Archive

Posts Tagged ‘sports’

Atlanta Tops St. Louis In NFL Preseason Action

November 14th, 2010 Comments off

The Atlanta Falcons are making a statement that they’ll be a factor in the NFC. The Falcons starters behind QB Matt Ryan were almost flawless, and left the reserves with a 14-0 lead before eventually beating the St. Louis Rams 20-13 at the Edward Jones Dome on Friday night.

Running back Michael Turner was unstoppable in his limited playing time, churning out 65 yards in the Falcons opening drive. After the game, he confirmed that the Falcons offense had placed a priority on flawless execution:

“We wanted to come out and execute. They were preaching that all week and we wanted to show that on game day. We’re way better than we were last year at this time.”

Quarterback Matt Ryan was 7 of 8 for 81 yards and a touchdown pass before he called it a night. Tony Gonzalez praised his signal caller in his postgame comments:

“He’s a great quarterback. It’s obvious he’s figuring things out. He has a great arm, talent, and knows how to play with poise.”

It was a disappointing home debut for new Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, who tried to frame the loss as a learning experience:

“Just like I said to the team, we’d have liked to have started out a little better. You’ve got to come out and take it to them.”

Rams safety O.J. Atogwe sounded a similar tone:

“This was a fabulous game for us. That’s the reason you play the preseason. Going against a team like Atlanta, a top-caliber team, it allows us to reassess what we’ve been doing.”

Falcons coach Mike Smith, meanwhile, was enthused about the improved play of his rushing defense:

“We were much improved against the run. It’s something we have to continue to get better at. We still had some missteps.”

The Falcons will continue NFL preseason play next Friday night as they host the San Diego Chargers at the Georgia Dome. The Rams will play the Bengals at Cincinnati next Thursday night. Atlanta will get the NFL regular season underway on Sunday, September 13th as they host the Miami Dolphins while the Rams will head to the Pacific Northwest for a game against the Seahawks in Seattle.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and noted authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

UFC 94 Flashback: GSP Destroys BJ Penn

November 7th, 2010 Comments off

BJ Penn entered his main event battle against welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre looking to become the first man in UFC history to simultaneously hold titles in two weight classes. GSP never gave him the chance to make history, as he stopped Penn after four increasingly dominant rounds to retain his belt with a TKO victory and make a compelling case for being the pound for pound best fighter in mixed martial arts.

Both fighters had considerable fan support, with vocal, flag waving delegations from the Hawaiian Islands and Canada in evidence. During ring introductions, both men received enthusiastic cheers tempered with a few boos. After the opening horn sounded, however, the Penn backers had little to cheer about while the champions supports broke out in G-S-P chants on several occasions. The first round was fairly evenly contested, with St. Pierre trying to get a first hand feel for Penns often unorthodox”but highly successful”takedown defense. GSP made several takedown attempts, but had them repeatedly stuffed by Penns incredible balance and flexibility.

Boxing guru Freddy Roach recently praised Penn as the best technical puncher in MMA, but he had no opportunity to bring this weapon to bear as he had trouble finding the range from the outset. St. Pierre was unable to complete any takedowns during the first round, but easily dictated the pace and style of the bout.

GSP began to assert his dominance in round two”with Penn starting to fatigue he was no longer able to fend off St. Pierres single leg takedown attempts by balancing on one leg. GSP got a takedown early in the frame and began to mount a ground and pound assault while moving around in Penns legendary guard almost at will moving from half guard to side control with frightening ease. At this point, it was apparent that GSPs superior strength and insane physical conditioning were going to figure prominently in the outcome of the fight.

The eventual outcome was foretold between rounds two and three, as the obviously exhausted Penn required a pep talk from his entourage that his fatigue was all in his head. Across the cage, GSP calmly sipped water looking for all the world that he could go 12 rounds.

Round three was similar to the previous one, with GSP taking his opponent to the mat with a decreasing level of resistance and mauling him with punches and elbows once he got there. His complete control over the BJJ black belt Penn was incredible, but hardly surprising given the way that GSP dominated four time NCAA All American wrestler Josh Koscheck on the ground during their matchup.

The fourth round was a wall to wall rout for the welterweight champion, who started by effectively trading strikes with Penn before taking him down once again and resuming his highly successful ground based attack. At this point with GSP moving around at ease and Penn mounting little resistance it was apparent that the challenger was physically spent. St. Pierre almost ended the fight on the ground, as referee Herb Dean repeatedly reminding Penn that he needs to fight back. Penn survived the round on instinct alone, moving around just enough to keep the referee from stopping the proceedings. After the horn sounded to end the fourth round, however, it was evident that Penn had nothing physically or emotionally left and the fight was stopped by Dean on advice from the ringside physician.

