The Super Bowl History

On January 15, 1967 the very first professional American football championship was played at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was billed as the AFL -NFL 1967 World Championship. Game tickets sold for $6.00 to $12.00. The game failed to sell out. Professional football spectators were not quite fanatical at that point in the sport's history, perhaps because they did not fully appreciate the potential of such an event. While the stated purpose was to determine the champion among two competing professional American football leagues, the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL), the Super Bowl has grown to represent so much more. It has become the ultimate symbol of America's resolve to succeed against all odds.

On that faithful January day in 1967 the NFL, represented by its champion the Green Bay Packers, challenged the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs. In a game played by the two best teams on Earth, made up of the best athletes on the planet, and viewed by professional football fans all over the country, Green Bay, led by the legendary Vince Lombardi, beat Hank Stram's Kansas City Chiefs 35 to 10.

When Green Bay returned the next year beating the AFL's Los Angeles Raiders 33 to 14, many believed the AFL would never match up. All that changed in 1969 when New York Jets quarterback, Joe Namath, made an off-the-cuff victory guarantee to a rowdy Colts fan during a Super Bowl press conference. In response to the heckling Colts fan, Namath said: "We're gonna win; I guarantee it." Namath's Guarantee created a sensation as news agencies broadcast the story in every major news network in the Country. On January 12, 1969 Joe Namath and his underdog AFL team went out and won the Super Bowl.

In 1970 the two leagues merged into the NFL creating two conferences out of the two former leagues. All former NFL teams, except one, became National Football Conference members and all AFL teams became American Football Conference members. One team was needed to balance the schedule, so the Baltimore Colts switched from the NFC to the AFC. Consequently the great Super Bowl match-up of 1969 cannot be repeated between the Jets and the Colts as both teams are now members of the same conference.

In 1965, prior to the merger, the upstart AFL secured a thirty-six million dollar contract with NBC for broadcast rights, which gave the league financial stability. Many cities across the country, principally in the south and the west had no professional football teams to satisfy the growing demand for the sport. As the AFL grew to satisfy that demand it also grew in prominence and began to compete for the top draft choices from college programs around the country. The two leagues observed an unspoken rule that neither would attempt to sign a player under contract in the other's league. However, when the New York Giants signed place kicker Pete Gogolak, who was under contract with the AFL's Buffalo Bills, AFL commissioner, Al Davis, took off the gloves and the AFL aggressively pursued the highest paid quarterbacks in the NFL. With attractive salary offers, the AFL managed to lure 7 of the NFL's most promising quarterbacks to the AFL in the 1965 season. Although the AFL later surrendered the contracts, the NFL recognized the threat the AFL posed by plundering their talent pool. Merger talks were conducted without the knowledge of NFL commissioner, Pete Rozelle or the AFL's commissioner, Al Davis. On June 8, 1966, the team owners of both leagues announced they had reached terms for a merger agreement. The actual merger would take four years to complete.

While league officials searched for a sensational name for the annual championship game, the Kansas City Chief's owner, Lamar Hunt, proposed calling it the "Super Bowl". Hunt, who was the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and one of the founders of the American Football League, came up with the name while watching his daughter play with a rubber ball that was a toy sensation in the mid sixties. Whamo marketed the toy as the "Super Ball". Hunt's suggestion was only intended to serve as a temporary name, until a more glorious moniker could be agreed upon. Having failed to find a more desirable or descriptive replacement, the name stuck.

More than 151.6 million viewers tuned in to watch the 44th Super Bowl in 2010. According to Neilson Ratings, the 2010 Super Bowl was the most watched television program of all time. It surpassed the long standing record set by the final episode of the popular television series M*A*S*H, which drew 121.6 million viewers on February 28, 1983. In many ways the Super Bowl has become a contest of numbers. In 2010 thirty seconds of commercial air time sold for 3 million dollars, which is a long way from the $37,500 charged by NBC for a 30 second spot during the first Super Bowl. Super Bowl wagers were estimated to exceed 10 billion dollars in 2010. The game was broadcast in 34 languages in 232 countries around the world. The 2010 Super Bowl added and estimated 400 million dollars to Miami's economy as a result of the Colts and Saints challenge for the title. Fans spent an estimated 5.6 billion dollars on Super Bowl related items during the championship. The media, marketing, entertainment and background stories surrounding the Super Bowl have become every bit as sensational as the game itself.

As of 2010 only two cities north of the Mason Dixon Line have ever hosted a Super Bowl; Detroit in 1982 and 2006, and Minneapolis in 1992. That trend is about to change. Dallas will host the Super Bowl in 2011, Indianapolis in 2012, New Orleans in 2013, and New Jersey in 2014. The NFL has also given some consideration to playing a future Super Bowl in London, England.

