NFL Predictions - 2010 Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens finished 9-7 on NFL Picks in 2009 and made the playoffs where they lost in the 2nd round to the Indianapolis Colts. The Ravens went 8-7-1 against the spread on football odds, going over the total 6 times, under 9 times and had one push. The Ravens signature defense was again the nucleus of the team, which ranked 3rd overall in total yards giving up a little over 300 per game, #8 overall in passing yards giving up an average of 207 per game, the team was 5th against the run giving up only 93.2 yards per game and opponents scored 16.3 points per game which was good enough for 3rd in the National Football League. The Ravens usually boast on e of the teams best defense but analyst everywhere continue to rated quarterback Joe Flacco among the best in the NFL but I'm not so sure of that, Flaccco has all of the physical skills but lacks something and this sports handicapper thinks his backup, former Heisman trophy winner Troy Smith is a better fit for the team. Ravens coach John Harbaugh has done an excellent job since taking over for Brian Billick a few years ago and expectations are high again this year at Ravens camp.

The 2010-11 Ravens will again be led by the defense, some think this unit is getting old but with the statistics they have been posting it just looks like they are getting better. Ray Lewis is the man in the middle and both the emotional and physical leader but fellow linebacker Terrell Suggs is vastly becoming of the best the in the National football League also. The defensive line is also solid with long time veteran Trevor Pryce, who led the team with 6' sacks last year. Haloti Ngata is also becoming one of the best defensive lineman in football and should dominate at his position again this year. The defensive backfield lost Samari Rolle to retirement and the leader of the group Ed Reed has had a nagging injury, Reid also thinks he is underpaid and so do I, this guy has been a playmaker ever since he came into the league out of the University of Miami and the Ravens can ill afford to loose him.

The Ravens offense made great stride with running back Ray Rice gained 1,339 yards in 2009 and should be one of the elite backs in the league this year. His back up Willis McGahee would be a starter on any team but he knows his role with Baltimore and is quite happy with it, he gets his touches and like Rice he can also take it the distance at anytime, fullback Le'Ron McClain is also a pro bowl caliber back. The tandem is one of the best in football, that is why Baltimore ranked 5th overall in rushing yards averaging 137.5 per game. The offensive line hasn't been the same sine lone time offensive Tackle Jonathan Ogden retired, this unit will have to gel this year, especially in their pass blocking. The wide receivers are good and now add Donte Stallworth and Anquan Boldin into the mix. THe real question mark is still Joe Flacco, he will struggle this year and that is why the Ravens finish 2nd in the AFC North behind the Cincinnati Bengals and will struggle with the Pittsburgh Steelers but this division could have 3 teams in the playoffs in 2010-11.

http://www.Charliessports.com provides Football Picks.

Greg C Nelson

Tim Tebow - Girlfriend Mystery Revealed

Tim Tebow is the talk of the town at the University of Florida these days. So lets dig down into the Tim Tebow Girlfriend issue and clear the air once and for all. Does Tim have a girlfriend? And if so, does he have just one, two or three or more? These are the questions everyone continues to ask about this Heisman Quarterback Trophie Winner that has been able to maintain a 3.7 GPA the entire time while in college.

In the course of the last year, various Tim Tebow Girlfriend pics have been popping up all over the place. Or are these his girlfriends? Our research indicates that Tim is not really officially dating anyone at this time. But as a star trying to maintain a good overall PR image for himself, he's happy to take pictures with some of the women on campus just so they can sport a trophy and have something to brag about to their friends in school.

Literally hundreds of young ladies currently studying at the University of Florida are hot about Tim no doubt. Our research also indicates that hundreds of these same women are groupie women who are playing the same role trying to land a star as their very own. We think in the future we'll see more Tim Tebow Girlfriend photos over the next couple years, since he always seems to be happy to take a picture with any nice girl who asks.

After Tim goes pro and Graduates from the University of Florida, you might not see any more of Tim Tebow Girlfriend pics floating around except for the old one. He might end up getting married then and start raising a family, but of course that's pure speculation and no one really knows Tim's future, we don't even know our future, lol.

And finally for all we know Tim Tebow may just be the type to take pictures with anyone who asks, yes even the pretty college dorm girlfriend types, to anyone who asks after he turns pro, assuming his wife lets him. But these days it's a women's world so I guess we'll all just have to see what his future wife says about it should he decide to settle down and get married in the future. Some understand it's healthy from a Public Relations perspective to do this, but some women's fangs come out when they see their husband in a picture with other women, even if it's a good career move.

