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Do Fantasy Leagues Do More Bad Than Advantages?

March 6th, 2010

One of my hobbies is playing fantasy sports leagues. I’ve playing for a while now and have fantasy teams in baseball, basketball and football. I’ve also tried other basic, sports based games.

I find this a very enjoyable hobby, and get a real buzz from managing my virtual team. Buying, selling, and being the boss gives me a lot of pleasure. I’ve always wanted to own a sports team and now I have 3, even if they aren’t real!

A word of warning though, this is very addictive. I’m constantly checking results and stats and seeing how the competition is doing. I find I’m doing this on a daily basis at least, and pressing refresh an awful lot!

Are the addictive qualities of these games bad for you? Well I personally don’t think s, but then I wouldn’t, would I? It does take up a huge amount of my time and If there are no new stats I find myself watching games I have no interest in, and checking other results to see of my team is affected.

I mentioned a lot of positives about playing these leagues earlier, and here’s another big one; it incites our competitive spirit, which is what playing sports is all about. We follow our teams in reality, so what is wrong with following these ones?

I will admit to certain periods of obsession over how my players are performing and whether or not they have the best interests of the team at heart. This has often taken precedence over the actual results.

Like many of us, I have favorite teams in real life that I have been a fan of since childhood. Why now, for the first time ever, is my allegiance being tested by teams that don’t even exist? If fixtures clash I’m in the horrible situation of having to choose between them.

Do I have a problem? Well if I do there are millions of us. This is a topic for hot debate by many sports enthusiasts.

See more of this author’s work about topics like the used wood splitter and skid steer log splitter.

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Colts Slip Past Jags In NFL Opener

February 28th, 2010

The Indianapolis Colts, finding their offense shut down by a relentless Jacksonville Jaguars attack, fought back in kind. The often maligned Indy stop unit matched the ferocity of their Jaguars counterparts play for play, and one touchdown pass from Peyton Manning proved to be enough to earn victory by a 14-12 margin in the NFL season opener for both teams. The victory was Manning’s 118th in a Colts uniform, tying the legendary Johnny Unitas for the franchise lead.

NFL sports betting enthusiasts who took the Jaguars as +6 road underdogs were rewarded with the pointspread cover. Indianapolis dropped to 11-16 ATS over the past three years when favored. The 26 combined points went well UNDER the posted total of 45. Despite their reputation as an offensive juggernaut, the Colts have actually trended to the UNDER over the past three seasons, with 19 UNDERs in their past 35 lined games.

After the contest, Manning displayed his characteristic humility when asked about tying the franchise mark for wins and particularly comparisons to the iconic Unitas:

“I’ve never felt comfortable with comparisons with him. I think he’s kind of in his own category. But I am proud of those wins.”

Manning was more concerned about the welfare of receiver Anthony Gonzalez who left late in the first quarter with an injury:

“I askedRashean Matthis what happened and he said, ‘I didn’t even touch him . He has worked so hard in the offseason, I just hope it’s not a season-ending injury.”

Colts coach Jim Caldwell won his first game at the helm of an NFL team, and was pleased with the effort of the defense:

“Obviously, the defense played well and came up big at the end. We thought it would be a grind, and it was. I think our team certainly played tough, played hard, played with a lot of energy.”

Jacksonville wasnt overly discouraged after the contest either, pleased with the intensity and their effectiveness in shutting down one of the NFLs best offenses. Maurice Jones-Drew praised the tenacious Indy defense after the game:

“They just did a great job in the red zone stifling our offense. My hat’s off to them. But we have to learn how to finish.”

Quarterback David Garrard also gave credit to the tenacity of the Indy pass rush:

“I thought, ‘Here we go again, we have a great chance. You love to be in that situation. We were trying to get the ball to Maurice, but you’ve got to slow those pass rushers down. We did what we could do.”

The Jaguars will open their 2009 NFL home slate on Sunday as they host the Arizona Cardinals. The Colts will head to south Florida for a game against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. Theyll return to Indy for a date with the Arizona Cardinals on the following Sunday.

Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer who covers travel, casino gambling and college football handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and scuba diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.