There are many great stories that make up Super Bowl history. One such story reportedly took place during the very first championship game. According to the Orlando Sentinel, CBS and NBC both covered the first Super Bowl sharing the same televised footage, but each used its own sportscasters. The cameras missed the kick-off for the second half of the game, because sportscaster Charles Jones was busy interviewing Bob Hope. When the head referee ordered a re-kick, a CBS producer directed CBS reporter Pat Summerall to explain the mishap to Vince Lombardi, the Packer's head coach. Pat Summerall, who played as a place kicker for the New York Giants under the legendary coach, refused to go anywhere near him. The story serves as anecdotal evidence of the terrorizing roar so often associated with Vince Lombardi, for whom the Championship Trophy is now named. Sadly, there is no known network coverage of the first Super Bowl. Reportedly, the only known tape was taped over to record a soap opera.

American radio broadcast personality Mark Champion is well known by basket ball fans as the voice of the Detroit Pistons. He is perhaps less well known as the off-screen voice who asks the Super Bowl MVP "You've just won the Super Bowl, what are you going to do next?" Since 1987, Disney has been an important part of the Super Bowl tradition with its "What's Next" advertising campaign. The Walt Disney Company tapes two versions of the commercial, one promoting Disneyland in Anaheim, California and another for Disney World in Orlando, Florida and airs them in the markets geographically relevant to the two theme parks. Former Disney CEO, Michael Eisner credits his wife, Jane Eisner with the whole idea for the long running advertising campaign. In 1986, during Disney's opening celebration for the Star Tours attraction at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, the Eisner's dined with Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager (no relation to Chuck Yeager), who had just broken aviation history with their non-stop flight around the world in their specially designed Voyager aircraft. Jane Eisner reportedly asked the couple what they planned to do next and they replied "Well, we're going to Disneyland." She later suggested her husband use that as part of an advertising campaign to promote Disney's theme parks. Since 1987 Disney has used what it refers to as the "What's Next" advertising campaign every year (except 2006) to promote its theme parks during the post game celebration of the Super Bowl. The ads have become as much a part of the Super Bowl as the half time entertainment and the much anticipated Super Bowl commercials.

Each year millions of fans from around the world plan their schedules around American Football's greatest event. The show stopping half-time talent, the knee slapping commercials, the galas, the background stories, and the hype are as much a part of the show as the amazing athletes that play and the brilliant strategists who stalk the sidelines. While basketball and baseball are played in other countries around the world, American football remains uniquely American. The Super Bowl is America's Championship Game.

 

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A Few University of Pittsburgh Football Greats

Mike Ditka (1958-1960)

Mike Ditka is a well known commodity in the football scene. Ditka grew up not far from his college alma mater. He didn't have far to travel to get to his college destination. The Pittsburgh campus was only about 20 miles away. He was recruited by 3 schools coming out of high school. The other two schools were Notre Dame & Penn State.

He played tight end(TE) all 3 of his seasons spent at Pitt. Not only did he play tight end, he was also the team's punter. He is considered to be one of the greatest tight ends to play college football. He was voted to the College Football All-America Team for his senior season. He is also voted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

After leaving college Ditka went on to have a stellar NFL playing & coaching career. He played for the Bears, Eagles, & Cowboys. He was a 5 time Pro Bowl selection. 3 time Super Bowl champion. He was the very first tight end ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His success didn't stop at playing. He was head coach of both the Chicago Bears & New Orleans Saints.

He led the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl XX championship. This victory was highlighted around the world with a "Super Bowl Shuffle" video & song that featured Ditka in it. As a head coach, he was known for his antics during post-game press conferences. He often would lose his cool & lash out out at the media. Ditka currently works for ESPN as a football analyst.

Tony Dorsett (1973-1976)

Tony Dorsett was one of the finest running backs to ever play college football. He led Pittsburgh to a nation title in 1976. During this season Dorsett picked up numerous awards. He won the Heisman. He won the Maxwell Award given to the best college football player in America. He also won the the Walter Camp Award for college football Player of the Year.

He led the nation in rushing in 1976. His total was a whopping 1948 yards. He was first team All-American 3 out of 4 seasons at Pitt. He finished on the 2nd team All-America squad his other season. Dorsett ranks #2 all-time in college football for rushing yards trailing only Ricky Williams.

He had two games to well remember in college. Both games were against the mighty Irish. He rushed for 303 yards in 1975 & he totaled 290 rushing yards in 1976. People even said that Notre Dame let the field grass grow high to try & help slow this great running back down.

Dorsett went on to have a great NFL career as well. He played 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys & one with the Denver Broncos. He holds honors as being the only player to ever win a college national title one year & a Super Bowl championship the next. He helped lead the Cowboys to Super Bowl XXII win. During that Super Bowl winning season Dorsett was voted Rookie of the Year in the NFL. He has been voted into both the College Football & Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both were done in 1994.

Dan Marino (1979-1982)

Probably the greatest QB in Pitt history & quite possibly in NFL history. Dan Marino played college football for the very program that he grew up around. It's not often you see a guy playing for his hometown in college.

He had a great college career but his Heisman & national championship hype going into his senior season failed. Marino was the favorite for the Heisman heading into his senior campaign but it didn't work out for him. Pitt lost to SMU in the 1983 Cotton Bowl with the "Pony Express" by his side. This was in reference to players Eric Dickerson & Craig James.