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NHL - The Breakout Teams For 2010-2011

The 2009-2010 NHL season has wrapped up with the Blackhawks taking the crown in a fast paced and excited Stanley Cup Finals. The question for hockey addicts, of course, is what can we expect next season? Who will be the breakout team? Let's take a look.

The NHL is current in a state of change. The dominant teams of the last five years are facing age and salary cap problems. The Detroit Red Wings are getting very old, but will make one more run at it. The Pittsburg Penguins aren't old, but they are starting to lose parts as the cap his of Crosby and Malkin really begin to show [Goodbye Gonchar!]. At the same time, new teams are starting to reap the benefits of investing in the draft and their minor league efforts.

So, who will break out next season? A couple of teams look ripe. The Los Angeles Kings are perhaps the most attractive choice. The team is young and has dynamic players. In fact, they look very similar to the Blackhawks. They have Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown up front. They aren't at the level of Toews and Kane, but the Kings are superior on the back end with two puck moving defensemen in Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty. The team also mirrors the Blackhawks in the plethora of role players it has to do the grunt work. The Kings had a taste of the playoffs this year, and one can imagine they will be primed for a deeper run next season.

The other choice might shock you - the Toronto Maple Leafs. One of the iconic franchises of the league has fallen on hard times. Well, those times are about to end. Bringing in Brian Burke was the first good move for the franchise in a very long time. He is building his usual bruising roster. This should work even better in the East which as become, dare I say it, soft. The Maple Leafs are no threat to make a run to the Cup, but they should make the playoffs and leave a lot of teams black and blue along the way.

The NHL seems to have really turned the corner these days. The hockey is exciting and aggressive, which makes for a great experience. Let's hope the 2010-2011 season continues the trend.

Boris Opach is with TheAngryBlade.com - a blog covering hockey and the NHL.

Why it is the Stanford Cardinal and Not the Stanford Cardinals?

Each and every football season there is something that drives me nuts. Seriously this really bothers me.

When Notre Dame plays Stanford I have to hear the announcers tell me that the Stanford Cardinal made their way up the field. There are eleven players on any offensive unit, not just one player. Cardinal is singular. Cardinals is plural. Would Cardinals not make more sense when describing a unit of 11 individuals making their way up the field?

I just do not get it. It literally drives me batty every time I hear it. Was it the whole team that made their way up the field or just one of them? And if so, which one?

Thankfully wikipedia.org gives me a little insight into why this is. It still does not make sense to me but I will let you decide.

In 1892 after a big win over Cal, Stanford adopted the color of cardinal as their primary color. Up until 1972, they were known as the Indians. At that time a group of Indian students took up a petition to change their name since the current one was offensive to them.

The University listened and from 1972 until 1981 their official name was the Cardinals.

The name apparently was never a reference to the bird just the color.

In 1981, the then Stanford present who was thinking way too hard on the subject, declared that they would be thereafter referred to as the Stanford Cardinal in singular form.

Why is this necessary? I think if I were a sportscaster assigned to cover one of their games I would have to take a stand. I would let the powers of be know that it will be my intention that when I reference one person on the team I will, in fact, refer to him as a Cardinal but when I refer to a group of players I will refer to them as the Cardinals. Simply doing otherwise is just silly and I obviously do not have time for much silliness.

Every adult must adhere to their own personal belief system or their life will be without honor.

Unfortunately this research led me to another huge problem with Stanford's team name and mascot.

They do not have a mascot. Why not?

At times their logo will have a tree in the middle of it. Other times it is just a big "S". The Stanford Tree is actually a member of the band who is dressed up as, well, what else, a tree. This tree is actually based on one particular tree which has a name, El Palo Alto, which is a redwood tree in Palo Alto.

Even though many people consider the "tree" their mascot it is not officially their mascot.

Stanford is a very highly respected college and you have to be smart to attend. You would think that a group of highly intelligent people would not have so many issues with naming their sports team or picking a mascot.

Perhaps now you will think differently.

I am thinking that using a tree would be actually a good thing if you have an exceptionally tough defense and you want to stress their immovability.

It does not work quite so well on the offensive side of things. Saying that running back was as fast as a tree, or that a wide receiver zipped across the field like a tree, just does not sound right.

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NFL Football Trivia

he NFL has become one of America's favorite sports. We all wait with anticipation for fall to arrive, because with fall comes NFL football, when we can relax on Sunday afternoon and watch our favorite football teams battle it out in the hunt for the playoffs, and if all goes well, the Super Bowl. This following list will describe everything you need to know about NFL football trivia.

