Sports History Of Arlington Texas

By Josh Barnes

Arlington Texas is one of the largest cities in America. It has plenty of attractions for everyone, from Dallas Cowboys to Texas Rangers MLB team. Arlington is the home of the Texas Rangers baseball team, and is the home of the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys' new stadium will host Super Bowl XLV in 2011.

Local sports

As in the rest of Texas, Friday night high school football is a widespread obsession with fans of all ages. Arlington High School owns the city's only state football championship, having won it in'51 under head coach Mayfield Workman. Lamar High School nearly pulled off the same feat in'90, but had to settle for a state runner-up title.

In recent years, Bowie High School, Martin High School and Mansfield Summit High School (a Mansfield ISD school located within Arlington) have enjoyed some success. The University of Texas at Arlington used to field a football team, but the program was canceled in'85 due to funding issues and waning attendance. The football vacancy at the campus stadium, Maverick Stadium, was quickly filled by Arlington High and subsequently Bowie High School. Cravens Field, on the campus of Lamar, and Wilemon Field, on the campus of Sam Houston, are home to the other four teams in the city. Both have enjoyed a history of close and dramatic games.

Did you know that Arlington is the home of several notable athletes.'98 American League Rookie of the Year Ben Grieve graduated from Martin High School in'94. Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells grew up in Arlington and attended Bowie High School, Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence attended Arlington High School and played collegiate baseball at UTA, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher John Lackey also played for UTA. Lamar High School alumnus Jeremy Wariner won two gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the 2005 world championship in the 400 meters in Rome. UTA also produced Doug Russell, who won two gold medals in swimming at the Mexico City Olympics in'68 and for whom a park on campus is named.

Champion bodybuilder (Mr. Olympia'98-2005) and former Arlington police officer, Ronnie Coleman resides in Arlington. Houston Comets Guard Erin Grant grew up in Arlington and attended Mansfield high school where she became the first high school basketball player to win four state championships. She currently holds the Big 12 assist record. Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Mark Clayton graduated from Sam Houston High School in 2000 and was part of the University of Oklahoma's 2001 national championship team. Jared Connaughton, sprinter for the 2008 Canada Olympic team, was a sprinter for the UT Arlington team. - 31493

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Sports Betting Champ - Football Betting Predictions

By Jimmy Salvato

Football is the name of several similar team sports, all of which involve kicking a ball with the foot in an attempt to score a goal. The Football Betting Predictions is a very good way in which people can establish a very reliable and predictable method of betting that will help them win their bets. Basically, they work using an advanced form of algorithm which integrates hundreds of statistics coming from the players and the teams involved. Algorithms are used several times to make sure that the results are accurate. By looking at the past games, the direction of the current game can be predicted.

Football betting predictions have given millions of people the chance to earn money through the beloved sport of football. However, bear in mind that, as the name implies, these are only predictions. Although they make use of the most advanced and reliable tools of mathematics and probability, it is still wise to ensure that you know what to do and what you are getting into before you start betting.

Before you place your wager, you have to study each player and make sure that you know the strengths and weaknesses of each team. There are people, called handicappers, who are very much well-versed in the game and they can give you a heads up on what could happen or get a glimpse of what bigger possibilities are in a particular game.

It would also pay a lot to read on the subject. You simply need to learn all about the rules of the game, the team, and the players involved. Remember that having a wealth of information at your fingertips is a big advantage on your part.

The football betting predictions have been the source for betting tips and guides. But of course, aside from having the knowledge to back you up, having a stroke of luck also won?t hurt. - 31493

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Can Hasselbeck Stay Healthy For the Seattle Seahawks?

By Hank Mondale

The Seattle Seahawks seem to be poised for a bounce back year, following a disappointing 2008 campaign that saw the team finish with a losing record. They've made some changes; most importantly their new head coach Jim Mora.

The 09's season started off well with a win against the St. Louis Rams - who are in the process of rebuilding their team. The Seattle Seahawks finished third in the NFC West last season with a 4-12 record, Seahawks can not go through another season like that.

Flashes of that returned last week, when Hasselbeck was forced out of the Seahawks' game against the San Francisco 49ers during week 2 of the 2009 NFL season.

The NFC West isn't the strongest division the NFL has ever seen. The Arizona Cardinals haven't yet found themselves yet, the St. Louis Rams are one of the bottom feeders in the league, the San Francisco 49ers are a young team on the rise though.

In 08', Hasselback only started 7 games for the Seahawks -- when he did play he only completed 52% of his pass attempts with 5 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Hasselback is in his mid 30s -- there are not many good years left for him one would assume if he can't stay on the field.

The Seahawks looked great in an easy week 1 victory against the visiting St. Louis Rams, blanking them by a score of 28-0. Let's keep in mind that the Rams were one of the worst teams in the league last season, so this doesn't prove much.

Week 2 wasn't as kind to them, as the team lost in San Francisco to the 49ers, a fellow NFC West team. Not only did they lose the game, but Hasselbeck took a serious shot.

With a 1-1 record, the Seahawks' next few games will largely determine the course of their season. The race is wide open in the NFC West, and a healthy Hasselbeck is critical to giving the team what it needs. - 31493

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Let The Florida Gators Rule Your Bank Checks

By Alan Plastin

If you're a fan of the Florida Gators, there are a variety of ways that you can show support for your favorite school and athletic team. However, one of the best and most cost effective ways is to use your bank checks as a means of showing your team spirit. If you are a supporter of the University of Florida and you want a way to liven up your checks, then there's no better time to trade your boring bank checks for new University of Florida checks.

Located in Gainesville, Florida, the University of Florida has been around in its present day location since'06. In 2010 it is ranked as the 47th top school according to the U.S. News & World Report and it's also considered a "Public Ivy" school.

Although it has great academic programs, its athletic teams get the most attention. The Florida Gators compete in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference and in its 103 year history of intercollegiate sports competition has won 25 national championships. Seventeen of those championships are NCAA titles, in addition to their 219 national championships.

The Florida Gators have won' of the last 23 SEC All-Sports Trophies since'86. This makes them have the best overall athletics program in the Southeastern Conference. Their main rivals are the University of Tennessee and the University of Georgia.

When the University of Florida beat Ohio State University in the 2006 BCS National Championship Game, Florida became the only Division I school to hold the football and basketball titles during the same year in NCAA history. In the 2008 season, the football team also went 12-1 and won its 8th SEC Championship.

Since Florida fielded its first varsity football team in'06, the football team has played in 36 bowl games, won 3 national championships and 8 Southeastern Conference championships, given the country 35 NFL first round draft choices and-5 All-Americans, and even managed to produce3 Heisman Trophy winners in the process.

The men's basketball team went to the Final Four and won their first Southeastern Conference Tournament title in 2005, beating the University of Kentucky, their most important rival. They repeated their win in 2006 and then won the first basketball National Championship in the history of the state of Florida on April 3, 2006 in Indianapolis. In 2007, the Gators won against the Arkansas Razorbacks to win the SEC tournament title for the third successive year. They are one of the only schools that have ever won 3 successive SEC Tournaments next to Kentucky and Alabama.

You basically have two great check series to pick from. The first one is for the true crazy friends, the ones that yell at the coaches and get into arguments with the opposing side. These checks are the University of Florida #1 Fan check series. You can also buy coordinating accessories with these checks, too. The other series is the University of Florida checks that showcase the school's emblem and colors.

Keep in mind that you can save as much as 50% when you order online from a trustworthy website. They will get to you in a couple of days and you'll have a wide selection of checks to pick from. - 31493

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Chiefs Beat Struggling Redskins

By Ross Everett

The offensively struggling Kansas City Chiefs have finally found a way to win-play a team with a more stagnant offense than their own. The Chiefs gave Todd Haley his first win as a NFL head coach on Sunday with a---6 win over the Washington Redskins. Kansas City is now 1-5 on the NFL season, while the Redskins slumped to 2-4.