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Virginia Tech Survives Tough Challenge From Duke

February 26th, 2010

Duke University is far from being a national college football powerhouse, but they’re no longer a team you can take lightly either. #6 ranked Virginia Tech found that out on Saturday, and what they expected to be an easy afternoon became a tightly contested affair. In the end, Virginia Tech prevailed for a 34-26 road victory but not without some anxious moments. Virginia Tech improved their record to 4-1, while Duke dropped to 2-3 on the 2009 college football season.

Despite the straight up loss, Duke won where it counted as they rewarded sports players who bet on college football with the ATS victory as +17 home underdogs. Duke evened their mark at 2-2 in their lined games, while the Hokies dropped to 2-3 against the spread. The 60 combined points scored went well OVER the posted total of 48. Virginia Tech has gone OVER in 3 of 5 games this year, while Duke has gone OVER in all three of their games with posted totals.

The Hokies were saved by the career day posted by their quarterback, Tyrod Taylor. Taylor threw for 327 yards on 17 of 22 passing and two touchdown passes with no interceptions. After the game, Taylor modestly downplayed his own impact on the outcome of the game:

“I know we have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball. It’s just my job to get the ball to them.”

Venerable Tech coach Frank Beamer saw his team defeat Duke for the ninth straight time, but noted:

“I don’t think that’s the old Duke football team.

Blue Devils coach David Cuttcliffe said his team is reaching the point where moral victories aren’t enough:

“We got close enough in the fourth quarter to go beat a great team. Once you taste that, you like it. I wouldn’t say we spit it out — it wasn’t a choke — but we just didn’t finish.”

Despite getting the win, Hokies coach Beamer was critical of his teams performance:

“Too many penalties and too many long plays. We weren’t as sharp as we would like, but I don’t think it was lack of effort. Part of it was Duke, and part of it was us. … Sometimes I think you’ve just got to win some games that’s not real pretty on the road, and this is probably one of those.”

Still, he praised his team for doing what they needed to do to preserve the victory:

“When we needed to run the football, and we did, and got points, that was critical to this ball game. They were going to take the run away, so you’ve got to be able to throw the ball.”

Virginia Tech will host Boston College next Saturday before traveling to Atlanta the following weekend for a game against Georgia Tech. Duke will play at North Carolina State next Saturday before a bye week. Theyll return to action at home on October 24th against the University of Maryland and play on the road at Virginia the following week.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on World Cup soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and betting odds sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

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Colts’ Manning Versus Brees Destine To Turn Out To Be Everything We Hope For

February 25th, 2010

Many will tell you that the key to a football team’s success is its quarterback. After all, someone who can successfully find receivers is bound to put points on the scoreboard for his team. Still, others will tell you that it’s defense that wins championships. This year, though, was the year of the quarterback.

Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are believed by many to be the best two quarterbacks in football. Typically drafted before any others in fantasy leagues, the two of them are reliably consistent year in and year out, giving their teams the best offensive units in football. When they go head to head at this year’s Super Bowl, we’re going to see a battle of quarterbacks above all else.

Neither of these teams lost a game until December, and it’s very rarely the case where one team, let alone two, goes unbeaten for such a long time. Due to the dominance of each team, experts labeled both of these the best in the AFC and NFC throughout the year.

Now, they have a chance to showcase their abilities once more in a game that is sure to result in a very high final score. This will be an offensive battle at its finest in Miami.

While both of them lost a few games during the last few weeks of the season, many would attribute this to the fact that they no longer needed to win more games in order to secure home field advantage.

This is different from the last few Super Bowl meetings we’ve seen. If you look at the previous two winners in the Steelers and Giants, both teams won the game on the heels of a strong defense.

This year, it looks like offense is the name of the game. While each team has an efficient defense that is largely responsible for the team’s success, it really comes to down to each quarterback’s poise, precision, and hunger on the field.

This may very well be one of the highest scoring Super Bowls we’ve seen in recent years. As great as defensive battles can be, this will be an extremely refreshing change from the usual.

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New Orleans Wins First Superbowl In Franchise History

February 19th, 2010

The New Orleans Saints used a 14 point fourth quarter to defeat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 on Sunday to win their first Superbowl in franchise history. Drew Brees broke open a tight game midway through the final quarter with his touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey, and Tracy Porter scored on a 74 yard interception return as the Colts were driving on the next series to secure the victory. Brees was named Superbowl MVP on the basis of his 288 yard, 2 touchdown, 0 interception performance.