Due to his subpar senior season, Marino wasn't drafted as high as expected. There were 5 other QB's drafted before him in the 1983 NFL Draft. Well, The teams that passed on him wished they hadn't. Miami was the team that picked him & the rest is literally "history".

He spent his entire NFL career in Miami. Playing 17 seasons in the NFL & setting numerous passing records. He was voted NFL MVP in 1984. He was a 9-time Pro Bowl selection. He never won a Super Bowl title though with the Dolphins. His jersey number has been officially retired by Miami. He was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2005, he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

 

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The Origins of American Football

 

During the early 1800's a popular game known as rugby, where a football is kicked at a goal and run over a line, had its beginnings at the famous Rugby Boy's School in England. Around the same time in America, the emergence of a game called "ballown," similar to Rugby, was played by a group of students from Princeton. East coast prep schools like Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, and Rutgers College also competed in football-type games. At that time these early games resembled the more traditional "mob football" style played in England. The rules were simple with large numbers of players trying to advance the ball into a goal area usually by any means necessary. By 1855 manufactured inflatable balls were being used as football evolved into a kicking and running game.

Since there weren't many rules established, violence and injury were common due to the roughness of the game. The increasing brutality of the game became such a public concern because of so many injuries and deaths, that some universities banned it. President Theodore Roosevelt even threatened to ban the game and urged Harvard, Princeton, and Yale to help make changes or lose the sport. Eventually the Intercollegiate Football Association was formed by representatives of Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton to establish a new code of rules mainly based on the rugby games.

The man responsible for shaping American football as we know it today was Walter Camp. He enrolled at Yale in 1876 and led the IFA's rules committee. He proposed reducing the number of players from 15 to 11. He helped establish the line of scrimmage and the snap from center to quarterback. Camp also proposed that teams be required to advance the ball a minimum of five yards within three downs. More changes were instituted like the reduced size of the playing field, scoring rules, and game time. By 1887 a paid referee and an umpire were mandated for each game and tackling below the waist was allowed. In 1889 officials were given whistles and stopwatches. The forward pass, one of the most important changes in the game, didn't become legal until 1906.

Although the rules were changing, football continued to be played violently in the style of the earlier mob games. Changes had to be made to make the game safer. These changes were discussed on December 28, 1905 by sixty-two schools who met in New York City. Eventually the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was formed as a result. Over a century later college football continues to thrive as one of the most popular collegiate games. After the demise of the IFA, the American Professional Football Association was formed in 1920. The association was later reorganized and in 1922 renamed the National Football League.

 

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Smokin' Joe Frazier's "Greatest" Victory

Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest boxer of all time.

Joe Frazier knew it, Joe Louis knew it.... Muhammad Ali knew it. Still Ali, brash young boxer who had never been defeated also knew the power of branding. If he said "Greatest" enough about himself, he would eventually win over a segment of the crowd. They would say it about him, especially once he took the heavyweight title.

Being the subject of a late 1960's character assassination by the United States media, Muhammad Ali was vilified, and stripped of his title for refusing to join the military. Famously saying "No Vietcong ever called ME a nigger." he claimed status as a "conscientious objector" to the war in Vietnam. Ali successfully defended his title many times from 1963 to 1967, but this episode of his life (outside the ring) is why I call him "The Greatest"... If you check the tape however, Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest fighter.

Seeing all this, and realizing it could just as easily happen to him, another boxing legend by the name of Joe Frazier was making his mark. Although he was the number one contender at the time, he refused to participate in the tournament for the world championship belt, which took place after Ali was stripped of it.

Joe Frazier had morals, decency and a sense of fair play seldom exhibited by boxers or anyone for that matter. Joe Frazier was also a monster in the ring, who constantly slipped jabs while working his way toward his opponent; setting up one of the meanest left hooks ever known to boxing (the result of a broken arm that never healed correctly). Frazier eventually won the Heavyweight title in Ali's absence but campaigned tirelessly on Ali's behalf (even petitioning Then-President Nixon). Frazier also gave Ali money to get by during his years of banishment from the ring.

In 1970 the supreme court overturned Ali's banishment. Ali immediately went to work destroying fighters, but the question of his vacated title still went unanswered. This set the stage for what would be known as "The Fight Of The Century". Although friendly outside the ring, Ali would resume all his previous braggadocio, making his friend Joe Frazier the brunt of the verbal assault. No stranger to the power of media suggestion, Ali succeeded in mis-characterizing Frazier as being the champion for the same conservative values which wrongfully stripped him of his belt. He repeatedly and publicly referred to someone who had helped him through the worst time of his life as "Uncle Tom". Frazier was anything but an Uncle Tom, having to leave his South Carolina home at 15 to avoid trouble that came from standing up to racists.. In my opinion Ali's treatment of Joe Frazier was his lowest moment as a sportsman.

The "Fight Of The Century" took place at Madison Square Garden in 1971 with record purses, the biggest media coverage of all time, and even riots around the USA. The fight lived up to its name, going the 15 round distance with Ali establishing himself early on, but Joe Frazier delivering his killer left hook, putting Ali on his ass... twice... eventually emerging the victor.

