Good Football Exercises

By Jason Myers

Being a strength and conditioning expert and former aid at the University of Georgia I can say to you that kettle bell strength training is where its at when it comes down to the bottom line. Check out the following 3 kettle bell lifts that should be a must in your strength program!

1. The Kettle bell Swing: This is the base strength endurance lift that is ideal for general conditioning and building tremendous inner strength. This lift is done by you wavering the bell starting between your legs up to chest level. The drawing motion of wavering the iron bell incorporates hundreds of muscles and challenges your cardiovascular system more than anything you have tried with in other type of weightlifting.

You must perform a hip snap motion by flexing and extending at both your hips and knees in a constant and fluent motion so that you can build the required drive to perform this lift. This hip drive is needed for the game of football!

2. The Single Arm Overhead Kettle bell Snatch: This specific lift is gruesome in it's concentration! This is probably at the top of the routines for maximum kettle bell workouts. This lift is executed by properly performing an explosive hip snap motion once again. However, you are only lifting the kettle bell with one arm and letting the bell to vertically fly up in front of your body by pulling your elbow upward and lateral to your head. The moment it arrives at this high point laterally to your head then you finish the snatch by hitting your palm to the heaven locking out both your elbow and shoulder into place. This particular lift is marvellous for improving explosive leg power, core strength, and shoulder stability!

3. The Kettle bell Front Squat: For this kettle bell drill you can use a single bell or two bells of the same weight. From the floor between your legs just clean the kettle bells to your chest. Ensure that your squat stance is firm and stable. From here simple do a front squat going down until your elbows touch your knees. This is how you know you possess good depth in the squat. Make sure you include all three of these exercises into your kettle bell workout routines for maximum fitness and athletic routine. Train intensely and enjoy my friend! - 31493

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What Is A Recruiting Board?

By Coach Chris Berg



Every university across the country uses a recruiting board to evaluate their current recruits. A lot of coaches use either a number system or grades to score their prospects. For example, Coach Saban at Alabama uses a number system to grade his recruits. All of his top recruits receive a number 1 for their height, weight and speed.

A recruiting board is important to you as a recruit, so you can know EXACTLY where you stand with the particular coaching staff that is recruiting you. A lot of coaches will tell you that you are their number one recruit. If that is the TRUTH then you need to start talking with that coach about official visits and/or official offers.

A coaches recruiting board is a great way to get a feel for just how serious a college coach is about recruiting you. The families I work with I always encourage my players to FLAT out ask the coaches, "Where am I currently on your recruiting board?"

If a coach tells you that you are their number 2 or 3 recruit that is fine. At least the coach is being honest with you, and now you can start playing the RECRUITING game with great knowledge to use against other coaches/schools and how to leverage this information for your number one choice.

If they tell you that you are their number 2 or 3 recruit, then at least you know the coach is being honest with you, and you should start finding out what has to happen to become their number one recruit. Typically, what it means to be a number 2 or 3 recruit is that if their number one guy accepts their offer then they may be done recruiting your position.

At the end of the day, you are trying to do what is BEST for your future, so be bold when you ask questions. Be confident when you speak with college coaches, and just ask them to be honest with you about where you stand on their recruiting board. - 31493

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The Amazing FA Cup

By Ryan Chandler

This is truly my favorite time of the sports year. Not because of the beginnings of NFL preseason. Not because of my fantasy football drafts. Not because of the MLB pennant race that's heating up, and not because of the upcoming college sports season. It's all because of a little known event, beloved in England.

None of those events, as much as some want to believe, can claim the title of the world's greatest sporting event. Instead, that distinction has to fall distinctly to an event in England that most Americans have never heard of. The event? It's none other than the FA Cup, which began on Saturday with the Extra Preliminary Round.

You may be wondering what sets this event apart from the rest, and what makes it better. It's the sheer size of it all. Very few events have as many contestants as 762 from the start, and very few have as many rounds (14) as the FA Cup happens to have. The beauty of this all is not only the single round elimination format, but the fact that teams of all levels have the chance to compete with one another.