To successfully bet on NFL football you occasionally have to put aside W/L records and look at the underlying statistics. Those who did that found reason to take Kansas City as +6' road underdogs and were rewarded with the outright victory. Kansas City is now 2-4 against the NFL pointspread and has covered two straight while Washington is a dismal 1-5 versus the money.

After the contest, Haley sounded more relieved than excited about finally putting a "W" on the board:

"We made it pretty difficult, right down to the end. We've pushed through a very difficult period. We needed to get some positive reinforcement with a win."

Kansas City QB Matt Cassel also won for the first time since coming over from New England in the off season. His postgame comments were more upbeat:

"There's been a lot of change, but this has definitely been special. We rose to the occasion. We made some big plays. We put ourselves in a position to score points."

Embattled Redskins' coach Jim Zorn was stripped of his offensive play calling duties by team management after the contest. In one of his last decisions in that role, he pulled starter Jason Campbell at halftime and went with Todd Collins. He explained his move as follows:

"I felt the need to create a spark on our football team offensively and went with Todd. I think the guys responded well. We kept our spark, at times, and then we refizzled."

The Redskins have managed to win only two of their first six games despite being the only team in NFL history to play their first six games of the season against winless opponents. They'll get another chance to silence their doubters next Monday night as they host the Philadelphia Eagles. The Skins are +6' home underdogs with the total set at 38'. They'll have a bye the next week and return to action on November 8th against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Kansas City will try to string together back to back wins as they host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. - 31493

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Denver Moves To 6-0 With Win Over San Diego

By Ross Everett

The Denver Broncos are for real. The NFL's most surprising undefeated team certainly answered any remaining doubters on Monday Night Football as they used a fourth quarter surge to put away the San Diego Chargers 34-23. Denver upped their record to 6-0 while San Diego dropped to 2-3. Broncos' QB Kyle Orton had another solid, mistake free game as he passed for 229 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Denver's special teams also excelled, with Eddie Royal becoming only the 11th player in NFL history to return a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns in the same game.

NFL football sports betting fans that backed the Broncos as +3 road underdogs were rewarded with the outright victory and Denver continued their season opening undefeated run against the pointspread (now 6-0 ATS). The Chargers, meanwhile, have only covered one of their five games this season. The 57 points scored went OVER the posted total of 44'. San Diego has gone OVER in four of their five games this year while Denver went OVER for the first time this season, leaving their NFL totals record at 1-5 O/U.

Royal was virtually untouched on both of his kick returns, a first quarter 93 yard kickoff return and a second quarter 71 yard punt return. After the game, he gave credit to his blockers:

"Man, it was a great feeling. The guys did a great job of blocking. I've got to give them a lot of credit. They opened up the seams and it was a home run."

Despite the rarity of his feat, he said he wasn't surprised that he turned the trick:

"You've got to believe it can happen before you do it. I've got a lot of faith in the guys in front of me, so I wasn't surprised."

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels also praised Royal's blockers:

"I think our guys did a great job of blocking and giving Eddie a chance to get started."

While losing coach Norv Turner lamented his team's poor kick coverage:

"It doesn't matter who you are playing; you give up two big returns on a punt and a kickoff and it makes it tough"

Chargers' QB Phillip Rivers talked about the loss and the team's slow start to the 2009 NFL season:

"It's going to be tough. We have to get over this one quick or we'll find ourselves in trouble in Kansas City because it's a short week."

Denver will get a week off to enjoy their 6-0 start before returning to action on November 1 at Baltimore. The following week they'll host the defending Superbowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football before traveling to Washington, DC to face the Redskins. San Diego will play at Kansas City this weekend with the Chargers a -5 road favorite and the total set at 44. They'll return home to face their hated rivals, the Oakland Raiders, on November 1 before a road game against the New York Giants the following Sunday. - 31493

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Looking Sad

By Dustin Green

The Tampa Buccaneers are one of the many teams in the NFL trying to start from the ground up and rebuild their franchise. After the Super Bowl win in 02' the Buccaneers haven't had much success.

The Bucs best season since winning the Super Bowl came in 05' when they finished 11-5 but lost to the Washington Redskins in the first round. Tampa Bays offense in 09' is abysmal scoring barely- points per game.

The old saying is that if you have two quarterbacks you have no quarterbacks - that is the case with the Bucs. Byron Leftwich and Josh Johnson are average QB's at best, no much more.

Not scoring any points in an NFL game just shows you how offensively challenged the Bucs are - that is what happened to the Bucs in week 3 against the New York Giants. The Giants did what they wanted and the Bucs had no answers the entire game. The defense is just as bad as the offense giving up more then 30 points a game.

The Bucs opened up its 2009 campaign with a game against the Dallas Cowboys. No one really knew what to expect of this game. The Cowboys were without Terrell Owens, and the game was being played in Tampa Bay, so some went so far as to predict that Tampa Bay would come away with a win.

The Bucs need to find a capable quarterback and build their defense up once again if they ever expect to be a force in the NFC South again like they once were.

QB Josh Johnson has been named the started of the Bucs - while it's too early to say what he is made of - if the Bucs were confident in his abilities he would have been named the starter over Leftwich to begin with.

An 0-3 start would be far from ideal for Tampa Bay, but with a game against the Giants, it may be in the cards. - 31493

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Liven Up Your Checks with the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide

By Alan Plastin

Roll tide, roll! If you are a fan of the University of Alabama and you want to make your personal checks more interesting then there is no better way than to feature your favorite school and team on your personal checks.

Founded in'31, the University of Alabama is a public university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Sometimes called "the Capstone" within the state, even though it is a large and valued university, the bulk of the attention is given to its athletic programs.

The University of Alabama's athletic teams are called the Crimson Tide. The school participates in the Southeastern Conference in the Western Division of the NCAA's Division I. Its two main facilities on campus are the--,600 seat Coleman Coliseum and its 92,000 seat Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Alabama's main rivals are the University of Tennessee and Auburn University. The annual Alabama-Auburn game is even referred to as the "Iron Bowl." The nickname "Crimson Tide" actually started during the Iron Bowl in'07. Auburn was forced to accept a tie with Alabama after a well fought game on both teams' parts. A sportswriter referenced the team's crimson jerseys and stated that it looked like a "Crimson Tide" afterwards.

The most popular athletics program of all is the football program. It started its run in'92 and is one of the country's deep-rooted and respected football programs. The University of Alabama has garnered 21 SEC titles and 12 national championships. In addition to this, they have had 55 bowl appearances, winning 32 of them. They have also given the country' hall-of-famers and 96 All-Americans.

Despite the fact that the men's basketball program is often overlooked in regards to the football program, only Kentucky has had more SEC tournament titles, SEC basketball wins, and regular season titles. The University of Alabama has also had 7 NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances and has had the second most NCAA tournament successes without attaining the Final Four.

There are many traditions at the University of Alabama. After a campus-wide contest, the University of Alabama's mascot was chosen as an elephant that was to be called "Big Al." A pep rally is held on campus where a bonfire is ignited on the evening before the homecoming game and the next day a parade is held to celebrate. And after big victories, the fans themselves like to yell the "Rammer Jammer" cheer.

If your dedication to the Crimson Tide is irrefutable then you need the Alabama Number One Fan series. These are for the fans that are never afraid to talk to a television camera and don't mind ranting and raving at the coach. You can also buy the University of Alabama checks that have the official logo and school colors. Coordinating address labels, stickers, and matching checkbook covers are available for extra along with both of these check series.