Frazier would defend his title twice more, eventually losing to George Foreman. He would also have two major rematches with Ali, which he lost, ultimately developing a deep disdain for the man. Not one for media manipulation or image branding, (He was not well spoken) Frazier never successfully made the commercial revenue that a George Foreman or Ali would. He opened a boxing gym and lived out his days in Philadelphia. Frazier died of Liver cancer on Nov.7 2011 at the age of 67. He is recognized as one of the top ten greatest heavyweight champions of all time.

 

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Boxing in the 20th century

The opening decade of the 21st century is coming to a close and, regardless of the outcome of the remaining matches that are yet to play out in what has turned to be an exciting 2010 for professional boxing,  it is time to bring back the glorious years of boxing entertainment. It is time to recall those who gave color, drama and life to the sport; those who created indelible impressions among the fans; and those who, year after year, have proven their reign atop the ring by taking on the toughest opposition. I mean let's meet, once more, the fighters of the decade.

1910's-1920's

BoxRec Boxing Encyclopedia wrote that "Jack Dempsey changed the sport of boxing from a slow, defense-minded contest of single punches and frequent holding into an exciting, aggressive battle of furious combinations and blazing knockouts." But his life outside the ring gave him a bad press. Widely regarded by many as "a thug wallowing in immorality and brutality," fans loved to hate him. And yet when Gene Tunney dethroned him in 1926 after a 7-year reign, fans ironically began to admire him. Tunney was the epitome of an intelligent and scientific boxer, and they found him boring to watch. They missed Jack's "ultra-masculine charisma and slugger's brawn." In Dempsey's time, nobody packed the crowds in quite like he did.

Still, when the scribes minted the term "pound-for-pound" during this period, it was not because of Dempsey. It was because of Benny Leonard, who reigned as Lightweight Champion from May 1917 to January 1925. Boxing experts argued that Leonard at this time was the best, pound for pound. They also made mention of Harry Greb, a Middleweight Champion from 1923 to 1926. Greb has incredibly beaten heavier opponents in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. He held the distinction of being the only fighter to ever beat Gene Tunney, the light heavyweight champion and conqueror of heavyweight king Jack Dempsey.

1930's

Henry Armstrong rocked the boxing world in 1937 and 1938, generating after-shocks that would continue to be felt until now. At a time when there were only 8 weight divisions, he won the featherweight, welterweight and lightweight titles in succession within a period of 10 months (from October 1937 to August 1938). Thus Armstrong would go down in boxing history as the only fighter ever to hold 3 world titles in 3 different divisions all at the same time.

Also at this time, Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis started a terrific run and would continue to dominate the opposition towards the latter part of the 40s. Earlier in the decade, Barney Ross stamped his class in the lightweight and welterweight divisions, besting Italian and fellow all-time great Tony Canzoneri, among others, twice.

1940's

World War 2 momentarily halted ring action except on very few occasions. Joe Louis kept his title despite being out of ring action due to his military service, and when he did return in 1946, he defended it 5 more times until Ezzard Charles defeated him in 1950.

At the lighter divisions, Featherweight Champion Willie Pep was making it hard for anyone not to notice him. He won 229 of his 241 fights, and showing, in the process, his opponents the finer points of defense in boxing.

Towards the late 1940's, the welterweight division had ran out of warm bodies that were capable of putting up a decent competition against a rising star named Sugar Ray Robinson.

1950's

Sugar Ray Robinson remained lord of welterweights and was, by now, the newest darling of boxing. He reminded boxing historians of Benny Leonard, Henry Armstrong, Willie Pep and all the great boxers of the lighter weight divisions before him. The only difference with them, it seemed, was that he was better. When he annexed the middleweight crown early in the decade and outclassed the best middle-weights afterward, the term "pound-for-pound" champion that briefly emerged during Leonard's era was back, and it was firmly associated with Robinson. Fans found him so good that beating him-which the likes of Carmen Basilio and Gene Fullmer did when Robinson was apparently past his prime-meant earning for themselves an exalted place in the all-time greats list.

1960's

Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali on the same night he wrested the heavyweight crown from Sonny Liston in 1964. Producing spectacular wins inside the ring and creating political drama outside of it made Ali the most recognized-and probably adored -athlete in this era.

The lighter weight divisions also produced an exciting crop of fighters in Bantamweight Champion Edre Jofre (Brazil), his conqueror Fighting Harada of Japan, Junior Lightweight King Gabriel "Flash" Elorde (Philippines), and Lightweight Champion Carlos Ortiz (Puerto Rico).

1970's

In no time was there such a bumper harvest, so to speak, of talent in the heavyweight division as in this period. Ali, Joe Frazier and George Foreman were not only former Olympic stars, all of them were also undefeated challengers when they all won the heavyweight championship. Frazier grabbed the title vacated by Ali (who preferred to be in jail rather than in military service during the American-Vietnam war in the 60s and 70s). Frazier yielded it to Foreman via a second round KO loss. Ali recaptured his title from Foreman after besting the latter in 8 rounds.