Ten facts about NFL football trivia:

1. Walter Camp wrote the first rules for American football in 1876. It wasn't until many years later that he became known as the father of American football.

2. In 1920, the Chicago Cardinals organization, later to become the Arizona Cardinals, was formed. A year later the Green Bay Packers organization was formed, bought by Curly Lambeau. These two teams are the oldest teams currently in existence in the NFL.

3. The biggest point margin for a win in NFL history was in the 1940 championship game between the Chicago Bears and the Washington Redskins. The Bears mauled the Redskins, beating them 73-0.

4. The AFL and NFL merged on June 8th, 1966.

5. On January 15th, 1967, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 to become the first team to win the newly formed Super Bowl.

6. The Miami Dolphins defeated the Washington Redskins 14-7 on January 14, 1973, to become the first and only team to have a perfect season. The New England Patriots are the only other NFL team to ever come that close. They had a perfect season all the way to the Super Bowl in 2008, but eventually lost to the New York Giants.

7. Through the years, there have always been certain teams that defined the decade, becoming a dynasty in their own right. During the 60's, it was the Green Bay Packers. The 70's welcomed the Pittsburgh Steelers, with four Super Bowl wins. The 80's belonged to the San Francisco 49ers and the 90's to the Dallas Cowboys. Nothing's officially been said yet, but it seems that the New England Patriots will become the dynasty of the 2000's.

8. There are currently 32 NFL teams, divided into eight divisions and, furthermore, into two conferences, the AFC and the NFC.

9. There are sixteen games in a season, played over seventeen weeks, with every team having a bye week sometime during the season.

10. The four division winners from each conference automatically go to the playoffs, with each conference having two wild card spots for the two teams with the best record that didn't make it to the playoffs. The twelve teams that make it to the playoffs begin by facing off against one another until a team is eliminated. This process of elimination continues to dwindle until their are two teams left, the victors of the AFC and NFC championship games. It is then that the Super Bowl is played between the two conference winners.

This concludes NFL football trivia.

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USC Trojan Quarterbacks in NFL - Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Matt Cassel, and Mark Sanchez

USC has an impressive quarterback legacy that in recent history dates back to 1998 when Carson Palmer took his first snap at USC and paved the way for future college and NFL success for his successors in Matt Leinart, Matt Cassel, and Mark Sanchez.

The football program at USC has consistently been one of the most premiere college football institutions for decades. Despite a rich football history the USC Trojans have never experienced the degree of quarterback success that has been abundant in the program over the past decade. In fact, the University of Southern California has experienced a consistent level of exceptionally high quarterback play over a ten year period that has never been matched by any college football program ever.

Carson Palmer began the current ten year window of excellence in the fall of 1998 when as a true freshman he took over the starting quarterbacking duties from Mike Van Raaphorst after the eighth game of the year. Carson Palmer had a breakout season his senior year of college when the culmination of his experience finally molded him into the passer he was capable of being. During his senior season Carson Palmer became the fifth overall Trojan and first player playing a position other than running back to win the Heisman Trophy at USC. On field accomplishments earned Carson Palmer a spot at the top of the 2003 NFL Draft when he was selected as the first overall player in the draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Matt Lienart followed in his predecessors footsteps and won the Heisman Trophy (given annually to the top college football player) as a junior at USC. At USC Leinart quarterbacked a very talented Trojan squad that won a national championship in 2003 and was narrowly defeated by the University of Texas the following year in the national championship game. (The USC Rose Bowl loss to Texas is widely considered one of the best college football games in history.) Like Carson Palmer Matt Lienart was also a first round NFL Draft Pick. Lienart was taken number seven overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2006 NFL Draft.

Matt Cassel was a USC quarterback who saw little time on the field as a result of his position as backup quarterback to both the superstar quarterbacks Palmer and Leinart. Despite only throwing 33 passes (19 completions) in his four year college career Cassel has proven to be a serviceable starting quarterback in the NFL with notable upside. After filling in for an injured Tom Brady with the New England Patriots in 2008 his success earned him the starting position and subsequent accompanying contract that goes with it from the Kansas City Chiefs.

