the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. We get the sneaking suspicion that a few folks may just tune into this one as well.
As for Week 8, it was a bit of an odd one. Road favorites covered at a perfect 5-0 ATS clip, excluding the Giants ATS loss against the Dolphins in a game played in London, England. Plus only two games were decided by three points or less. Here’s the complete rundown of all of Sunday’s action.
Eagles at Vikings (+1, 37 ½)
Final: Eagles 23, Vikings 16
Donovan McNabb shook off his critics and threw for 333 yards in the Eagles’ third victory of the season. Vikings quarterback Kelly Holcomb, who was filling in for an injured Tarvaris Jackson, was knocked out of the game early in the second half. Minnesota was the trendy underdog pick of the week, but shaky defensive play kept them from grabbing the cash for the second consecutive week. A late Eagles field goal helped over backers to a narrow win.
Steelers at Bengals (+4, 48)
Final: Steelers 24, Bengals 13
Many anticipated a shootout in this AFC North matchup. It was not to be as the Steelers rebounded from last week’s tough loss in Denver, defeating Cincinnati by 11 points. Eights were wild as Hines Ward caught eight passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns. The Steelers improve to 5-2 ATS on the season, while the Bengals fall to 3-4 ATS. This one fell well short of the posted total of 48.
Browns at Rams (+3, 46)
Final: Browns 27, Rams 20
The Rams had to believe that this would be the week they’d finally reach the win column, especially after jumping out to a quick 14-0 lead. The Browns had other ideas. Cleveland got another strong performance from QB Derek Anderson, as he threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns. The Rams welcomed back running back Steven Jackson only to see him leave the game with another injury. St. Louis falls to 1-7 ATS, while the Browns continue to cash tickets. Cleveland is now 5-2 ATS in 2007.
Lions at Bears (-5 ½, 45)
Final: Lions 16, Bears 7
The Lions completed the season sweep of the Bears, winning as 5 ½-point underdogs at Soldier Field. Chicago has yet to post an ATS victory at home this year. The Bears will head out on the road for back-to-back games in Oakland and Seattle following their bye week. Detroit returns home to host Denver next Sunday. Under backers enjoyed an easy payday as the final score fell 22 points short of the total.
Colts at Panthers (+6 ½, 43)
Final: Colts 31, Panthers 7
Trailing 7-3 late in the first half, it looked as if the Colts may have been caught looking ahead to next week’s epic showdown with the Patriots. Not a chance. Indianapolis would score 28 unanswered points over the final two quarters and change, cruising to a 31-7 victory in Carolina. Reggie Wayne hauled in 168 yards and a touchdown, picking up the slack for an absent Marvin Harrison. The Patriots aren’t the only team that’s perfect ATS, as the Colts improve to 7-0.
Giants vs. Dolphins (+9 ½, 47 ½)
Final: Giants 13, Dolphins 10
Jolly old England got its first taste of regular season NFL football as the Giants prevailed in a sloppy affair with the Dolphins. Field conditions were a major issue as this one was essentially played in the mud. Not surprisingly, we saw few big offensive plays and the Giants were never able to pull away. New York had posted three consecutive pointspread victories before dropping the cash on Sunday.
Raiders at Titans (-7, 39 ½)
Final: Titans 13, Raiders 9
It was a typical Titans victory. They relied heavily on their defense and running game to slip past the Raiders. Vince Young was back under center, but was rather ineffective, throwing for 42 yards and running for only 11. The Titans defense came up huge, sacking Raiders quarterback Daunte Culpepper five times and forcing a pair of key turnovers. Even though the team didn’t pick up the outright victory, the Raiders did improve to 3-1 ATS on the road this season.
Bills at Jets (-3, 38 ½)
Final: Bills 13, Jets 3
The Bills have quietly turned into a serious cash cow, bringing home the bacon in each of their last four games. Meanwhile, the Jets find themselves at the opposite end of the spectrum, losing their seventh game of the season. They’ll stay home for a matchup with the Redskins next Sunday, but this is a team that has shown no signs of turning the corner. Don’t be surprised if we see Kellen Clemens at the controls for New York from now on.