Elsewhere, Argentina's Carlos Monzon rose to the Middleweight throne in 1970 and ran out of abled opponents in that division until he retired in 1977. Experts viewed him as the pound for pound champion in this era-that is, until Roberto Duran of Panama came along.

1980's

Like what Monzon did in the middleweight class, Duran thrashed all comers in the lightweight division. He eventually invaded the talent-laden welterweight and middleweight divisions. He won the welterweight championship from Sugar Ray Leonard in their first encounter (1980), only to relinquish it back to Leonard in their return bout. Leonard did not only bested Duran in their 3-bout match-up, he beat Hall of Famer Thomas Hearns and decisioned Middleweight all-time great Marvin Marvelous Hagler, among many other who's who in boxing.

1990's

Mexico's Julio Cesar Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, Oscar De La Hoya and Roy Jones Junior dominated their respective divisions during this period. Although Chavez, Whitaker and De La Hoya crossed paths at some points in their careers, one would be off his peak in relation to the other. The outcomes of their personal match-ups could therefore hardly be a measure of who was superior to whom. Jones? He rocked (for a time, that is.)


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7 Classic Fights Between Undefeated Boxers

In the advent of the pay-per-view phenomena, many recent matches have turned out to be just a bunch of sleep-o-ramas where one can simply grab a pillow and not worry about missing anything. Is this what the sweet science of boxing has reverted to? Now let's try to freshen our memories. Here are seven previous classic mega-bouts between undefeated fighters, in chronological order, that provided enough electricity to light up the Las Vegas skyline:

1. Joe Frazier (26-0) vs. Muhammad Ali (31-0), Mar. 08, 1971

With The Greatest coming out of a three-year hiatus, "The Fight of The Century", the first in the Ali-Frazier Trilogy, was supposedly the vehicle for his reclaiming of the WBC and WBA heavyweight titles. However, a victorious Smokin' Joe was emphatic in handing Ali his first defeat instead. Frazier floored Ali in the 15th round enroute to a unanimous decision triumph.

2. George Foreman (37-0) vs. Joe Frazier (29-0), Jan. 22, 1973

In the 1973 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year, Frazier was floored 6 times, 3 times in the 1st round and another 3 times in the 2nd round, when the fight was stopped by the referee, giving the brutal TKO conquest to Foreman.

3. Wilfredo Gomez (21-0-1) vs. Carlos Zarate (52-0), Oct. 28, 1978

It was a battle of frighteningly powerful knockout artists, Gomez winning all 21 within the distance after a draw in his first bout while Zarate knocking out a tremendous 51 opponents in 52 fights. With the WBC super bantamweight title on the line, it was no surprise that it took only 5 rounds to determine the winner. Would it be youth or experience that will prevail? This time the younger fighter, "Bazooka" Gomez, won.

4. Sugar Ray Leonard (25-0) vs. Wilfred Benitez (38-0-1), Nov. 30, 1979

It was a hard-fought 2nd defense of the prodigy Benitez, who became the youngest world boxing champ at age 17, for the WBC welterweight crown which saw him hit the canvas on the 3rd canto and bleeding in the forehead with a cut. The referee Carlos Padilla stopped the bout seconds before the end of the 15th round for a TKO win, with Leonard leading on all score cards.

5. Michael Spinks (27-0) vs. Larry Holmes (48-0), Sep. 21, 1985

A historic bout, given that a Holmes victory would have matched Marciano's unblemished 49-0 record, while a Spinks win will make him the first ever light heavyweight champion to become heavyweight king. As fate would have it, Spinks snatched a piece of history away from Holmes with a unanimous decision victory, taking the IBF heavyweight title along with it.

6. Riddick Bowe (31-0) vs. Evander Holyfield (28-0), Nov. 13, 1992

Unanimous decision win in 12 rounds by Bowe, their first fight in a trilogy. Many were doubtful that Holyfield could take on the huge Bowe but Real Deal proved in this fight the true warrior that he is. Round 10 was named Round Of The Year by Ring Magazine as a tribute to the two men giving in a round where the favor shifted from one to the other in a see-saw battle for supremacy in the heavyweight division.

7. Felix Trinidad (38-0) vs. Fernando Vargas (20-0), Dec. 02, 2000

A total war in the truest sense, Trinidad scored a 12th round TKO victory for the WBC/ WBA/ IBO junior middleweight titles. The Aztec Warrior managed to floor Trinidad once in the 4th round, but Trinidad made Vargas kiss the canvas a total of 5 times (twice in the 1st round and 3 times in the 12th round) when the bout was stopped.

Five Interesting Facts About the Touchdown Passes of the Patriots Tom Brady

There are few teams in history that have had a quarterback as good as Tom Brady. He is incredibly accurate, has deceptive arm strength, and is about as cool under pressure as a player can be. Brady came out of the University of Michigan without a lot of high expectations. He got onto the field due to an injury to the player starting ahead of him and went on to make the most of that opportunity. Since then he has won multiple Super Bowls, conference championships, and individual awards.