Following the departures of Matt Leinart and Matt Cassel Mark Sanchez split time with fellow USC quarterback John David Booty until Sanchez took over full time signal calling responsibilities and wowed NFL scouts. Despite public concerns from his head coach Pete Carroll, Sanchez elected to leave school early to pursue his NFL career. After one year in the NFL it appears that Sanchez made the right decision in leaving USC early as he was selected with the number five overall pick by the New York Jets and during his rookie season he took the team to the AFC Championship team, an unlikely degree of success for any first year quarterback.

The USC quarterback legacy which includes in chronological order Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Matt Cassel, and Mark Sanchez has been a staple in college football for the past ten years. Exactly what the future holds with young USC quarterback Matt Barkley and new head coach Lane Kiffin remains to be seen. The one thing that is certain is that the quarterback legacy under USC head football coach Pete Carroll will always be looked back upon as a bright spot in NCAA football.

Sam enjoyed following the Pete Carroll era and is curious to see how the regime change with Lane Kiffin will go. Readers interested in USC wallpaper pictures for their computer screens should take a look at Sam's website right now for a wide selection of choices.

Individuals reading this article (specifically this sentence) that have no interest whatsoever in anything remotely related to free USC background desktop wallpaper should still take a quick look at the author's website as he is betting that they will find something they're interested in there. There is something for there for every college football fan.

NFL Strategies - Effective Blocking, Running and Other Tips

Steps to effectively block driving

Simple drives are important for linemen to practice and perfect. Hence the name for the most common drive: the drive block. This drive block means that you are going to push the opponent in the direction that they are aligned. If the Defensive lineman is aligned slightly to the right of the offensive linemen then the drive block with pus the defender to the right. When executing this block start with your play side foot, meaning if the play is on the right side of you it will be your right foot. Bring the other foot up quickly and make a solid contact for your drive.

Running will increase performance

If you have more energy at the fourth quarter then your opponent then you have won, and the best way to get endurance are running drills. These drills are meant to help you play your hardest throughout the entire game. Though running drills can be a big help to your game, many people complain the most about the running. Because in the end, the team or players that are the fastest are the ones that win the championships. Running has a final help to your team, and that is learning how to push beyond your limits, you will be surprised how often that happens in football, and in life

Football tackling 101

Tackling is fundamental to football, and should receive proper attention at practices. If you, or your players don't take tackling seriously you will not stop the offense and could also cause injuries. Here are three important steps to practice:

First, plant yourself in front of your opponent. An excellent technique is to plant your foot in the middle of your opponents. At the same time you want to bring your arms back in anticipation for the next phase.

Second you want to bring your other foot into the mix, and at the same time throw your arms up and around your opponent. As your feet plants your head should be making its first contact. Never, ever, ever tackle with the top of your head down, keep it up and square against your opponent. A great way to insure that you are in the right position is to practice touching your facemask to the football of the opposing player.

Third, at this point you have successfully grabbed your opponent and all that's left is to lunge your hips forward and bear all of your momentum against your opponent. The more momentum that you bring to the table on steps two and three the more effective your speed will be in this last step.

Low Ball Catching Techniques

Good receivers and even running backs know how to make the great plays. Making the plays means that you have practiced the "non-optimal" situation and know how to react to them. Perfect and not so perfect scenarios should constantly run at football practice. Here are some great techniques in coaching and learning the low catch. First keep the pinkies together down low to make a shovel. First, keep your hands low and lock your pinkies. Second, keep low to the ground as a reference your knees should be level with your elbows, and if this means that you are down on all fours better a complete and no extra yards than an incomplete pass. Once you have the football in your hands scoop it up and tuck it away. Remember, the cardinal rule of catching is to use your hands and not your body. Keep your eyes right on the ball. Last, concentrate on catching it first and then worry about the defense, and scoring some more yards.

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Chijioke Ejiogu: Complete Profile of Arugo Monkey

Goalkeeper Chijioke Ejiogu is the number one goal tender for Double CAF Champions league winners- Enyimba Football club of Aba. He is one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the Nigeria Premier league. His dexterity between the goalpost while playing for amateur side- Arugo F.C in the late 1990's during the F.A Cup Competition have earned him the nickname- Arugo Monkey.

Monkeys are one of the most acrobatic animals in the jungle, and they have the ability to jump from one tree to the other with so much ease and skill. These were the exact qualities that Chijioke Ejiogu displayed during the F.A Cup competition more than 15 years ago while starring for Arugo F.C.

He was quickly snapped up by Julius Berger F.C of Lagos immediately after his F.A Cup heroics, and helped the Bridge Boys to the final of the CAF Confederation Cup. His agility behind the post was soon noticed by the management of Enyimba F.C and he soon put pen to paper for the peoples Elephant in the 2008-2009 season.