After enthusiasts had come in early on the favored Colts, a good deal of buyback on the Saints had pushed the line to -4′ and the New Orleans backers were enriched by their team’s outright victory. The underdog has now covered three straight Superbowls and taken the money in five of the last seven games. The 48 points scored stayed well under the posted total of 57.

In his postgame interview, Brees gave much of the credit to the city of New Orleans:

“We play for so much more than ourselves. We played for our city. We played for the entire Gulf Coast region. We played for the entire Who Dat nation that has been behind us every step of the way. It means everything. We’re here because of their strength and everything they fought through here the last few years. They’ve given us so much support, so we owe it all to our fans.”

“Just to think of the road we’ve all traveled, the adversity we’ve all faced. It’s unbelievable. I mean, are you kidding me? Four years ago, whoever thought this would be happening? Eighty-five percent of the city was under water. Most people left not knowing if New Orleans would ever come back, or if the organization would ever come back. We just all looked at one another and said, ‘We’re going to rebuild together. We are going to lean on each other.’ That’s what we’ve done the last four years and this is the culmination in all that belief.”

Peyton Manning had little to say after the game particularly about the interception return that sealed the victory for New Orleans:

“Made a great play. Made a great play. Corner made a heck of a play. Certainly disappointing, very disappointing. Disappointing.”

Saints’ coach Sean Payton made a bold call at the beginning of the second half when he called for an onside kick. New Orleans recovered and linebacker Jonathan Casalis suggested it was a game changing play:

“We were really excited when he made the call. That changed everything.”

Payton explained the unorthodox decision:

“We’re going to be aggressive. We’d seen the onside kick all week and guys executed it well. It turned out to be a big change of possession.”

The city of New Orleans will celebrate their team’s victory with a parade. With Mardi Gras celebrations already scheduled to begin shortly thereafter, it could be quite some time before New Orleans returns to business as usual.

Ross Everett is a consulting sports handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is in charge of providing daily free sports picks to Internet websites and broadcast media outlets. He is a widely published freelance writer specializing in sports handicapping, auto racing, wombat breeding and falconry. He lives in Las Vegas with three dogs and a wombat.

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Jacksonville Jaguars Will Start 2009 With A Vengeance

January 16th, 2010

Jacksonville, Florida – at a point in time in history – had stated that they could not support a professional football team. However, ticket sales for the Jacksonville Jaguars have proven otherwise and have successfully supported the NFL franchise for years. Jaguar fans are dedicated and continue to purchase tickets and show up to all their home games regardless of their season record.

The NFL was looking for a city to start a new franchise in back in’92. They had their hopes on Charlotte, NC, St. Louis, MO, Baltimore, MD, Memphis, TN, or – their last choice – Jacksonville, FL. Florida already had two pro-football teams; there was really no need to add another.

Jacksonville, Florida was not a favorite pick for the NFL, for many different reasons. Besides the fact that Florida was full of professional sports teams, television ratings were low, the city was small, and it Jacksonville just did not quite match up to the other cities. Residents; however, were thrilled at the idea and bought 10,000 season tickets within a 10 day span. This event proved that Jacksonville was the best spot for the new franchise.

After 16 years on the field, the Jacksonville Jaguars still have not made it to a Super Bowl game, although they have come close. In’96, and again in’99, the team played for their AFC Division title – they did not win, but they played hard. In their first four years as a franchise, they made it to the playoffs three times, and NFL record.

The 2007 season proved to be another profitable year for the team as they closed the season with only two losses. Everyone expected this streak to carry into the next season – 2008 – but were proven wrong. The 2008 season ended up being the teams’ record worst and is one they wish they could replay.

Fans expected to see their team in the Super Bowl in 2008, or at the least, in the playoffs again. With multiple injuries and the players just not working as a team, it became apparent that the team was not going to get far this year. What closed the deal on this was when the Jaguars lost against the Bengals, who had not won a game all year. Sad thing is, they only lost by three points, which was even more devastating to the team.

Just because the team experienced a rough year does not mean they did not play hard – they did – there were just opportunities to be taken that were continually missed game after game. The entire team took a beating in the 2008 season, so much so that it gave them an adrenaline boost by the end of the year. They were able to beat the Detroit Lions – by a field goal – at the last minute, which also happened to be one of their last games of the season.