With the high powered offense that the New England Patriots have run since Brady came into the league, he has been able to put up some great passing numbers. Here is a look at five little known facts surrounding his touchdown passes. All information is taken from his entire career through the end of the 2009 NFL season.

#1 The first touchdown pass that Tom Brady ever threw in the National Football League came in the second quarter of a 29-26 win over the San Diego Chargers in 2001. The pass went for 21 yards and was caught by Terry Glenn. This was the only time that Brady would ever throw a touchdown pass to Glenn.

#2 Tom Brady has thrown more touchdown passes against the Buffalo Bills, 33 in total, during his career than he has against any other team in the NFL.

#3 He is a second quarter kind of guy. Over the course of his career, he has thrown 47 touchdown passes in the first quarter, 47 in the third quarter, 53 in the fourth quarter, and one in overtime. He has topped all of those though with 77 career second quarter touchdowns.

#4 No player has caught more touchdown passes from Tom Brady than Randy Moss. He and Moss have hooked up for a touchdown 36 times during their time together. This is more than twice the amount of touchdown passes he has thrown to anyone else.

#5 During his career, Brady has thrown 19 touchdown pass of 50 yards or more in distance. Even though he has only played with him for two seasons, 2007 to 2009 with 2008 lost due to Brady's injury, more than one third of those 50 yard touchdown passes have been caught by Randy Moss (7).

The Golfing Greats - Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer has said "Success in golf depends less on strength of body than upon strength of mind and character." His sense of fairness, kindness toward everyone, and dry sense of humor have made him one of the most popular golfers to ever play the game. And he was pretty darned good at the game, too!

As a world-famous golfer, Arnold Palmer won a majority of his 92 championships on the U.S. PGA tour. The only "major" he never won was the PGA Championship, although he finished second in three of them. Probably most noted for being the first pro to win four Masters Tournaments, it's not surprising to find that he started playing golf at the ripe old age of four. He worked hard at developing his golf game throughout most of his life, and it shows with some of the prestigious awards he's won including: the 1960 Hickok Professional Athlete of the Year, the 1960 Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, and even Athlete of the Decade for the 1960s in a national Associated Press poll. The awards culminated in 2004 when President Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a ceremony at the White House.

His professional career began in 1954, just a few months after he won the U.S. Amateur Championship. The leading money winner in three of the four years spanning his biggest period from 1960 to 1963, Palmer twice represented the U.S. in the international Ryder Cup Match.

But Palmer never let all that prestige and status go to his head. He unfailingly maintained a dry and subtle sense of humor. After succumbing to bad luck on the 18th hole at the Rancho Park L.A. Open in 1961, a newsman asked how he had managed to make 12 on the par 5 hole. His reply: "I missed my putt for an 11."

Rancho Park became his home golf course for many years. The 20th Century Fox Studios were right across the street, and many times you'd find Hollywood stars mixing with the regular golfing crowd. It's said that after Palmer once played a round with Frank Sinatra - the famed singer rumored to have been involved with the Italian Mafia - Sinatra asked him, "How do you like my game?" Palmer responded with a straight face, "I prefer golf."

Palmer even got along with members of the media, laughing at the statement made by one television commentator who noted during a live broadcast that Palmer "seems to be having trouble with his long putt. However he has no trouble dropping his shorts." That same kindness, understanding and sense of fairness have carried through his life and led to the unofficial creation of Arnie's Army, a dedicated group of fans that has numbered in the thousands.

The honor and unceasing dedication those fans offer Palmer is well-warranted. His philanthropic efforts, while never highly publicized, have earned him recognition with those who count - the people who know him. For two decades, Palmer served as honorary national chairman of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation and has played major roles in fund-raising drives for hospitals in both Orlando, Florida, and Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the town in which he was born.

Now in semi-permanent retirement, Palmer splits his time between Latrobe and La Quinta, California. He has numerous business interests around the world and still keeps his hand in his first passion, golf, serving as a consultant to The Golf Channel, designing golf courses around the country, and owning several golf courses, including being part owner of the renowned Pebble Beach course in California.

Famed golf pro, down-to-earth father and family man, quiet philanthropist - all can be used to describe Arnold Palmer. His life in golf has mirrored his life in general. Speaking of golf, he once noted, "I've always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn't have a chance to win." It seems, however, that it has been those who know him that have been the real winners in this game.