The confidence he displays in organizing his defence line is quite amazing, considering the fact that football has become so competitive and tactical. One of the qualities that distinguish a good goalkeeper from a bad one is the ability to anticipate and deal with aerial balls and this is one of the strong points of Chijioke Ejiogu.

He has been invited to the national senior team on several occasions during the reign of Coach Christian Chukwu as Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, but on each occasion, luck has not been on his side. The desire to excel in the local league to enhance future call-ups has always been his main motivation, and this has seen him emerging as one of the stars in the star-studded Enyimba Football club.

Arugo Monkey has become a veteran of sort in the Nigeria Premier league and with each passing season, he has shown more maturity and better composure between the posts to the admiration of his fans all over the country. His acrobatic saves and daring maneuvers in front of strikers have earned him a place among the best Local league players.

It is hoped that the coming years will witness a change in the fortune of this charismatic goalkeeper who has paid his dues in the Nigeria Premier league in the past 10 years. His chances of putting on the green white green colors of the Super Eagles have been made a lot easier with the appointment of an indigenous Coach for National senior team in the person of Coach Samson Siasia in December 2010.

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Most Popular Authentic NFL Jerseys From the 2009-2010 Playoffs

The NFL playoffs is always the time when stars emerge, and as a result, their authentic NFL jerseys become extremely popular. The bright lights are on, and everybody is watching the nationally televised games. The big stars have a chance to play great and become even more popular. The young and emerging players have a chance to shine for a first time and become widely known.

With all of that said, which players have the most popular authentic NFL jerseys from the 2009 playoffs? There have been a lot of truly great performances by really special players, but here are some of the players who really made a name for themselves. Whoever you root for, it's likely that you'll need to stock up on some new discount NFL team merchandise with these young play makers.

Ray Rice: Ray Rice is the running back for the Baltimore Ravens. He was criticized as being undersized, but since he has been in the league he is really emerging as a force. He's strong, fast and smart, and he was one of the best running backs in the league in 2009. On the first play of the game against the Patriots, he ran for an 80 yard touchdown and cemented his status.

Sidney Rice: Don't be mistaken, these two players have no relation besides the same last name on the back of their authentic NFL jerseys. Sidney Rice is the crazy athletic wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, and he has been Brett Favre's favorite target all season long. He grabbed 3 touchdowns against the Cowboys to officially let fans of the Vikings know that they needed to pick up some NFL team merchandise with his name on it.

Darrelle Revis: Revis had a season at the cornerback position for the New York Jets that is simply hard to describe. He went up against a slew of Pro Bowl caliber players and even Hall of Fame players, and he completely shut them all down. In the playoffs, he continued his excellent play, shutting out the likes of Chad Ochocinco and Antonio Gates while grabbing interceptions to lead the Jets to their victories.

These are just a few of the most popular authentic NFL jerseys from the 2009-2010 playoffs. These players all took the stage and earned their place, and if you're a fan of their teams then you enjoyed a great ride. Root for your team in pride and support the young, emerging stars in the NFL with discount NFL team merchandise.

At the online store Discount Football Merchandise, you can find all of these discount authentic NFL jerseys and much more. Browse a huge selection of cheap NFL team merchandise, and find all of the players, stars and teams that you're looking for.

University of Maryland (UM) Terrapins (Terps) Football Players Taken in 2010 NFL Draft - 2 Selected

The University of Maryland (UM) Terrapins (Terps) college football program had two players taken in the 2010 NFL Draft that was held in April. The school based in College Park, Maryland had two athletes selected by National Football League (NFL) franchises in the annual draft and those two men are:

• Bruce Campbell (offensive lineman) - selected in the fourth round with the 106th overall pick by the Oakland Raiders


• Nolan Carroll (cornerback) - picked in the fifth round by the Miami Dolphins as the 145th overall player selected

The Maryland Terrapins compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and are proud to send disciplined young men on to play football at the next level. For athletes like Bruce and Nolan hearing their names called during the NFL Draft is a dream come true and the University of Maryland prides itself in playing a role in turning those dreams into reality.

Bruce Campbell, born in 1988, is a 6'6" 314 pound offensive lineman that played tackle in high school and college but is expected to at least start out as an interior offensive lineman at the guard position with the Oakland Raiders. Despite having the height to play offensive tackle the initial reports from the Raiders are that they would prefer to ease Bruce into their offense at a position that lends itself to a smoother transition.