By ordering your checks from a safe website you can save as much as 50% off of what your bank might have charged you. They might even get to you quicker, too. - 31493

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Redskins Offense In Disarray As Lewis Takes The Reins

By Ross Everett

The Washington Redskins are a mess right now. Head coach Jim Zorn has a tenuous hold on his job at best and after Sunday's---6 loss to Kansas City was stripped of his offensive play calling duties. Management installed newly hired 'offensive consultant' Sherman Lewis as the new offensive play caller and the team has set up an awkward arrangement for him to get the plays to the quarterbacks. For that reason, starting QB Jason Campbell has some serious misgivings about the efficacy of the setup.

Lewis has only been out of retirement and with the team for two weeks, and has spent this week trying to ingest a crash course on the Redskins' offensive schemes. While he was learning on the job, head coach Zorn was trying to put the best spin possible on what can only be seen as a de facto demotion and vote of 'no confidence':

"I need to have composure. I need to understand what the reality of the situation is, and I think our players expect me to rise up. We expect them to play under adverse conditions. We expect them to risk it all. ... I'm conscious of what's going on. I'm not naive about what's going on, and yet I have to just hold back on any feelings and make the decisions."

Quarterback Campbell is more concerned about the convoluted system of getting plays from Lewis to him:

"There'll probably be a couple of plays I have in my head just in case if some reason it doesn't get in on time."

Here's how things are supposed to work-Lewis will sit in the coaches' box above the field and read the plays off a sheet. While Lewis has years of experience working in the so called 'West Coast Offense', Zorn left doubt that he really knows what he's doing at this point stressing that Lewis "doesn't know the protections" and "doesn't know the blitz schemes." Nevertheless, he'll be running the offense when the Redskins take on Philadelphia this Monday night.

Once Lewis figures out what to call, that's when it really gets tricky. He'll relay the plays via headset not to Zorn but to offensive coordinator Sherman Smith. Smith will then inform the quarterback what to run. Zorn is left in the role of a passive bystander on offense, though he will listen in to the playcalling on his headset.

Backup quarterback Todd Collins also shared his concern with the new arrangement:

"It is unsettling. I've never gone through this before. I've never had a play caller get changed in the middle of the season."

Lewis didn't exactly evoke a lot of confidence upon his hiring, where he revealed that he'd been calling bingo games at a seniors' center to kill time since his retirement in 2004. Still, Collins gave him a guarded vote of confidence;

"I know he's been studying last year's game against the Eagles and seems to have a pretty good idea how he wants to call the game this week. It's the same plays. He might coach them a little differently or highlight some different areas, but the offense hasn't gone under an overhaul or anything like that."

The Redskins haven't scored more than 17 points in a game this season, so maybe the thinking is that things can't get any worse. - 31493

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San Francisco 49ers Hot Start

By Dan Saganik

With the hiring of head coach Mike Singletary a new attitude has come to the San Francisco 49ers. He's the type of coach that's going to make things happen.

The 49ers gave the Minnesota Vikings all they could take - it took a Favre miracle pass for the Vikings to win. RB Frank Gore has the potential for another 1,600 yard season and QB Shaun Hill is getting better by the game.

The 49ers are in the same division as the Arizona Cardinals - the reigning NFC West champs. The Cardinals haven't played like Super Bowl NFC representatives as of yet.

The 49ers have a good chance to win the NFC West because they are so well coached and overall - the NFC West is rather weak. Whether it's a weak division or not, the 49ers should compete for the division crown which will get them in the playoffs.

The glory days of the 49ers might be gone but they are in the process of rebuilding another Super Bowl type team. This year might not be their Super Bowl season, in a couple years the 49ers could raise the Vince Lombardi trophy for their 6th time and the teams first since'95.

Coach Singletary is the perfect man for the job to make this happen, the 49ers are a young team and need a "general" like coach to keep them on the straight and narrow.

Coach Singletary was a great defensive player in his day for the Chicago Bears or "Monsters of the Midway". If he can instill the knowledge to his defense and create and terrifying defense that resembles the great Chicago Bears defenses of the'80s - the 49ers will be a contender for years.

For this to happen, additional playmakers on the offense might be needed, but what team in the NFL can't use more offensive weapons? At least they have Crabtree in the works. He can be the big time player they need out wide. - 31493

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Football Gifts For The Football Fan

By Harris Roberts

It wouldn't be far fetched to say that one in two American males is into the sport of 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. It is such a manly type of sport where getting hurt (in rare cases, paralysis and even death had resulted) is as common as breathing even with all those helmets and paddings that the athletes wear for protection.

I you have someone in mind who you want to give a present for his birthday or wedding, football gifts must be among your first choices. The gift could come in many forms and sizes, colors and shapes. You could give your friend a mug with the logo printed on it of your friend's favored National Football League team or a print of a locker-room scene.

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.

Imagine your male friend opening the box containing these gift items. 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 sees them, gifts with the logo of his favorite football teams tattooed on.

The female persuasion might also be appreciative of your football gifts that are if your female friends enjoy this specific 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. A one-stop shop that sells these gift items is all you need to buy gifts of joy for your friends. - 31493

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The San Francisco 49ers Improving

By Dan Saganik

The San Francisco 49ers are a young team with lots of upside. Head coach Mike Singletary and his "I want winners" mentality seems to be working.

Coach Mike Singletary seems to have masterminded what is quickly becoming one of the better defensive units in pro football today. They have a lot of potential with some big player makers on both sides of the ball.

The NFC West is one of the worst divisions in football - well not the most competitive. It seems to be up for grabs this year.

The Seattle Seahawks aren't what the use to be, the St. Louis Rams could possibly be the worst team in the NFL and the Arizona Cardinals haven't been on the same page all season long. The 49ers might not be the front-runners in the NFC, but if they keep moving in the direction Coach Singletary is taking them they will be the favorites one day.

QB Shaun Hill won't dazzle you with eye popping statistics but he won't make many mistakes either. Hill is completing over 60% of his throws and has a good QB rating.

Coach Singletary is the perfect man for the job to make this happen, the 49ers are a young team and need a "general" like coach to keep them on the straight and narrow.

Coach Singletary was a great defensive player in his day for the Chicago Bears or "Monsters of the Midway". If he can instill the knowledge to his defense and create and terrifying defense that resembles the great Chicago Bears defenses of the'80s - the 49ers will be a contender for years.

Is this just one of those fluke starts that we see a few teams pull off each year, or are the San Francisco 49ers the real deal in 2009? - 31493

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St. Louis Rams Continue To Suffer

By Edward Perera

The "greatest show on turf" of the St. Louis Rams achieved earlier in the decade has long been gone as of 2009. The Rams franchise has fallen off the map badly since the glory days of Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk.

An entire overhaul of the team will need to take place - besides running back Stephen Jackson - if the Rams ever expect to be playoff contenders again. This is a big process and will take time.

The 09' season for the Rams won't be much better, if they get 4 wins that would be considered a successful season.

QB Marc Bulger and Kyle Boller are nearly identical when it comes to their stats -- which means it doesn't really matter which is in the game because the chance of the Rams winning doesn't improve.

Their defense isn't much better, the Rams rank as one of the worst defense teams in the league and opponents on offense can do whatever they please.

The only player the Rams have worth the price of a ticket is RB Steven Jackson. Jackson is averaging nearly 5 yards per rushing attempt in 09'. Jackson's best season up to this date was in 06' when he rushed for over 1,500 yards and- touchdowns.

The NFL has had fast turn arounds before - many feel this isn't possible with the Rams. The Dolphins in 07' went 1-15, 08' the Dolphins went 11-5. Whether that was a fluke or not the turn around was accomplished.

With nothing to lose, the Rams should draft a top quarterback in 2010, as their future may hinge on this position. - 31493

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Free Agent Quarterback Garcia Takes Oakland Raiders To Task

By Ross Everett

Veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia was released earlier this week by the Philadelphia Eagles, a victim of too many quarterbacks on the roster. Now that hes no longer under contract to a NFL team, hes letting his feelings be known about another one of his recent employers--the Oakland Raiders. There may be no team in the NFL more desperate for a quarterback than the Raiders, but Garcia quickly let it be known that he has no interest in returning to Oakland in an interview in which he slammed the teams management and suggested that current quarterback Jamarcus Russell was in over his head.