Green Bay Packers History

Green Bay Packers history is more extensive than most NFL teams. Packers fans are proud to know that their team is the third-oldest NFL franchise, established in 1919. They are now a part of the NFC North Division of the NFL, even though they started out as an independent football team and didn't join the NFL until 1921. Throughout Green Bay Packers history, they had many division changes, Packers started in the National Conference, then moved to the Western Conference in 1953, and then were divided into the Central Division of the Western Conference (confused yet) until 1969 when the AFL-NFL merger changed the leagues and made them a member of the NFC Central. Finally, in 2002, they were sent to the North Division as a part of the NFL changing teams around and re-doing divisions.
A unique aspect of the Green Bay Packers history is how the team ownership was structured. Packers are the only community owned, non-profit NFL team. They're also the only non-profit team of their kind in the world of professional sports across the United States. Green Bay Packers history began with their founding owners, Earl Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun, who were once high school rivals. Lambeau was given $500 for uniforms and equipment, and the team was to be named for the Indian Packing Company, who gave him the money to fund his team. Combining Green Bay with the Packing company, hence the name Green Bay Packers was born; this is an interesting aspect of Packers history considering it the oldest team name that is still being used.
In 1920, the Packers joined the new national pro football league, which survived only a year due to their financial problems. The next year, Lambeau acquired new funding, and the Green Bay Football Corporation was formed. The Packers immediately became a force to be reckoned with in professional football. A significant accomplishment in Green Bay Packers history is their 12 league championship wins, which is the most in NFL franchise history by any one team. Three of those championships are credited as Super Bowls. Making the NFL records book, the Green Bay Packers history includes three straight NFL titles, which they accomplished twice, in 1929, 1930, and 1931, and again in 1965, 1966, and 1967.
In the 1960s, Vince Lombardi accepted the coaching position and the team won five league championships during his era. In 1968, Lombardi became the General Manager, and Phil Bengtson was chosen as the next head coach. Lombardi then left Green Bay in 1969, became head coach of the Redskins, and then died in 1970. The Super Bowl trophy was named after Vince Lombardi and the road that goes by Lambeau Field in Green Bay was named after him to honor this legendary man. They had five winning seasons between 1968 and 1991, and appeared in the playoffs twice. They had five different head coaches and many changes in their roster, which may have been attributed to the lack of structure and poor drafting choices.
In 1992, the arrival of Brett Favre brought Green Bay Packers history into a new era. Brett Favre's numerous victories and triumphs, helped boost the sales of Packers tickets, memorabilia and merchandise. Favre started 271 consecutive games for the Packers, an NFL record that the Packers can add to their laundry list of accomplishments. After picking up Reggie White for defense, the team took off again. They have had several winning seasons, played in a numerous championship games and eventually made it to Super Bowl XXXI. They returned to Super Bowl XXXII, but ended up losing to John Elway and his Denver Broncos in a close game.
The Packers made history once again in the 2007 season, appearing in the NFC Championship game for the first time in 10 years. The sales of Packers memorabilia soared and especially those items related to their Super Bowl run. In addition, anything that Brett Favre contributed to, including Packers autographed items, was extremely popular among fans of all ages. One of the biggest controversy's in Green Bay Packers history unfolded in 2008, when Brett Favre retired, and then requested to be reinstated in that same year. His reinstatement was granted, but was then traded to the New York Jets. That season, the Packers came out with a 6-10 record, but despite those struggles, team supporters are still considered as some of the most loyal fans in the league.

Rio de Janeiro hosts the 2016 Summer Olympics

The Cidade Maravilhosa will be the first South American city to play host to the Summer Olympics 2016. All the competitions except for football will be held inside the city of Rio. Barra, Copacabana, Deodoro and Maracana are the four Olympic zones where the competitions will take place whereas Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Salvador and Sao Paulo are the cities where the football matches will be held. The Summer Olympics and the Summer Paralympics will tentatively range between August 5 to 21 and September 7 to 18 respectively.
When Rio was nominated as the Brazilian host candidate for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC) and the Federal Government was highly supportive of its candidacy. The BOC felt that Rio is the right place to host the Summer Olympics because it has the first-rate facilities for the different Olympic competitions as well as the accommodations for the thousands of athletes and tourists who will be staying in Rio for the whole length of the event. Carlos Arthur Nuzman, and the former Rio de Janeiro mayor, Cesar Maia gave their full support and approval for Rio's candidature.
Rio de Janeiro has hosted several important international competitions which makes it equipped to play host to the Summer Olympics. Back in 2007, Rio hosted the XV Pan American Games and the III Parapan American Games. The IPC even declared that the III Parapan American Games was the best ever in history. Brazil will also be the host country of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The decision of the BOC to choose Rio over the other contenders was formally announced on September 1st of 2006 during the Annual Assembly. It is Rio's first successful attempt in becoming the host city for an Olympic event after failing to make the cut in the 1936, 1940, 2004 and 2012 Olympics.
On May 16, 2007, the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics bidding process commenced. The IOC received seven candidates, Baku, Chicago, Doha, Madrid, Prague, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. The 2016 Applicant Cities Seminar was held on Lausanne, Switzerland on October 18, 2007 which was attended by the bid committees from the different candidate cities. Each of the candidates are required to submit an Applicant File which should give descriptions, strategies and project overviews to answer the IOC's 2016 Candidature Acceptance Procedure and Questionnaire. The IOC Working Group and the IOC Executive Board are in charge of deliberating the Application Files of the 7 candidates.
On June 4, 2008 in Athens, the final four was officially announced by the IOC. The shortlisted cities were Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. The cities were judged according to eleven criteria: government support, legal issues and public opinion; general infrastructure; sport venues; Olympic village; environment conditions and impact; accommodation; transport concept; safety and security; experience from past sport events; finance; and overall project and legacy. The weighted averages of the cities were: Tokyo - 8.3, Madrid - 8.1, Chicago - 7.0, Doha - 6.9, Rio de Janeiro - 6.4, Prague - 5.3, and Baku - 4.3. Despite Doha having a higher average than Rio, the IOC still chose Rio to be part of the shortlist. This decision raised political criticism but the reason for Doha's bid to be rejected was due to its proposal of staging the Summer Olympics in October to avoid the extremely high temperatures instead of the usual mid-summer period.
During the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, the four shortlisted candidates took part in the Olympic Games Observer Program. The candidates were also required to submit a Candidature File which should contain detailed answers to 300 technical questions of the IOC. From April 2 to May 9, the IOC Evaluation Commission embarked on an on-site inspection of the four candidate cities. On October 2, 2009, the decision was released in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Major plans for the Summer Olympics are being implemented in Rio. Olympic lanes connecting the four proposed Olympic zones and the Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport will be built. Olympic villages with accommodations and training facilities will be dedicated to the athletes. Media villages and hotel rooms will be allocated to the media who will be covering the event. Rio's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is the primary mode of transportation to the different locations within the city. The Federal Government has strategies to ensure safety and security.
Aside from creating facilities for the traditional Olympic Games, Rio's bid committee also added its proposal for accommodating some new sports that may be added to the Olympic Program. The bid committee proved itself capable of staging baseball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby, softball and squash.
Ana Soter designed the logo of Rio's candidature which was accompanied by the slogan, "Live your passion". It is highly reflective of the Brazilian's passionate involvement in accomplishing whatever they want or need to do. On the stroke of midnight, the logo and the slogan was projected on the 36-meter Ferris wheel right after the ten-second countdown to the beginning of the New Year of 2009. The summer of 2016 will be one of the most memorable summers of the decade and Rio de Janeiro is definitely the place to be during August to September of 2016 under the Olympic Games!