Campbell is slated to wear number 74 next year for the NFL team in Oakland and Raiders head coach Tom Cable is excited about the upside of his fourth round draft selection. Coach Cable hopes to get Bruce on the field early and often as the Raiders for years now have been trying to fill a void on their offensive line. Many football analysts agree that the root cause of the recent offensive woes of the Oakland franchise can be traced back to a porous front five.

It can be argued that Nolan Carroll, the other University of Maryland 2010 NFL Draft selection, is in many ways an opposite type of player from his former teammate Bruce Campbell. Carroll plays defense whereas Campbell plays offense and furthermore while Bruce has a large 6'6" 314 pound frame Nolan is a much more pedestrian size at 5'11" and 204 pounds.

Before being picked up by the Miami Dolphins to add youth and speed to their secondary Nolan grew up in the state of Florida. Nolan Carroll was born and raised in Green Cove Springs, Florida which is in the northeastern part of the state. After spending five years in Maryland during his stint in college Nolan and his parents (who still live in Florida) are surely excited about having him back in the Sunshine State.

Kim, the author of this piece, does not know if Nolan and Campbell will buy University of Maryland golf bags with money from their first NFL contracts. Considering the amount of golf that NFL players play in their downtime picking up red black Terps golf bags might be a good idea to help them assimilate with their new teammates.

Readers interested in looking at Maryland golf bags for themselves are encouraged to check out the links in the above paragraph.

Profiling University of North Carolina Football

The University of North Carolina will open its 2010 football season against the LSU Tigers in the Kickoff Game in Atlanta. The game will air nationally on ABC. The Tar Heels and the LSU Tigers have played six times in the past, the most recent being in 1986. Although LSU holds a 5-1 advantage in these meetings, this year UNC is ranked ahead of LSU in the preseason AP Poll.

The UNC Tar Heels play NCAA Division I football in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They are beginning their fourth season under head coach Butch Davis. In his first three years at UNC, Davis has turned the team around, leading them to 20 wins. The Tar Heels have played in back to back bowl games for the first time in more than ten years. This season's schedule includes eight conference games and 4 non-conference games. Since joining the ACC in 1953, UNC has won five conference championships. The team would like to be a contender in the 2010 season. However, they play under the shadow of an NCAA review of possible violations in their football program.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was founded in 1789 as the country's first public university. Its beautifully landscaped campus contains many historic buildings. U.S. News & World Report's 2011 Best Colleges Guidebook ranks UNC as the 5th best public university in the country. The current undergraduate enrollment is over 17,000 students. The university also includes the Morehead Planetarium & Science Center, the Ackland Art Museum, the Carolina Performing Arts, and the North Carolina Botanical Garden.

The Tar Heels play their home games in Kenan Memorial Stadium. Set among the pine trees in Kenan Woods, the stadium is considered one of the most beautiful football facilities in the country. The stadium was built in 1927 and holds 60,000 fans. Over the years Kenan Stadium has been expanded several times and is currently undergoing additional renovations. The old field house in the east end zone was demolished earlier this year to make way for a new Student Athlete Academic Center and additional premium seating. The Charlie Justice Hall of Honor on the ground floor showcases the history and awards of UNC football.

The Kickoff Game in Atlanta is the leading season opening game in college football. This year's game will take place on September 4 at the Georgia Dome. The Kickoff Game was created by CFA and ESPN in 2008, and always matches two top rated football teams in a neutral setting. In preseason polls, UNC is ranked #18, and LSU is ranked #21. The game promises to be an exciting matchup.

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Sunday Showdown

As we approach the home stretch of the NFL season, division races and playoff pairings are slowly beginning to take shape. This Sunday finds several key games with teams in the thick of the races. Here's a look at some of them.

Bengals at Steelers: This is a showdown for the AFC North title and there are plenty of sidelights. If the Steelers win, they will be tied for the division lead but will essentiall own it because they will have swept the Bengals (8-3) in head-to-head play. Pittsburgh has already won at Cincinnati, 27-13, in a game the Steelers defense dominated. 221 Pittsburgh rush yards, a hefty 4.7 yards per carry, was the storyline, along with Cincy barely topping 300 total yards. Injuries to the Steelers since then have been significant, and a large cause for their current two-game skid.

As usual, Bengals WR Chad Johnson is in the thick of the chatter this week. Johnson is planning to entertain the Steeler fans with his best touchdown celebration yet. Johnson said, "I'm going to guarantee that I won't be stopped this Sunday."