Texans at Chargers (-9 ½, 44 ½)
Final: Chargers 35, Texans 10
The Chargers helped the people of San Diego take their minds off the devastating wild fires, even if it was just for a few hours. All 31 of their points came in the first half as the Texans looked lifeless from the opening kick. Texans QB Matt Schaub was forced to leave the game with a head injury, but it really didn’t matter. The Chargers appear dead set on forcing their way back into the AFC title picture. San Diego has covered the number by a combined 56 ½-points over its past three games.
Jaguars at Buccaneers (-3 ½, 32)
Final: Jaguars 24, Buccaneers 23
We give a ton of credit to the Jaguars, not only for bouncing back from last Monday’s crushing loss against Indianapolis, but doing so without their starting quarterback, David Garrard. Quinn Gray did just enough in Garrard’s absence, throwing for 100 yards and a score, and the Jags defense did the rest. Jacksonville improves to 4-1 ATS over its last five games, while the Bucs suffer their second straight defeat. Over backers had themselves a winning ticket before the end of the third quarter.
Saints at 49ers (+1 ½, 40)
Final: Saints 31, 49ers 10
The Saints resurgence continued as they posted their third win in a row on the strength of four Drew Brees touchdown passes. Alex Smith made his return for the 49ers, but it wasn’t nearly enough as he completed just 22-of-43 passes for 190 yards and a score. Frank Gore continued to struggle behind a patchwork offensive line, running for only 41 yards on 12 carries. It was heatbreak city for under backers as a meaningless late fourth-quarter touchdown pushed this one a single point over the total.
Redskins at Patriots (-15, 46 ½)
Final: Patriots 52, Redskins 7
We saw a lot of love for the Redskins over the course of the week as bettors drove the Pats line down from -17 ½ to as low as -14 ½ at game time. We’re not sure how anyone can warrant fading the Patriots right now, regardless of how generous the pointspread may appear on paper. Had you blindly parlayed New England and the over each week this season, you would be sitting pretty right now. That combination has failed to cash just once, back in Week 4 against Cincinnati.
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Originally Syndicated via RSS from Touthouse Free Sports Picks
Rome Airport - Leonardo da Vinci
by admin on October 29th, 2007
As my week in Rome is going to be woefully poker-less, I’ll be sharing anecdotes instead. Specifically, I’ll be sharing with what I’m good at sharing: Incidents with people annoying me.
In the immortal words of Alice Cooper, “It’s the little things.”
So. We get off the plane and mosey our way towards the baggage carousel. My first impression of Rome’s “Leonardo da Vinci” airport is “not too shabby.” It’s not Singapore’s airport (nothing beats Singapore’s Airport) but it’s certainly isn’t that clusterfuck of a mess known as Charles de Gaulle in Paris, either. It’s an airport. It has signs that actually make sense, but it’s still a miserable place to spend a day. Average, in other words.
Now, we get to the baggage carousel, and we - Lori and I - are among the first people to go stand in the vicinity of it. Why that is, I’m not sure, since we were among the last to get off the plane. Maybe the other passengers all went to the bathroom, or maybe they simply couldn’t find their way. I hope it’s the former, but I fear it’s the latter. So we’re standing there waiting for our luggage. It’s a large carousel, lots of space. People instinctively try to stand as close to the opening - the place where the luggage comes out onto the belt - as possible, and I’m no different. So I find the opening, and then I trace my way down the conveyor belt to the first spot unspoken for. And then I do something that I seem to be alone in the universe of doing: I stand back three feet.