Huge teams like Manchester United compete against virtual unknowns. Think of a baseball team, not even a minor league team. A team that plays in some kind of regional league that you've never heard of. To put it into baseball terms, teams like these have chances to compete against teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, giving every English soccer club a fair chance at glory.

This is where legends are made. Take the Cup from 20 years ago, where Sutton United ousted Coventry City, a premier team. Sutton United wasn't even a member of a league, akin to an amateur recreational team. Then there's the 1975 contest, where amateur team Wimbledon FC ousted premier team Burnley and then went so far as a draw with the defending champs Lees in the third round.

The beauty of it all lies within the dream that it allows for, combined with the shock value that comes with massive upsets. It gives the lesser teams a chance, if for all but a moment, to feel big, and prove its worth against the giants of the soccer world.

The best thing I can compare it to on an American level is March Madness, only over 10 times the size. Think about the way that the 16 seeds get a chance to play behemoths like UNC, and how exciting it is for them. This brings it all to a completely new level. The possibilities are endless.

Instead of two weeks of games, it's 10 months of them. Imagine 10 months of March Madness. We're sure that Dick Vitale would agree when we say that it's truly awesome! - 31493

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Giants Rip Hapless Bucs To Remain Undefeated

By Ross Everett

The New York Giants used a potent ground attack and a suffocating defense to shut out the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-0 on Sunday. The Giants amassed 397 total yards including 226 on the ground, while the defense held Tampa to 86 yards of total offense and five first downs. The statistical disparity was staggering"the Giants ran 76 total plays to 36 for Tampa Bay, and held the ball for a mind boggling 43:38 to 16:22 for the Bucs. The Giants improved to 3-0 on the season, while Tampa dropped to 0-3 and lost for the seventh straight time dating back to last season.

The Giants easily covered as -6 road favorites, improving their ATS mark to 3-0 on the season as well. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, are 0-3 both straight up and against the spread. The 24 points went well UNDER the posted total of 46. It was Tampa Bays first UNDER of the season against two OVER verdicts, while the Giants played their first game UNDER the total as well.

After the contest Giants coach Tom Coughlin talked about his teams dual priorities for the week:

"We had a game in which we didn't play very well against the run, so we knew that we would be tested and we would have to rise up and do a better job there. We also knew we needed to rush the ball better than we had, so we did a pretty good job with that."

Over in the Bucs locker room, head coach Raheem Morris-who is still looking for his first victory at the helm of a NFL team"had little positive to say about his teams performance:

"They beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close."

"We have no choice but to get better than this performance. You get five first downs and you're 0-for-9 on third down. You have 86 yards total offense. It was completely disastrous."

Giants running back Brandon Jacobs gave much of the credit for the victory to his defense:

"Our defense was very, very, very impressive. I knew they would come out with a chip on their shoulder."

Impressive enough to leave Bucs receiver Michael Clayton hanging his head and looking for answers:

"It was disappointing, a little bit embarrassing. We have to play better."

The Giants will play at Kansas City this Sunday as they try to maintain their unbeaten 2009 regular season record. New York is a -9 road favorite with the total set at 42. Theyll host the Oakland Raiders the following Sunday before playing at New Orleans on October 18. Tampa Bay will play their next two games on the road, beginning this weekend against the Washington Redskins. The Redskins are -7 home favorites with the total set at 37. - 31493

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#6 Ranked Hokies Fend Off Blue Devils' Challenge

By Ross Everett

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

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

The Hokies were saved by the career day posted by their quarterback, Tyrod Taylor. Taylor threw for 327 yards on 17 of 22 passing and two touchdown passes. After the game, Taylor modestly downplayed his own impact on the outcome of the game:

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

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer noted:

"I don't think that's the old Duke football team.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Virginia Tech will host Boston College next Saturday before traveling to Atlanta the following weekend for a game against Georgia Tech. Theyll enjoy a bye week before a nationally televised Thursday night game at home against North Carolina on October 29th. Duke will play at North Carolina State next Saturday before a bye week. - 31493

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Cowboys Slip Past Chiefs In OT

By Ross Everett

The Dallas Cowboys entered Sundays game with the Kansas City Chiefs with a 2-2 record, and may have expected an easy afternoon. The winless Chiefs, however, hung around throughout the contest and forced overtime before a Tony Romo touchdown pass to Miles Austin secured the victory for Dallas by a final score of 26-20. Austin was the Cowboys offensive star, catching two touchdown passes as part of a 250 yard receiving day. Tony Romo played better than he has all year, finishing with two touchdown passes and 351 yards with no interceptions. The Cowboys improved to 3-2 with the victory, while the Chiefs remain winless at 0-5.