With a 5-11 record the Jaguars hung their heads and moved on. The 2009 season brings back many injured players, along with some new blood. Fans are hopeful that the combination of these two advantages will give the Jaguars the edge they need to get back into the game. Ticket sales are expected to be as high – if not higher – as normal, and those who do not rush to the box office may miss their chance to see the Jaguars play – live.

By Matt Ryan, sponsored by StubPass.com. StubPass sells Jacksonville Jaguars Tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets, NFL Tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

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Say Goodbye to Giants Stadium

January 15th, 2010

Beginning with the season opener against Washington, the Giants appear to be playing the same schedule that they did in the ‘08 – ‘09 season. Not only will they be playing all three of their NFC East rivals during weeks- through 15, but they will be hosting the games against the Eagles and the Panthers. These are just a few of the highlights Giants fans can look forward to this year, even if it is the same as it was last season, the details of the games will be different.

The two weeks of preseason practices and games made it appear, to the fans and coaches, that the Giants had an unbreakable defense this year. Upon winning their first preseason game, against the Panthers, this would prove to be true; the Giants defense is strong and other teams should be prepared.

Coach Tom Coughlin plays a big role in the strength of the Giants this year. He was asked, during preseason, who he believed were his strongest players this year. While he gave kudos to a number of players, mostly on the defensive line, Sintim, Leger Dougable, Bruce Johnson, and Tommie Hill were at the top of the list.

The ‘09 season will be nothing short of memorable for fans, staff, and team members. They started with the amazing win of their first preseason game, along with the return of a great receiver – David Tyree. Tyree suffered a severe knee injury shortly after Super Bowl XLII, and had to sit on the sidelines during the ‘08 season. This put the team in a bit of bind, forcing them to find new talent, which they did.

Tyree, despite of the threat of new blood on the team, appears to be confident with his position on the team. He is promising his team, and fans, that he will perform as he did prior to his injury, and that they have nothing to fear. He believes he is valuable to the Giants, and if they do not see that, that he will be just as valuable to any other team in the NFL.

All of this said, Tyree missing an entire season, should not affect the team or how he plays. According to him, if the team is affected, it is not due to his lack of skill as he believes the injury has not harmed his abilities to perform. The first preseason game would prove this to be true, but there is still a whole season for him to play.

This season, 2009, is the Giants’ 85th anniversary in the NFL. This being said, it is also the last season they will play in their current stadium. Beginning in the 2010 season, the Giants will share a stadium with the Jets; they will play in the Meadowlands Stadium. Fans, loyal or not, this is your last chance to see the Giants play in their stadium.

This season brings a lot of excitement for fans across the world. Old players back on the field, anniversary, and closure on a part of the team. StubPass.com has all of the information, necessary, for upcoming games and events. This is the time to get into the stadium before its time to say goodbye. Help the Giants walk out of their stadium with glory.

Written by Matt Ryan, article sponsored by StubPass.com. StubPass sells New York Giants Tickets, sporting event tickets, concert event tickets, theater tickets, NFL Tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

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Buy Manchester United Tickets and Watch the Red Devils

December 31st, 2009

You must have known by now that getting Manchester United tickets for home venue, The Old Trafford, is not an easy task.

The tickets are as good as gold dust. You will have a run for your money if the home team is playing against a team like Chelsea or Liverpool. It happens that the tickets are sold-out even before the ticket window closes. Your chances for getting Manchester United tickets depend on your luck and ability to anticipate the sources.

A lot of legendary players have given their services to Manchester United ever since the club was found in 1878. With a history over a century old, it is the reigning champion of several big trophies. It has come out of blues several times and today, Manchester United’s net worth is $1 billion. All the matches of Manchester United are sold-out events. Manchester is in Northern England. The players red jerseys have been a symbol of competence and success. The players are known as Red Devils also.

One of the most popular clubs in England, Manchester United is managed by Alex Ferguson, who is also the most successful manager in British Football history. Except for a little disruption of a few years in between, Old Trafford has been the home of Manchester United and its permanent residence since 1910.

Fans do not mind bearing any kind of trouble to get the tickets for football, which has grown in popularity in its various forms. Manchester United tickets are difficult to get for all the games played by Manchester United, may it be at home or away. But getting them is not a child’s play if you do not know the right source. There are several games to follow this season. Football fans love the game and they don’t want to miss any opportunity to witness thrilling contest.