See, here’s the thing - and I hope the readers of this blog learns from this - standing back a few feet from the conveyor belt has a few really nifty advantages to it, if EVERYBODY DOES IT. First, it allows more people to actually stand and see the conveyor belt. By backing up a little, we can all fit. Secondly - and more importantly - if we all stand three feet from the belt there’s room in front of us that can be used to retrieve a bag. Since bags tend to weigh in the vicinity of 40-50 pounds each, some smaller women may have a problem getting them off in one sweeping motion. By leaving room in front of the belt, they don’t have to bump into three people as they get dragged on down the belt by a piece of luggage about their own size; they can simply walk next to their baggage as they get a good grip before yanking at it.
Anyway, I don’t have to preach the advantages of stepping back a few feet to you; you’re smart. It’s the other people. The ones who actually hang out around conveyor belts; they’re the problem.
Because there I stand, clearly by the conveyor belt, clearly with the intention of picking up my luggage, but I’m not actually leaning against the side of it as if it was a bar about to take last orders at 2:30 in the morning. I’m being smart about it. And there he comes.
My countryman.
The idiot.
And he actually walks up to the belt immediately in front of me. Now, you will recall, I stand back about three feet. That’s enough room for someone to pick up a bag, but it’s also decidedly small enough that in an otherwise empty room, a stranger will definitely be considered to take up your personal space if he gets that close. That’s how close he was; I could smell his shampoo. Now, I’ve travelled a lot, so I’m not unfamiliar with the idea that a Swede’s belief ni personal space is not shared by everyone else on the planet. That idea gets pretty quickly shot down the second you enter Asia, trust me. But this was one of MY people. A middle aged man, complaining about to his wife about how crowded it was at this airport. And me, standing one foot behind him rolling my eyes.
Now it had reached the point where I could no longer see what was coming down the conveyor belt, I could only see what had passed. The smart thing to do… No, not the smart thing. Let’s use a better word. The RATIONAL thing to do would have been either to politely point out to him that he’s blocking my view, at which point he would have immediately backed off (because Swedes’ idea of personal space goes hand-in-hand with our fear of conflict) or to avoid said conflict (the Swedish thing to do, after all) and walk down the belt to the next open spot and give up my utopian dream of everyone standing back, and leave no space in front of me.
I did neither of those things, and the option least tempting was to move away. I was there first. And this guy - and not least his wife - were amusing. They were complaining to each other about just about everything going on around them. The fact that their bags hadn’t come yet. The fact that it was so crowded. About the asian people standing directly to their right (who, they were sure, had misread the prompter and weren’t at the right carousel, because why would asian people fly SAS? Come on!*). About, and this made me chuckle, the woman who had to cut in front of him to pick up her bag (The Guy look at his wife, looked to the woman who was trying to get her bag, and then looked back at his wife and rolled his eyes). Yes, it’s awful when people just cut in front of you, isn’t it?
[* They were at the right conveyor belt. I mumbled “yes!” to myself when they picked up their bags.]
I stand there, and I consider my options. Do I ask him to move, or do I simply hold my position fully aware that he must be uncomfortable having me this close behind him? There’s plenty of room around us, and I’m essentially standing as near him as only a close relative would normally be allowed to do. I’m SURE he’s uncomfortable by it. I ponder asking him to move, but I figure that unless his bags arrive very soon, the total amount of uncomfortability that I’m imposing on him will be much greater by me simply breathing down his neck than any verbal conflict ever would be.
And God heard my prayer. We stood for a solid 20 minutes before our bags - simultaneously, as god has a sense of humour - arrived.
That said, the rest of the night worked out as intended. We arrived safely at the hotel, had a quick dinner at the roof garden (which overlooks the ancient part of Rome, but you can’t really see much when it’s dark) and then swiftly fell asleep. The only thing left for me to share today is the very elegant way I was dismissed by the concierge when I entered the hotel:
We walked into the hotel, and I walk up to the counter to the first person I see and say “Good evening. I have a reservation.” Without even looking up, the older gentleman in the uniform says, “Good evening, sir. That is an excellent reason for you to come to our hotel.” With a barely noticeable nod of his head to my left he continues, “and my colleague a few feet down will help you get checked in.”
Message received.
/FP
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