Garcia started his comments with an observation that the team is putting too much pressure on their young quarterback. He suggested that the team is putting their hopes on Russells shoulders, and that hes simply not ready for that pressure mentally or emotionally:

"I have no problem going into a situation and helping a young guy out and really trying to help the team out overall more so than anything. I just feel like it's an unfortunate situation when the entire work ethic and the entire goal of the team is really put upon one guy's shoulder."

Garcia continued to stress that Russells skill level wasnt the issue:

"When you put him on the field in a one-on-one workout session he'll make every throw for you. But when it comes down to making things happen in the heat of the battle and rallying the troops around you and making a case for the team, that's where maybe things aren't where they need to be."

Russell is currently suffering with a 39.8 pass rating"the worst in the NFL"and hasnt shown much progress from game to game. Garcia went on to assert that the Raiders problems go much deeper than the inexperience of their quarterback:

"It was to a point where I felt like guys who walked through those doors that just were there to collect a check and not really interested in putting everything that they had within themselves on to the football field. And that was the frustrating thing for me to see.

"There were a lot of good young guys in that locker room who really want to do whatever it takes to win, but unfortunately it's not everybody. In order to compete at this level in this game, everybody needs to be on board."

"Maybe it's because how things have been for a number of years now out there and they just don't see the hope"

After Garcias release from the Raiders, coach Tom Cable insinuated that he had an issue with playing backup to Russell:

"There was some talk about how he would fit but the best way for me to approach it is the other two played so well and we are committed to JaMarcus as our starter. Whether or not Garcia was comfortable in a role as a backup, it is what it is."

Ultimately, Garcia suggested that despite his best effort to change the culture of the Raiders it got to the point where he simply wanted out:

"To see the reality of the situation and realize what I may be up against staying here for the entire year, it hurt me, it broke my heart to do that to step up. But I just felt like it was something I really didn't want to put myself through anymore."

The 39 year old Garcia has started 110 games in the NFL in ten seasons after a standout career in the Canadian Football League. Theres a good chance youll see him back in action before the end of the year"though the Raiders are clearly not a team that he'd be interested in. - 31493

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Increasing Football Swiftness And Nimbleness

By Rex Owens

How can a football player step-up their speed and agility? It demands conditioning. Thither are a many of power football gear items and conditioning books, video recordings, or dvds that anyone can get to execute fundamental agility football.

By maximizing the player's speed agility, it will allow them to get better at their position. Getting better at the position, and will make the football team better as a whole. I will discuss some of the football equipment that is necessary, also, several recommendations of preparation books, video recordings, or dvds that can be obtained online.

Players, regardless of the position, must be able-bodied to modify direction with swiftness and be quick enough to stay on their feet. There are a few pieces of football gear that can be purchased that will help gain speed and agility.

Plyometrics:This coaching exercise is designed to develop quick, strong movements, with improvements of the nervous system. It can be beneficial in all sports in general. Muscles are loaded and contracted in a quick succession with strength and elasticity. This lets the muscles to be able to react speedily thus making the football player the ability to move swifter or jump more higher.

Swiftness Ladder:A vital piece of football equipment, it increases speed and agility. By altering the position of the ladder, the player can make linear and distal movements with variety of direction skills.

Power Sled-Used primarily for enhanced fastness and strength, this piece of equipment builds up great strength and explosiveness.

Step Hurdles:These tools aid the player utilize knee elevations to force using their feet in a quick way. On That Point are several elevations and spaces that can be used to step-up a players speed, nimbleness, and intensity. By driving the player to run, step, and jump over the hurdles in will increment not only their fastness and nimbleness, but also step-up their cardiovascular endurance.

Shadow Belt:This device, used by two players, involves the use of the players distal movements, coordination, and foot swiftness. It increases quickness and first step explosiveness. The 2 participants wear this flexible type device about their waists and one player tries to mimic or mirror the other player.

Owning these fundamental pieces of football gear is fundamental in building intensity and nimbleness. By use of Plyometrics, the step ladder, the power sled, the step hurdle, and the shadow belt tools, football players can step-up their coordination, explosiveness, foot swiftness, lateral movements, and jumping ability! - 31493

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Looking Back at the Decade's Top QBs

By Ben Gerard

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.

These rankings will have more to do with the decade on a whole than they will with who's the best at the moment. Based on that, there's ample opportunity for the ordering of this list to change once each career is done.

Everything is up for debate, which is exactly what makes the world of sports so great. If you have a differing opinion, feel free to chime in.

Coming in at number five on my list is Kurt Warner, the veteran quarterback who is still going strong to this day. As the current leader of the Arizona Cardinals, he added a second Super Bowl appearance to his resume last season. Warner shows no signs of slowing down at this point.

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.

With 5 conference championship appearances on his resume, Donovan McNabb has done his share to earn a spot on this list. The Eagles have been perennially strong during this decade, thanks to a great defense and a top notch quarterback.

Next up is Tom Brady, who easily could have captured the number one spot on this list if not for his season ending injury and Peyton Manning's recent dominance. Still, many might argue for at number one but I believe that Manning's simply been a bit better.

Lastly, Peyton Manning is already being spoken of as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game of football, and some are beginning to believe that he may in fact be the best. He led the Colts to a Super Bowl, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him win another one. - 31493

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Pittsburgh Steelers Suffer Huge Loss in Polamalu

By Eddie McDonnell

The Pittsbugh Steelers were on top of the world after a big, last minute Super Bowl win earlier this year. As a favorite to emerge out of the AFC once again (despite the resurgence of the Patriots), the Steelers were sitting in a good position before the start of the season.

With Ben Roethlisberger back for another year, a strong group of wide receivers, and a running back trio that was continuing to develop (especially in the cases of Mewelde Moore and Rashard Mendenhall), things looked great for the Steelers.

While the Steelers are basically the same team from a year ago, things haven't clicked just yet. It's still early and things can easily change, but they don't look like a championship team yet.

With a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals - a team the Steelers dominate - people are now questioning the Steelers and how far they can go in 09'. Are the Bengals really this good? Regardless, the Steelers can't afford to drop one against them.

During this game, veteran and Pro Bowl defender Troy Polamalu went down with an injury that will leave him sidelined for an estimated 3-6 weeks. This is a blow to the Steelers, and perhaps more of a blow than anyone was anticipating.

Unfortunately, the Steelers were dealt some adversity during this game. Troy Polamalu, one of the team's strongest defenders (and one of the league's best defenders) was injured during the game and is expected to miss several weeks (as many as six) with this injury. The Steelers will definitely feel his loss, and have already felt it.

Steelers are a very professional organization and it could be only a matter of time until they regain the spark they had in 08'. Big Ben Roethlisberger has been in the league several years now, head coach Mike Tomlin is a young intelligent coach and WR Hines Ward is a leader.

Can the Steelers bounce back from this loss? Week 3 awaits. - 31493

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Is This the Year for the Houston Texans?

By Stuart Ungar

The Houston Texans have come into the season with higher expectations than ever before. After closing out the 2008 season with an 8-8 record, they should have high expectations. It was a young team and should only improve.

With one of the game's best wide receivers, a very strong running back in Steve Slaton, a capable QB in Matt Schaub, and a solid defense, things look promising this year for the Texans from a talent point of view.

The Texans do have one of the best WR in the league, Andre Johnson. Any time you have a talented WR that essentially can do anything and change the game with one play, you have a good chance to win.

Whatever the case may be, the Texans looked revitalized during their week two game against the Titans in Tennessee. Matt Schaub looked as good as he's ever looked, with over 350 passing yards and a total of 4 TD passes.