Displaying his characteristic class, GSP delayed his celebration until he had crossed the cage and kneeled by his vanquished foe to honor his competitive spirit. After a quick celebration among GSP and his team, he faced his next challenger in the person of Thiago Alves.

In the co-feature attraction, Lyoto Machida kept his undefeated professional MMA record intact with a first round TKO victory over Thiago Silva. Silva had no answer for Machidas well rounded skills and unorthodox Shotokan karate based style. Machida took his opponent down and knocked his opponent down twice”all counters as Silva was coming forward and Machida backing away. As the first round entered its final seconds, it appeared that Silva started to ease up in anticipation of the horn. Machida used this opportunity for another takedown, and then nailed his surprised opponent with a powerful punch that ended the fight.

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

Family Beach Vacation Ideas

October 27th, 2010 Comments off

Would you like to know what makes a perfect family trip? The mother and father will say something and the children will say another. You really need to plan a vacation that plays to every members of the family. Get note of everyone’s family vacation ideas however it won’t really need to be totally around the kids, it will offer parents something back in return. In the end, vacation is the foremost learning instrument we’ve got since it will teach young children concerning the world they live in. All around the globe, there are several locations you could go for your family beach excursion. Below, you’ll find a variety of locations, and the things they will offer your family.

Maui

All through the West Coast of Maui, you will have many selections for your beach family vacation. Should you decide to enjoy golf, the Kapalua Resort is a great option, as visitors will receive 30% reduce golf rates than others that never lodge at the resort. The resort also includes the Kapalua Bay Hotel, Kapalua Villas, and the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. One bay over from the Kapalua Bay is the Napili Kai Beach Resort, a low rise family resort that gives relaxing beachfront condominiums. The Napili Kai also offers free programs for kids ages 6 – 12 from the middle of June to the end of August, during Easter and Christmas. The condos are a few seconds away from the beach, plus they include kitchens as well as laundry facilities. If you prefer a more private area, the Maui Prince hotel is located in a quiet location surrounded by 2 panoramic golf courses and a large sandy beach that children in no way seem to get enough of.

Mololai family escapades

The island of Molokai is filled with bare beaches, no traffic lights, and a handful tourists. A lot of visitors visits just for a day or so, with some visiting the island since they thought they were heading to Molokini (which is a snorkeling site near Maui). The island of Mololai is accessible by ferry from Maui or by plane from Honolulu. The island is perfect for people who prefer the outdoors having a twist of adventure. When you go here, you shouldn’t be expecting shopping or nightlife.

Florida

The Breakers Hotel in sun-drenched Palm Beach Florida has a spa, golf course, and a 1/2 mile sandy beach. There is also a separate pool for the children, a family leisure center, as well as a kid’s program. Families can arrange as much as 5 adjoining rooms while children under the age of 16 can remain at no cost in the same room as their parents. If you opt to take your beach getaway in Orlando, Florida, the Loews Hard Rock Hotel offers you plenty of beach and amusement rides, with a 240 foot slide as well as a white sandy beach.

California and Georgia

With a number of family beach vacation resorts in California, the Hotel Del Coronado is among the most famous. The hotel presents many different facilities for families, including lessons in kayaking, surfing, tennis, and biking. The barrier islands in Georgia offer ambiance, sandy beaches, along with a laid back prospective to life as you know it. Jekyll Island offers you miles of paved bike path with three 18 hole golf courses, which is perfect for golf enthusiasts.

Get in touch with your Travel Agency LA if you are planning to take your much-awaited vacation. Your Travel Agent LA will certainly handle everything from the flight, lodging, tour, and other trip aspects needed to be looked after.

Hollywood Travel Agencies Heritage Tours

October 22nd, 2010 Comments off

Hollywood travel agencies realize that the best place was not always the place filled with lights, bustling with recreation or the place of personalities that we all know today. As a result of its powerful branding, it is easy to forget the past, what Hollywood has been and just how it came up to be the destination of glamour, glitz and fame as we know it. Hollywood travel agencies are constantly hectic but chances are it is because of people wishing to see celebrities and have photos of popular Hollywood landmarks on their own. Although this is true, it is also intriguing to find out the rich history of the place and also appreciate how history unraveled.