Should the Steelers lose, they would trail the Bengals by two games with four to play, including difficult games against the Bears at home and at the Vikings. "Obviously, it's the biggest game of the year, and we all know what's at stake," Bill Cowher said. The Pittsburgh offensive line that sent three starters to the Pro Bowl last season isn't healthy. The Steelers rushed for 86 yards in the Monday night loss at Indy and QB Ben Roethlisberger was sacked three times. Left tackle Marvel Smith returned after missing a game with an ankle injury, but was unable to push off properly and was replaced by rookie Trai Essex, who played in his second NFL game. Smith (ankle) is out, which means Essex will start. Another rookie, Chris Kemoeatu, is working at both guard positions.

A key will be Roethlisberger, who said his right thumb injury "is pretty painful," but he is hopeful it won't severely affect his throwing Sunday. In addition, Big Ben tweaked an ankle after returning from a three-week layoff following knee surgery. "It's a little sore, but we're going to try and see if we can get by with it," said Roethlisberger. "A couple of contraptions hopefully will help it." He didn't look healthy Monday night, though he was under a lot of pressure from the Colts. Roethlisberger is 18-2 as an NFL regular season starter, and was 17 of 26 for 133 yards Monday.

RB Willie Parker (12 carries, 43 yards) will start again, but Cowher hasn't decided whether he will again dress both Jerome Bettis (6 carries, 9 yards) and Duce Staley (2 carries, 6 yards) as backups. Parker gained 131 yards on 18 carries in the first meeting against Cincy, but that was with a healthier offensive line. Pittsburgh dictated the style and tempo of that first game against the Bengals, but that hasn't been the case the past couple of weeks.

The Bengals are ranked 25th in the NFL in rush defense, having allowed an average of 122 yards per game. The Bengals have lost four of the five games played against Pittsburgh in the three seasons since Marvin Lewis became head coach. In the four losses, the Bengals have allowed the Steelers to run the ball an average of 39.7 times and gain 168.8 yards on the ground. The one time the Bengals under Lewis beat the Steelers, a 24-20 win at Heinz Field in 2003, Cincinnati held Pittsburgh to 85 yards rushing on 25 carries. In their last two games, the Steelers have gained 70 yards and averaged 2.8 yards per carry in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Ravens and then managed just 86 yards and 3.4 yards per carry in Monday night's 26-7 loss to the Colts. The Steelers have not had a 100-yard rusher since Parker did it against the Bengals in October. The Steelers will be fired up at home to end their skid, but are they healthy enough?

Cowboys at NY Giants: The NFC East lead is at stake. The Giants lost 16-13 at Dallas in the first meeting in overtime. However, Dallas had the edge in yards 385-270. Cowboys QB Drew Bledsoe has looked old since throwing for over 300 yards against the Giants. So have WRs Terry Glenn and Keyshawn Johnson (a combined 64 years of age), who haven't come close to their 14-catch 184-yard effort against the Giants. The Dallas defense has held three teams under 73 rush yards in the last five weeks. Bill Parcells' team has the fewest penalties in the NFL (63), the Giants were flagged 16 times in last week's frustrating loss at Seattle. The NY Giants are 5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS at home averaging 32 ppg (4-2 "over" the total at home). The Giants young secondary is a concern, as second-year corner Curtis Deloatch and rookie Corey Webster have struggled. Also, NY DT William Joseph (elbow) will not play Sunday. Enjoy Showdown Sunday!

Bryan Leonard is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at [http://www.procappers.com/Bryan_Leonard.htm]

NFL Season 2010

Football has been a sport that has been played and watched in the United States and surrounding countries for generations and countless years. This sport has roots in America and started out as a small organization of teams. Now it has grown to be a national treasure, and the NFL Football 2010 season promises to be a good one.

The draft is now over, and many unorthodox picks have been made. Like always, the results of the draft has surprised many people. Teams are picking players that are almost unheard of and that made very few decisive plays in their college careers. The players that were estimated to be number one and two picks were not picked until much later.

The draft is just one example of the unexpected and exciting nature that the 2010 football season promises to bring. The national champs from last year will have to come back and try to defend their trophy. Team rivalries will be hot as spring training commences.

Spring Training will be starting very soon and people all over the world will get to see how these teams will shape out. Many are expecting their teams to play well and defend their titles. Some, however, are expecting their teams to lose key players. When training starts in the summer, people will get a chance to see how well practice is going and many will get to reevaluate their expectations.