Texans defense must not give up over 200 yards rushing every game and hold opponents scoring under 20 points per game. They're a young unit as well with Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, Dunta Robinson and Amobi Okoye.

Looking at the week 2 result for the Houston Texans shows that the team was able to rebound from a tough game, playing very efficient football in Tennessee against the Titans. Everything clicked offensively for the Titans during their week 2 game. Matt Schaub had over 350 yards in the air at quarterback and reached the end zone four times. Andre Johnson was phenomenal at wide receiver, and backup WR Jacoby Jones did a nice job filling in for Kevin Walter.

The defense could have done better without a doubt, the team came away with a very difficult win against the Titans in Nashville. The Titans are now 0-2, opening the way for the Texans to attempt to rise to the top of the NFC South.

It's still too early to tell, but I do believe the Texans have a shot to make the playoff appearance all their fans have been hoping for! - 31493

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Tennessee Titans Can't Find a W

By Anthony Penn

What has become of the mighty Tennessee Titans. This is a team that opened up the season undefeated through the first two months of the NFL season in 2008.

The Titans play in the AFC South, the same division as the Indianapolis Colts - this doesn't bode well for the Titans. Once you dig yourself a hole in the NFL in the beginning, you spend the rest of the season trying to climb out of it.

It's not that the Titans are a bad team. In 08' the Titans went--3, winning the AFC South and overthrowing the Colts. This year QB Kerry Collins is completing less then 59% of his pass attempts - granted the Titans have an average receiving core.

The running game of the Titans is more dangerous, as Chris Johnson and LenDale White are a formidable running duo. The Titans' defense has been good at stopping the run but not much else. The Titans are among the worst in the NFL in points per game allowed and passing yards per game allowed.

In week 1, the Titans faced a difficult challenge in visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh. Having to play the defending champions at their own field on opening night is a huge challenge in and of itself, but the Titans handled the challenge well, nearly coming away with a win against the Steelers.

So they were 0-1, but they were expected to lose that game, right? Surely, they'd bounce back to 1-1 after hosting the Texans at home.

I do remember the Texans generally playing competitive football against the Titans. For some reason, it seems like they have their number on offense and end up putting a lot more points on the board than most teams do. They'll still pull out wins though. Not this time.

Since the Titans play in the same division as the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, hopefully they can get some "easy" wins against them and other below average teams to finish the season with a respectable record. This can either be a very long season for the Tennessee Titans - or it can be one where they find out what they are made of bouncing back from a bad start - 31493

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Washington Redskins Take On the Rams

By Cooper Rosen

To beat the Rams at home by a score of 9-7 isn't exactly impressive, but they'll take it however they can get it. At least the defense seemed to be effective. Then again, it all happened against the Rams, a team that struggled to score throughout 2008 and seems to have the same problem in 2009.

They lost to the Detroit Lions in week 3. Either the Detroit Lions were finally do for a win and it just happened to be against the Redskins - or the loss against the Lions showed the lack of focus and determination the Redskins have.

The Cowboys, Giants, and Eagles play competitive football nearly every year, and attempting to win that division is an extremely tall order for a team like Washington. For this reason, every game and every week matters to the fullest.

The Washington Redskins have a very tough schedule when you consider they must play the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles twice a season.

The defensive unit for Washington seemed solid on paper, but hasn't been showing up (I don't count the Rams game). The defenses in New York, Philadelphia, and Dallas are all stronger than that in Washington.

The Redskins have QB Jason Campbell -- who hasn't developed as the franchise QB the Redskins were hoping for, yet. Campbell is already 27 years old and the most touchdown passes he threw for in a season was only- in 08'. Redskins fans hope he is a late bloomer or otherwise the Redskins have no future with his as QB.

Their running game hasn't been looking like it has in the past. Clinton Portis is no doubt one of the best running backs of the decade; he's aging a bit, and seems to have lost a step.

Head Coach Jim Zorn is on the hot seat if he can't create some spark with his offense. The Redskins are a proud franchise with a rich history, if Zorn can't produce for the Redskins fans and ownership by motivating his players he won't last the season. The players must come ready to play and not play the blame game either as well. . - 31493

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Panic for Pittsburgh Steelers Fans

By Malcom Duggan

Things looked great for the Steelers entering the 2009 NFL season. Coming off an amazing Super Bowl victory, the team looked as strong as ever before, having maintained most of the pieces from last year's team.

The offense in Pittsburgh looks as good as it ever has. Backing up Willie Parker are two strong running backs in Mewelde Moore and second year player Rashard Mendenhall. They return a strong group of players out wide as well.

For this reason, many football fans pegged the Pittsburgh Steelers as the team to beat in 2009, making them the odds-on favorites to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

During a nice week 1 victory at home, the Steelers edged by the Tennessee Titans, one of the AFC's best in 2008. This was a defensive game, and in typical Steelers fashion, the team essentially out-defended the Titans, starting off the season on a great note with a 1-0 start.

During this game, veteran and Pro Bowl defender Troy Polamalu went down with an injury that will leave him sidelined for an estimated 3-6 weeks. This is a blow to the Steelers, and perhaps more of a blow than anyone was anticipating.

Unfortunately, the Steelers were dealt some adversity during this game. Troy Polamalu, one of the team's strongest defenders (and one of the league's best defenders) was injured during the game and is expected to miss several weeks (as many as six) with this injury. The Steelers will definitely feel his loss, and have already felt it.

Steelers are a very professional organization and it could be only a matter of time until they regain the spark they had in 08'. Big Ben Roethlisberger has been in the league several years now, head coach Mike Tomlin is a young intelligent coach and WR Hines Ward is a leader.

Can the Steelers bounce back from this loss? Week 3 awaits. - 31493

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Mark Sanchez Carries the NY Jets to a Huge Victory

By Martin Bliss

Wow, what a turnaround it's been in New York! Not only does the team have a new coach, a new rookie QB, some new role players, and more, but the entire team looks completely revitalized in a way like I've never seen it before.

As a fan of the team, I have to say that I'm absolutely thrilled. I think this team finally has potential after many years of hoping.

Entering week 2, the Patriots were a heavy favorite vs. New York and were expected to beat the Jets, as they ordinarily do in New York. Tom Brady had beaten the Bills the week before, and with an effective drive in the final two minutes of the game, brought the Patriots to victory.

The New York Jets were prepared to show New England that a new team was in the building. The defense absolutely shut down the Pats' offense. Tom Brady had his first game without throwing a TD in almost four years, and lost his first game during the regular season since the end of the 2006 season.

The Pats came to New York on Sunday and the Jets looked like an entirely new team. Not only was Brady limited to his first game without a touchdown pass since 2005, but the Patriots lost their first regular season game with Brady as their quarterback since December 11, 2006!

The Jets defense looked as strong as I can ever remember it looking, and new coach Rex Ryan deserves a lot of credit for reshaping a defense that struggled through much of last season.

The Jets have a formidable running attack with Leon Washington and Thomas Jones, and WR Jerricho Cotchery is contributing.

My hat goes off to the Jets for a huge win. This shows, if they can beat Tom Brady and the Patriots, they can defeat any team on any given Sunday. - 31493

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A Must Win Game in Week Two for the Indianapolis Colts

By Patty Myers

The Indianapolis Colts 2009 season started off with a close win against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a remarkable win on Monday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins, with a score of---12.

The Colts travel to Miami to face the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. The Dolphins, winners of the AFC East in 2008, opened up their season on a sour note with a loss in Atlanta to the Falcons and will look to rebound from their week 1 loss.

The Colts are favored to win this game by about 3 points, but odds aside, there are some minor concerns about the state of the Colts team entering this game.

While Peyton Manning looked to show his best stuff and Reggie Wayne received for over 160 yards in game 1, the bigger issue at stake is the absence of Anthony Gonzalez. With Marvin Harrison no longer an option for Peyton, the Colts will hurt out wide with Gonzalez injured on the sideline.