Even if you try calling United’s ground on phone for tickets, you will find the phone lines engaged too due to heavy demand for the tickets. If you are not a registered fan, then you will have to follow the general principle of first-come first-serve. You hardly stand a chance if the matches are big games with teams like Chelsea and Liverpool. Die-hard fans specially prepare for big matches and await the event for months. Some even celebrate important occasions by watching a game.

The other way to get a ticket is to stand outside the ground near a bar and seek somebody selling the tickets under the table. However, remember, you will be paying a king’s ransom for that. The Old Trafford is sold out for every home game, so you can imagine the kind of fan following the sport and Manchester United has.

Getting Manchester United tickets will be an uncertainty for certain, but you can try your luck with club’s Website, which is also a source for tickets. Getting Manchester United tickets will be even more difficult if you are not a member of One United scheme. Manchester United Stadium or Theatre of Dreams is a place you should be at least once in your lifetime.

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The Top 5 NFL QBs of the Decade

December 1st, 2009

I can’t believe we’re almost done with yet another decade. In just several weeks, the end of the 00s will be behind us, and I’d like to take the time to look back at the decade that was, showcasing the best five NFL quarterbacks to have played football during these ten years.

My rankings factor in the overall performance over the last 10 years, rather than who may be better than who at present. Based on this, we’re going to remember what’s transpired in seasons past in determining who finished where on this list.

These are all a matter of opinion, and yours might be different from mine. If you feel that I’ve gotten this order wrong, I’d love to hear your reasoning.

Kurt Warner. He started out the decade as one of the best QBs in football, and incredibly he’ll finish it near the top too. He had a lull mid decade, but the Cardinals’ Super Bowl appearance last year definitely earns Warner a spot on the list.

Next up is Brett Favre. The veteran QB still looks great to this day, but his lack of a Super Bowl run prevents him from going any further here. Still, it’s hard to argue against the fact that Favre has been amazing.

Donovan McNabb. This QB took his team to the NFC conference championships 5 times during the decade. Enough said.

Tom Brady. With his three Super Bowl rings, a 212-90 career record, and a 93.4 career QB rating, all of which took place during the course of the decade, Brady has been phenomenal.

Peyton Manning. It was hard to justify putting Manning above Brady since Brady has more Super Bowls, but I think that Peyton’s been more consistent through the course of his career, albeit marginally. He’s truly one of the best to ever play, and just beats out Brady here.

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The Giving Of Football Gifts To Sports Fans

November 25th, 2009

Maybe half of the entire male population of the United States is into American football. That is, the kind that is played with a lot of running and carrying the ball instead of kicking it, and where holding the ball is generally a violation of the rules. Macho is the name of this game – with injuries as common as that air that both athletes and the rabid fans in the stands breathe, despite the helmets and thick paddings the athletes put on to protect themselves from cuts, bruises, contusions, fractures, and the like.

So if you are planning on giving someone a present for a special occasion, football gifts should be top on your agenda. The gift could come in many forms and sizes, colors and shapes. It could be a mug emblazoned with the logo of your friend’s favorite team or a locker-room print.

There are so many types of football gifts you can give away like Leather NFL money clips, NFL personalized beer glasses, or NFL team logo traditional money clip and others. These football gifts are familiar but exciting for the die-hard football fan. Gifts that give pleasure to the receiver are the perfect kind; for not only are they great decorative items, they can also be useful especially if those who get these use them for what they are meant to be.

You could almost see your male excitedly trying to open the box that has your gifts. You can almost see the anticipation and excitement in his eyes as he tears at the package, pulling out the ribbon, cutting or unraveling the strings. Then he finally unwraps your gift, and he sees the logo of the football teams he roots for printed on them.

Not only are the men the ones who love your gift, because the football gifts, that is if your girl friends also enjoy this sport. If you have friends married to each other, it will be easier to shop for gifts that you plan to give them – like for their wedding anniversary, for example. The only thing you need to do is find a one-stop shop for the gifts you have in mind to be given to your friends.

You may want to give unique types of gifts to male friends who are avid fans of the football game. You can give them football gifts which will surely inspire them and think of you as someone valuable because you give quality gifts. www.aPerfectWallet.com provides you with selections of these gifts that they will surely love to have.

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