After seeing the draft, it is a wonder how these teams choose to pick the players they do. Many of them go off of a system picking players that they need to fill positions they have open, which is why not many of them choose the young quarterbacks. They pick who they need.

The unpredictability of the draft is one sign that the NFL football 2010 season will be interesting. Will the team that won last year win again? Only time will tell.

Denver Broncos Tickets and all NFL Tickets available at AllianceTickets.com

Football - Not For Dumb People

For those of you who think professional football players can be as dumb as tree stumps and still play the game, as long as they are either big and strong, have an arm that can throw a hand grenade from Ohio to California or have a leg that can kick the chrome off of a bumper, you need to think again. Pro football is a very complex sport and unless you've got a good head on your shoulders, you are going to find out the hard way that it isn't simply a matter of being skilled.

Sure, you have to be big and strong, especially if you're going to be a lineman. These guys top the scales and 300 pounds plus and feel like mack trucks when they hit you. Certainly if you're a 90 pound weakling, you're not going to get far in the game of football. And yes, if you have a fantastic arm and can throw a football the length of the field accurately, you'll most likely make a good quarterback, again, provided that you have a head on your shoulder.

Okay, so why the need for brains? Isn't this a rather simple game? Isn't the object of the game to score a goal by either running or passing the football over the goal line? And if that's not simple enough, you can also kick it over if you think you're too far out for a regular score. How hard can this be? Kids in high school play it and some of these kids aren't the brightest bulbs in the bunch.

To answer that question, one has to understand the level at which pro football is played. These players ARE the strongest of the strong and the most talented. They have the best arms and legs. When it comes to raw talent, there is none better anywhere. What separates the good players from the great players is how they assimilate the game on an intellectual level. In pro football there are a great number of plays for both offense and defense. Some teams have play books that have well over 100 plays. And they're all used. If the coach calls a play, you better know what it means and how you're supposed to react. That means storing a hundred or more plays in your head. And you thought cramming for an exam was hard. This requires a certain degree of brain power.

Imagine the coach calls a play and you forget which play it is and you miss an assignment or a route or a block. It could mean the difference between scoring and not scoring or the opposition scoring or not scoring. Usually it's mistakes that decide games. By having the plays down cold, you minimize the chance of those mistakes.

So the next time you think that football players are just a bunch of dumb jocks, I suggest you try getting a hold of one of their play books and see if you can learn even half of what's in them.

Professional football. It's NOT for dumb people.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Football [http://football-guides.com]

Story of the Three Stripes

One of the well known and the best branded sportswear in the market are Adidas apparel and shoes. Adidas have long established itself as a well designed and well made footwear, ever since Adolf (Adi) Dassler created the first pair in the early 1920s.

Adidas started with footwear, it is only it recent history that the company branched out with other sports apparel like shirts, socks, shorts and various accessories, just to name a few. When Adolf Dassler designed his first pair of shoes, it instantly became a hit.

It was not long, therefore, that Adolf and his brother Rudi were selling them like hotcakes. The brothers introduced a lot of innovations in the athletic footwear industry. They were the first ones to have introduced the arch support in athletic shoes. They also were the first ones who gave athletes free shoes in return for advertising their products.

When the company entered the U.S. market in 1968, they came in very strong. They were so strong, in fact that American shoe competitors, Wilson and MacGregor had to stop manufacturing their footwear because of Adidas' popularity. The popularity of Adidas became undisputed when during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, every game official and almost all of the 1,490 international athletes wore Adidas.

With the strong footing Adidas had in the footwear market, it was quite surprising to the see the company in shambles during the 1980s. The lack of a solid leadership and workable policies by the company's upper management caused Adidas' demise in the 80s. The company totally underestimated the growth of the newly formed Nike. They were too complacent. And soon, enough, due to more innovative designs and modern styles that appeal to the new generation, Nike took from Adidas the number one title. Adidas fell from the top and the fall was hard.

What saved the company was the revival of 70s fashions in the early 1990s. Adidas' old designs became retro and antique overnight appealing to the teens and younger generations who were the ones mostly affected by the rebirth of the psychedelic fashion.
Celebrities that were caught on video and camera wearing old Adidas shoes increased the demands for the shoe manufacturer's 20-year old designs.

At present, Adidas has slowly crawled its way back up into the ranking of the top footwear manufacturers in the world. Though, it still have not yet reached the pinnacle of success that it once had, the company has regained a comfortable footing in the sportswear market.

Low Jeremy maintains http://sports-apparel.articlesforreprint.com This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.