Peyton Manning looked great during the first week of the NFL season, there's no doubt about that. He connected with Reggie Wayne like they did in 2007, and made use of the rest of his receivers too. However, Anthony Gonzalez, the team's number two wide receiver, was forced out of the game with injury and will probably miss the remainder of the year as a result. Since the team no longer has Marvin Harrison, this is ample cause for concern.

The Indianapolis Colts must find a way to deep with the absence of Anthony Gonzalez. Normally a team with plenty of receiving options, this isn't the case this year. Peyton Manning is the type of QB to turn a no-name WR, into a stud.

Keeping NFL teams from scoring, on average, less then 20 points per game gives the Colts the opportunity to win every single game with Manning leading the way.

The Colts are a model of consistency and this 09' season has proven to be no different so far. The loss of Tony Dungy was a cause for a concern somewhat, but as of now it doesn't seem it matters who the head coach is as long as Peyton Manning is taking the snaps under center. - 31493

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Pittsburgh Steelers Suffer Huge Loss in Polamalu

By Malcom Duggan

Things looked great for the Steelers entering the 2009 NFL season. Coming off an amazing Super Bowl victory, the team looked as strong as ever before, having maintained most of the pieces from last year's team.

The offense in Pittsburgh looks as good as it ever has. Backing up Willie Parker are two strong running backs in Mewelde Moore and second year player Rashard Mendenhall. They return a strong group of players out wide as well.

Ben Roethlisberger was coming off of another successful season as the team's quarterback. Then, of course, there was the team's defense. The Steel Curtain, one of the most dangerous and efficient defensive units in the NFL.

With a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals - a team the Steelers dominate - people are now questioning the Steelers and how far they can go in 09'. Are the Bengals really this good? Regardless, the Steelers can't afford to drop one against them.

During this game, veteran and Pro Bowl defender Troy Polamalu went down with an injury that will leave him sidelined for an estimated 3-6 weeks. This is a blow to the Steelers, and perhaps more of a blow than anyone was anticipating.

Unfortunately, the Steelers were dealt some adversity during this game. Troy Polamalu, one of the team's strongest defenders (and one of the league's best defenders) was injured during the game and is expected to miss several weeks (as many as six) with this injury. The Steelers will definitely feel his loss, and have already felt it.

Steelers are a very professional organization and it could be only a matter of time until they regain the spark they had in 08'. Big Ben Roethlisberger has been in the league several years now, head coach Mike Tomlin is a young intelligent coach and WR Hines Ward is a leader.

If the Steelers offense can maintain some consistency - letting the defense make plays and create turnovers, the Steelers will be back in the driver's seat in the AFC North. - 31493

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Seats are Limited At New Stadium

By Neven Middlesby

Dallas Cowboys owners Gene and Jerry Jones, along with their family, today announced the Dallas Cowboys Art Program, an ongoing initiative to commission contemporary artists to create monumental, site-specific installations for the recently completed Cowboys Stadium.

The program launches with-- commissioned artworks, which will be installed in prominent locations throughout the Stadium. Franz Ackermann, Annette Lawrence, and Olafur Eliasson are among those who have created new work for the program.

The retractable-roof stadium has capacity of about 100,000 for football, with 300 luxury suites. The Cowboys play their first game in the new stadium on Aug. 21, facing Tennessee in a pre-season matchup.

A number of the commissions wrap around stadium walls. Others are located in entryways and will be visible to fans seated in the stadium. Artists have already begun working with construction crews to install their works, most of which will be in place for the first regular-season game on September 20, 2009, against the New York Giants.

In addition to being the new home of the Dallas Cowboys, the stadium will host the 2011 Super Bowl, the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, and the 2014 NCAA men's basketball Final Four as well as concerts, special events, and high school and college football games. Jerry Jones may have just topped booking U2 this fall.

An Art Council of noted curators and collectors is serving as an advisory committee to evaluate and recommend artists and their works.

Its members include: Michael Auping, Chief Curator, the Museum of Modern Art, Fort Worth; Charlie Wylie, Lupe Murchison Curator of Contemporary Art, the Dallas Museum of Art; and Texas-based collectors Howard Rachofsky and Gayle Stoffel. Mary Zlot of the art advisory firm Mary Zlot ... Associates is providing counsel on the program.

The Art Program also encompasses acquisitions of work for existing sites by Doug Aitken, Wayne Gonzales, Jacqueline Humphries, and a second work by Eliasson. - 31493

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The Favorites of the AFC East - The New England Patriots

By Peter Johnson

Tom Brady is back in New England, and football fans have generally expected the team to pick up right where it left off before he went down. Unfortunately for Patriots fans, this isn't the case.

On top of that, some veteran acquisitions like Joey Galloway and Fred Taylor, both great players with storied resumes, would bring the team some additional grit, making the Patriots all the more strong in 2009.

The start of the 09' Patriots season hasn't been ideal for them. While Tom Brady is coming off serious knee surgery, he and wide-receivers don't seem to be in sync just yet.

The Patriots won their first game at home against the Bills, and after a shaky start, essentially looked like the team of old. Well, Tom Brady did when he took control in the final two minutes. The rest of the team, not so much!

However, the Jets weren't prepared to accept this fate and made a bold statement against Brady during their week 2 matchup. They essentially made Tom Brady look like a rookie quarterback looking to find his way.

Was this the Jets' doing, or do the New England Patriots have good reason to worry about the health of Tom Brady? While this is unclear at the moment, it looks like it to many as if the Patriots and Tom Brady simply aren't the same team they used to be.

Brady was a comeback king during the team's first matchup against the Bills, working his typical magic at the end of the game to will the team to victory. Week two showed a completely different side of Brady that no one had seen before.

The Patriots defense is good but maybe not as great in seasons past. Brady is one of the best quarterbacks in the leagues history, and the chances are good he and the Patriots will rise to the top of the AFC once again. - 31493

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San Diego Chargers Defensive Struggles

By Samantha Gittens

There's been a lot of hype surrounding the San Diego Chargers entering this new year of football. I've heard about Super Bowls in addition to the fact that they're obvious NFC West favorites. After all, the Chiefs and Raiders have been consistently weak in recent years, not to mention the fact that the Broncos are a shell of what they were last year.

This is a team that has seen multiple playoff berths over the past few years, and a core of players that continues to improve. With the exception of LT, they're a really young team on the rise.

They have everything a team needs to be a contender, QB Philip Rivers is among the best in the league, an explosive running game with Darren Sproles, Michael Bennett, and LaDaninian Tomlinson, wide receivers Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson, and a stellar defense with Shawne Merriman, Quentin Jammer, Antonio Cromarti, and Stephen Cooper.

The Chargers opened up the season with a near loss in Oakland. The team had been heavily favored to win this game against an Oakland team that could barely win a game last year. While the Chargers came away with a 24-20 win, this was done in anything but simple fashion and they nearly blew what should have been an easy game. Chalk it up to an off day.

Come week 2, with a more challenging game against a visiting Ravens team. The fact that the Chargers were at home in front of an extremely passionate fan base gives the team the edge, but they somehow lost this game to Baltimore, despite two great opportunities to score a touchdown late in the 4th quarter, either which would have given the team the win.

During the team's second game, the visiting Ravens were known to be a dangerous team. Always showing great defensive skills, the running game in Baltimore is as good as it was back in the Jamal Lewis days, as Rice, McGahee, and McClain can do damage to just about any team. The Chargers let this game slip away, blowing two chances to score TDs late in the game that would have won them the game.

The AFC is extremely difficult to win this year - Baltimore Ravens have an offense for the first time, the Indianapolis Colts have Peyton Manning and always a threat, the New York Jets are improved with a top-notch defense, the New England Patriots have a healthy Tom Brady again, and the Pittsburgh Steelers should be a contender.