NFL betting enthusiasts who took Kansas City as +7 home underdogs enjoyed a profitable day as the Chiefs got the money for the first time in the 2009 season. Kansas City is now 1-4 against the spread, while Dallas dropped to 2-3 against the number. The 46 points went OVER the posted total of 43. The Cowboys have gone OVER in 3 of 5 games this season, while Kansas City now has 3 OVER verdicts in five games with 1 UNDER and a push.

Austin started in place of Dallas superstar receiver Roy Williams, and definitely made the best of the opportunity. His 250 yards on 10 catches broke the franchise record held by Cowboys legend Bob Hayes, who had 246 yards receiving against the Washington Redskins in 1966. Austin could have had an even bigger day, had Tony Romo not overthrown him several times on wide open plays. Romo has been plagued all season by interceptions and inconsistent play.

Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel had decent numbers in a losing cause, finishing with 253 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Still, the setback just added to the growing sense of futility in the Chiefs camp. Kansas City hasnt won a game in nearly a year (315 days) and is a horrible 2-28 in their past 30 games. There are signs of improvement under first year coach Todd Haley, but theyve yet to translate into victories.

Dallas will be off next weekend and will return to action on October 25th at home against the Atlanta Falcons. Theyll host the Seattle Seahawks at Cowboys Stadium the following weekend. The Chiefs will travel to Washington, DC next Sunday to take on the Redskins before returning home for a game the following week against the San Diego Chargers. - 31493

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Jets Thump Texans Behind Rookie QB Sanchez

By Ross Everett

New York Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez tracked down NFL legend Joe Namath before the game looking for a pep talk and some pointers. He didnt exactly get what hed bargained for from Broadway Joe, but what the NFL Hall of Famer told him may have had a more beneficial effect. More importantly, the Jets easily beat the host Houston Texans 24-7.

NFL sports betting enthusiasts who took the Jets as +4 road underdogs cashed their tickets with the outright win. New York improved to 10-8 ATS as an underdog over the past three NFL seasons. The combined 31 points scored went UNDER the posted total of 44. The Jets have a slight UNDER bias over the past three years overall at 15-18, while they evened their total mark as an underdog at 9-9.

After the game, Sanchez recounted what Namath had told him:

"What a pep talk. That was Joe Namath, just taking all the credit from himself and throwing it back to me and just saying, 'Good luck.' To hear that from a legend like that, it just kind of gives you the chills. It was something special to be a part of, an emotional start, an emotional little pep talk."

For his part, Namath said he wasnt surprised:

"No, I was hopeful and I'm satisfied more than I thought I'd be. His offensive line did a hell of a job, but he did a great job of finding time with his feet, just to move subtly ... I don't doubt even a little bit that he doesn't have poise at this stage."

The Jets defense also had a great afternoon. The run defense was particularly stifling, holding Steve Slaton to just 17 yards on the ground. Afterwards, Slaton couldnt believe what had just happened:

"It's just insane. You work for six months leading up to this first game. You have all offseason to prepare for this game and then to come out and play like that is upsetting."

Texans coach Gary Kubiak took the blame for his teams poor showing:

"The offensive football team gave us no chance and that starts with me. There's nobody that can feel anything good coming out of this football game."

Houston will start from scratch on Sunday as they travel to Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans. The Texans will return home for games the following two weeks against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders. The Jets will play their next two games at home, beginning this weekend against the New England Patriots. Theyll welcome the Tennessee Titans to the Meadowlands the following week. - 31493

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