Hollywood was once occupied with the Spaniards and by 1870, an agricultural local community prospered in the area. In 1886, a certain H.H. Wilcox acquired a piece of property and called it “Hollywood”. Eventually, he created a grid plan for it and paved Prospect Avenue that will eventually be known as Hollywood Boulevard. Prospect Avenue flourished and grew to become a famous residential street. In 1911, the first movie studio was relocated from chilly Chicago to a old tavern in Los Angeles. It boomed because of the available place and also the moderate climate in California. To this very day, Hollywood is the seat of the movie industry where films are made and where top celebrities roam. Thus, Hollywood travel agencies are invariably hectic with the many tourists who want to stop by.

The start of the movie industry created a very good difference and soon after, high-rise commercial buildings, banks, dining places, clubs and theaters started sprouting. The Spanish impact continued and has been shown in Hollywood’s extravagance and was fused with Art Deco and Modern styles. This can be seen in Hollywood’s sophisticated style and sophistication. Hollywood travel agencies offer tours that reveal the architecture and lifestyle of the area. Ever since then, Hollywood has become consistently reforming and bustling with life. These days, it’s a diverse and productive society that’s striving to keep the beauty of its past.

In 1985, the Hollywood Boulevard commercial and entertainment area has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This would protect the prominent structures and institutions from Hollywood’s good old days to be certain that it will be a part of its future and the colorful past. Hollywood is not only related to celebrities and movies. Its Hollywood travel agencies now provide historic trips to describe the very humble origins of the place. A vacationer or simply a citizen can’t fully understand and delight in the place without an understanding tells of how people struggled to make the place the movie capital that it’s as we know it.

As much as Hollywood is renowned for movies, film reels and famous stars, it’s fascinating to experience how it came into existence like that. It provides visitors a much better perception of the place and lets them appreciate it much more. Hollywood travel agencies provide history tours that are commonly ignored because seeing the most common spots take consideration. It is advisable to book at least one history tour upon coming to the place so checkout Hollywood travel agencies online and book a history tour now.

It’s no big surprise that a travel agency LA metropolitan area offers tours to the numerous interesting attractions this city is offering. Take advantage of Hollywood travel agencies tour package offers if you would like to find out more about the historic background of Hollywood.

Vikings’ Peterson Should Play Despite Minor Back Pain

October 9th, 2010 Comments off

Brett Favre may get all of the headlines for the Minnesota Vikings, but NFL insiders are well aware that running back Adrian Peterson is the key to the teams offensive success. Peterson’s threat alone is enough to open up options for the passing game. He’s definitely more than a decoy, however–after winning the NFL rushing title last year hes already off to a great start with 272 yards and four touchdowns in only two games.

There’s been a good deal of concern this week in the Twin Cities media about Peterson’s health. Specifically, there are questions about the severity of a back injury suffered last weekend. Peterson has been limited in his practice activities all week as a precaution, though both he and QB Favre as listed as probable on the NFLs official injury report. Peterson’s back is the reason for his inclusion, while Favre is dealing with a minor finger sprain.

Peterson minimized the significance of his injury in comments to reporters:

“God willing, I will be out there playing. Not a big deal at all.”

He turned into a standup comic when asked for details on the injury. Asked when the injury occurred, Peterson quipped:

“It happened, like, a week back. But that’s all behind me now.”

Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell didnt sound too concerned, but he wasnt cracking jokes either:

“I’m comfortable with where he’s at. I know he’s been working hard to rehab. … Right now, I think he’s going to be OK, but we have to continue to go throughout the week with that.”

Peterson ran for 92 yards and a touchdown against the Detroit Lions last weekend. His presence alone makes things much easier for the Vikings passing attack”opposing teams often put 8 or 9 men along the line of scrimmage to try and stop him, giving QB Brett Favre a great opportunity to get the ball downfield to his receivers in single coverage. Without him in the lineup, defenses have an easier time rushing Favre and covering receivers downfield.

The Vikings host a team known for their own potent running game this weekend, as the San Francisco 49ers come to town. The Vikings are a 6 point home favorite with the total set at 39. The line for the first half is Vikings -3, with a total of 20. Theyll remain at home the following week as the Green Bay Packers pay a visit for a game on Monday Night Football. A road game will follow, as the Vikings will head to St. Louis to face the lowly Rams on October 11th.

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and respected authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.