What the San Diego Chargers should be worried about is the state of their defensive unit. Having given up more points than it should in both weeks, this is a primary cause for concern. - 31493

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No Surprise McNabb's Out Hurt for the Philadelphia Eagles

By Ted Rogal

Donovan McNabb is still the franchise player for the Philadelphia Eagles. He has been a member of the Eagles franchise for 10 years now and still the Super Bowl win has eluded him - not all his fault. Many years McNabb would have to create all by himself and throw to average receivers at best.

Vick could be a distraction and not worth the trouble. Until Vick does something on the field he isn't worth talking about. I think he has potential to get back to a stud QB, but it's going to take time and a lot of hard work.

The Eagles will have to worry about staying healthy all season. Donovan McNabb played all 16 games in 08' but has been injury prone the last 5 season or so.

The benching of McNabb was the turning point of the 08' season and gave the Eagles the spark they needed. The eventually lost in the playoffs but the optimism to advance further in the playoffs in 09' is there.

The Eagles have a good running game with Brain Westbrook and LeSean McCoy with average receivers. The Eagles never had a really number one receiver since Terrell Owens, that didn't end well as we all know.

New Orleans won easily by a score of 48-22. The Eagles are now 1-1 in a very competitive division, where every win will matter.

Unfortunately, it seems as if the team must be prepared to play without McNabb in week 3, as it's been stated in early reports that McNabb will not suit up for the team's week 3 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The team should be lucky to have such an opponent in week 3, for a game they couldn't win would present serious challenges down the road. Will we see more of Michael Vick or will they continue with Kolb? I'd imagine Kolb continues as Vick's probably still a bit rusty. - 31493

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Chad Henne Steps Up for the Miami Dolphins

By Jay Kaplow

The Miami Dolphins are coming of one of the greatest one season turn around's in NFL history, 1-15 in 07', 11-5 in 08' with a AFC East Division title. Things seem a bit different so far this year.

Things didn't look too much brighter entering the 2008 season, nor did they look much better for Chad Pennington. Regardless, the Dolphins somehow pulled it together and became the Cinderella football team of 2008.

No one expected much out of Pennington, and neither did the Jets. Somehow, Pennington led the Dolphins to an AFC division championship in 2008, bringing the Dolphins into the playoffs to the surprise of many. This was a perfect way for Chad to rub it in the face of the Jets organization.

The Dolphins rode the wave of enthusiasm into the 2009 season and expected big things out of an improved offense that would look to enjoy another successful football season.

After controlling the ball for 45 minutes against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football, the Dolphins could not secure the win, heartbreaking no doubt. I really thought they would get the W.

Seven points scored in a game against an average Falcons defense raised questions about the Dolphins' offense and their effectiveness. It's going to be a long season if they don't get it right.

The Dolphins won the division in 08', but New England's QB Tom Brady was out the entire year and New York Jets QB Brett Favre was also hurt in the second half of the season - now, the rest of the division has improved. The Dolphins have more questions then answers at this point.

It's a very long football season, and the Dolphins are well within the game. Chad Henne is a skilled quarterback who seems to look better every week. Maybe he'll surprise the NFL world like Pennington did last season. - 31493

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0-2 Start For The Kansas City Chiefs

By Tyler Ditchkin

The Kansas City Chiefs entered the season with new hope, and with good reason. While the team shouldn't reasonably expect to make the playoffs in 2009, an improved set of players offensively and defensively should give the Chiefs a little more to strive for than in recent years.

The team has lost star tight end Tony Gonzalez, but some other additions drown this loss out a bit. It's never easy losing a hall of fame player.

The loss of TE Tony Gonzalez was a definite blow to the team, and you can be sure that Cassel wishes he had a future Hall of Fame target to pass to every Sunday. The Chiefs have their franchise QB in place, and now it's time to fit the rest of the puzzle pieces in.

As the team has struggled to find its way with a steady quarterback over the past few seasons (there's been Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle, neither of whom could get the job done), perhaps this year would offer some more hope. Actually, there were some very impressive moments with Tyler Thigpen last year, but he's not the man for the future.

The Chiefs' defense ranks in the bottom of the league in every major statistical category. When you have QB Philip Rivers, RB Darren Sproles, RB LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Antonio Gates, and WR Vincent Jackson in your own division, it can make for a long season.

Cassel was an efficient quarterback in week 2, but the team was unable to defeat the visiting Oakland Raiders. While the Raiders would normally be considered an easy opponent, the fact that they nearly beat the Chargers at home in week 1 might mean that the Raiders are improved.

An 0-2 start is far from ideal for Kansas City, who must now face very difficult opponents during the next three weeks. Who would want to play the Eagles, Cowboys, and Giants in consecutive weeks after starting 0-2? "Not I" said the rest of the NFL.

If they can find a win over the next three weeks against the Eagles, Cowboys or Giants, it will set a new standard and give some confidence to the Chiefs. I think under Matt Cassel, they'll definitely have a better year than last. - 31493

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High Expectations for the 2009 Chicago Bears

By Judd Molloy

Hopes were very high for the Chicago Bears before the start of the 2009 season. They made a few big changes and pre-season was looking very good.

Jay Cutler is the first pro Bowl quarterback for the Bears in many ages - while the bears base their team on defense and running the ball, that mentality won't get them a Super Bowl ring only.

Now with their franchise QB (hopefully for Bears fans' sake) the Bears can score points on offense and compete in a division that is winnable for them.

For the Bears to win the division they must play their best ever single week.

The Bears opened up the 2009 season with a visit to Green Bay to face the Packers on Sunday Night Football. Expectations for this game were very high, and some even favored the Bears to win. Unfortunately, the team collapsed during this game, much of it stemming from the ineffectiveness of Jay Cutler, who threw a total of four interceptions during this game.

On top of this was the injury of Pro Bowl defender Brian Uhrlacher, injured for the entire 2009 season. This is a crippling blow to the Bears.

Cutler redeemed himself in the team's second game. Facing the defending Super Bowl champions, Cutler and the Bears looked like a different team out there, finding their way to a 17-14 victory over the Steelers, highlighted by a 4th quarter comeback that saw the team score 10 points.

Will the Bears step up their game and have a successful year? Time will tell. - 31493

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The Denver Broncos are Looking Special

By Todd Liu

Few people thought the Denver Broncos would get off to such a fast start, but it happened.

The 2008 season was a disappointment - while the Broncos have started out well, their strength of schedule is one of the most difficult in the league. If the Broncos go 8-8 it will be a miracle. As good as the 09' season started for the Broncos, it can sink just as fast.

The Broncos entered the season with a head coach barely old enough to play the game himself, and somehow they've strung together a nice first two weeks of football.

It's true that the two teams they've played against so far have been pretty weak opponents. The Browns are a cupcake matchup, and the Bengals, even when an away game, would normally be considered a pretty easy opponent too. On the other hand, Cincy just stunned Packers fans with a win at Lambeau in week 2, so maybe the Bengals are better than people thought.

Maybe this team is better than people let on, and maybe the Broncos' win in Cincinnati was more difficult than people believed it to be. The Bengals looked pretty legit to me with Carson Palmer, Ochocinco and Cedric Benson running the offense.

QB Kyle Orton is the prototypical "game manager", while he won't put up the tremendous statistical performances like Drew Brees or Peyton Manning, Orton won't lose many games either.

When the weather in Denver gets colder, the Broncos must run the ball more. It seems every year no matter how the team is doing the Broncos running game is among the best in the league.

Many people thought the Broncos were a 4-12 or 5-11 team at the start of the season. The Broncos have been one of the most surprising teams in the league so far. The Broncos only competition in the AFC West is the San Diego Chargers, understandably. It will be very tough to keep pace with the talented San Diego Chargers over the course of the season. - 31493

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Football Heroes Get Our Hearts

By Carl Keller

Super Bowl Day! The championship of the National Football League! A hundred thousand spectators yelling and cheering in the stadium! The intensity of the competition vibrates over the tv in each home! Enthusiasm resonates everywhere! Nobody remains unchanged by this event!

The thrill all began in the'60s when brave players from Princeton and Rutgers played the first soccer game in New Jersey. The Rutgers' players wore scarlet-coloured scarves wrapped around their head like turbans. This was long before helmets were mandatory and the Princeton players evidently played clean-headed. The competition was fierce. It was extreme.

The rivalry between the schools was played out in 2 vicious games that resulted in football being banned for a time as a result of it interfered with educational studies. This same allegation has plagued college football teams each since.

The memorable heroes of this sport are still talked concerning years once they've passed on. On a dusty dirt field in Ohio in'15 the infamous Jim Thorpe, a running back, played against the most determined defensive end, Knute Rockne. They didn't have a television camera on them, however their names went down in history. Rockne was a Norwegian immigrant who grew up in Chicago and went on to Notre Dame. He became the school's most famous soccer coach. He died in a very plane crash in'31. Jim Thorpe, a twin, was an American Indian of the Sac and Fox Tribe in Oklahoma and was finding out at a federal government vocational college for Indian students. Not simply a football player, he visited the Olympics in Stockholm in'12 and won gold medals in both the pentathlon and the decathlon.

When King Gustaf V of Sweden presented Thorpe with his two gold medals, he said, "You, sir, are the best athlete in the planet!" Bruised members of other football groups taking part in against Thorpe agreed that he was the hypothetical super player in flesh and blood.

The National Football League shaped in'20, and George Halas was one among the twelve founders. In'21 his Decatur, Illinois, team moved to Chicago and was nicknamed the 'Bears.' Halas created his own quick-moving history as the owner, coach and captain of the team he helped make famous.

When introduced to President Calvin Coolidge, together with team member Red Grange, as being with the Chicago Bears, the President replied, "How interesting. I've forever enjoyed animal acts." Football wasn't however the favourite American sport.

Tv both educated and influenced the general public concerning football. Especially with the instant play-back features that modern electronics provides, soccer has captured the hearts of Americans. Now fans can see a distinctive play not only once, however from many angles, again and again again. They will study each move of their heroes. - 31493

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South Florida Stuns #21 West Virginia

By Ross Everett

Redshirt freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels threw for three touchdowns and the South Florida Bulls used a tenacious defensive effort to upset visiting West Virginia 30-19 on Friday night. Daniels threw for 232 yards and rushed for 104, compiling more yardage individually than West Virginia amassed as a team. The Bulls have had the Mountaineers' number in recent years, and this was the third victory in four seasons for the Big East Conference upstarts.

College football betting aficionados who took the Bulls as +3 home underdogs cashed their tickets with the outright victory. Despite their 6-2 record, West Virginia dropped to 2-5 against the spread in their lined games this season while South Florida evened their college football pointspread record at 3-3 in their lined contests. The 49 combined points barely managed to go OVER the posted total of 47'. Both teams have trended toward the OVER this season, with South Florida going OVER in 4 of 6 lined games and West Virginia OVER in 5 of 7.

Daniels had this rebuke for his team's doubters after the victory:

"I guess a lot of people doubted us and thought we were going to go down the same patch we did the last two years. That was a lot of garbage that our team didn't listen to."

The Bulls' defense limited West Virginia running back Noel Devine to just 42 yards-well under his-0 per game average. South Florida coach Jim Leavitt talked about his team's priority of stopping Devine:

"We talked a lot about him. We didn't want to let him get outside -- we wanted to keep him hemmed up inside. ... He's such a great back. If he gets out, he's gone."

West Virginia coach Bill Stewart didn't fault his team's effort in the loss:

"There's some young hurting guys in there, both physically and mentally. And they should be. That was a hard-fought game. I cannot fault our effort."

West Virginia safety Robert Sands suggested that no one that the team had faced this season prepared them for the fast and athletic Daniels:

"We haven't seen a guy like that this year, but at the same time that's no excuse for our defense. We've still got to go out there and make plays. He broke contain too many times, and he burned us."

South Florida will now have a bye week before playing at Rutgers on Thursday, November 12. They'll return home to host Louisville and Miami the following two Saturdays. West Virginia will host Louisville next Saturday before playing at Cincinnati the following Friday. - 31493

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Brett Favre Off to a Hot Start With The Minnesota Vikings

By Benjie Ross

The Minnesota Vikings are one of the favorites in the NFC to represent the conference in the Super Bowl. This is even truer now that Brett Favre is the Vikings quarterback.

The Vikings were a descent team before with quarterbacks Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels, but they are not Brett Favre. Many feel that Brett Favre will put the Vikings over the top with his leadership abilities, play making skills and veteran experience. Favre isn't what he use to be but he is still one of the top QB's in the NFL and can help the Vikings reach the game that has eluded them for many years, the Super Bowl.

Adrian Peterson is the best running back in football; he is explosive and a game breaker without question. The Vikings have an outstanding running game with "All-Day" Adrian Peterson and a very good wide receiving core with Chester Taylor, Percey Harvin, Bernard Berrian, and Sidney Rice.

Favre isn't the only man who needs to play his best for the Vikings to win the Super Bowl, Adrian Peterson will have to have a career year and play like a man possessed. Peterson's role will be important as the season moves into the colder months, granted the Vikings play in a dome but traveling to Green Bay and Chicago in the winter isn't fun.

The Vikings franchise hasn't had this good of a team since the 98' Vikings went 15-1 with WR Randy Moss, QB Randall Cunningham, RB Robert Smith, WR Chris Carter, and DT John Randle. The team was upset in the NFC Championship game to the Atlanta Falcons in overtime. Hopefully, the 09' Vikings can avoid such a fate.

While the rest of the Vikings team is very good, the team will only go as Favre stays healthy. Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels are good quarterbacks, but are they Super Bowl worthy? Many wouldn't think so.

Besides Favre and Adrian Peterson, another notable player is Jared Allen. If you're a QB, you don't want to play against this man!

Easy opponent or not, Vikings fans have to be pleased with the results thus far. He's not throwing as many passes as someone like a Drew Brees, but that's not what this team needs. They just need a steady presence at the QB position, there to come through when the team needs him to. And Favre has been just that so far. - 31493

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Oakland Raiders Improving

By Ted Mathis

What can we say about the Oakland Raiders? After an amazing start to the decade (think back to the dominant days of Gannon, Rice, Brown, Garner, Woodson, and others), the Raiders simply haven't been what they used to be. As a Jets fan myself, I can remember fearing the presence of the almighty Raiders year in and year out. Times have obviously changed.

The Raiders offense is one of the worst in the league and former number 1 pick JaMarcus Russell completion percentage is around 40%. In Russell's defense, the Raiders don't have Larry Fitzgerald or Reggie Wayne either - even so, that doesn't excuse the very low completion percentage.

Their secondary has been one of the top in the game, but that hasn't been enough. With a horrible offense, the secondary won't be able to do it alone.

With some first round draft picks over the past few years, some new hope may be coming to fruition in Oakland. Standout draft picks Darren McFadden and JaMarcus Russell have both shown signs of improvement in the 2009 season, especially in Russell's case.

While Russell hasn't been as good as they'd like him to be, he's undoubtedly better this year than last, and he's making less mistakes than he did in 2008.

RB Darren McFadden really hasn't lived up to expectations so far - his average per carry is a pedestrian 3.6 yards.

It's no secret that the Chiefs aren't seen as one of the better teams in the NFL, but they were still favored to defeat the Raiders in this game. The Raiders, however, played some efficient football (especially defensively against new Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel), and ended up with a 13-10 win.

I don't know the last time the Raiders were 1-1 to start the season, but there have probably been more 0-2 starts than 1-1 starts in recent years. They have to be happy with the outcomes of the first two games. - 31493

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