Sports List of the Olympics

There is always a question about how many sports are played in the Summer and Winter Olympics and also exactly what sports are they? These questions can be answered if you can get a hold of an official Olympic sport list.
Currently there are 26 sports in the Summer Olympics and 7 sports in the Winter Olympics. Each sport may have more than one discipline or event that is used in competition at the Olympics. An example of this would be swimming. There were 34 swimming events in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This is in contrast to basketball for example. Basketball only has 2 events, men's basketball and women's basketball. In order for a basketball player to win as many gold medals in his career as Michael Phelps won in the Beijing Olympics he would have to be on the national Olympic team for over 30 years!
The Summer Olympics have 302 events on the Olympic sport list in Beijing and in the 2010 Winter Olympics there will be 86 events. These numbers change slightly each Olympic games because the International Olympic Committee approve new sports and discontinue other sports. The most recent change is going to be baseball and softball will be dropped for the next Summer Olympics. The International Olympic Committee makes their decision based on the number of countries that participate and if there is a governing body for that sport. If there is a governing body by which the sport can be judged and it is widely participated in worldwide then it is looked at by the International Olympic Committee for addition to the Olympic sport list at the next Olympic games.
Another interesting note is that there are currently 32 sports that are recognized by the International Olympic Committee as sport but are not contested in the Olympic games. Of these 32 sports two will be selected for the 2016 Summer Olympics by the International Olympic Committee at a meeting in 2009 in Copenhagen. They are considering seven sports for the two spots: softball, baseball, golf, rugby, squash, karate and roller sports.
One rule that is in place when choosing a sport for the Olympics is that the primary propulsion used in a race can not be mechanical. This rule is followed strictly now but in the early days of the modern Olympic games there were power boating events! Technology has advanced to the point that this would be engineering and not physical ability that would decide the winner. Something that goes against what the Olympics is all about.
Remember next time you are watching the Olympics, whether the Summer Olympics or the Winter Olympics, that there are a lot more events than you will see in prime time and many of them are very entertaining. Try and find something you enjoy that has a star athlete who you won't see on the cover of a cereal box or in a shoe commercial.

Fun Facts about Yogi Berra

Not only was Yogi Berra a Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees, he was also a lively entertainer to say the least. Berra is a rare social commentator who can size up a situation in a way that you will surely never forget. Yogi once said "You can observe a lot just by watching."

Many of Yogi's "observations" are now used in our everyday lives. Some of yogi's quotes are:

• "A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore"
• "It ain't over till it's over."
• "Half the lies they tell about me aren't true."
• "How can you think and hit at the same time?"
• "I never said most of the things that I said."

As a catcher, Berra was unequaled during his time. He could jump out of his crouch like a wildcat, turning bunts into double plays and twisting pop ups into easy outs. From 1957 to 1959 he went 148 games error free. During that time he handled a record 950 chances behind home plate without a single error.
As a hitter, Yogi Berra broke nearly every power record for American League catchers. He drove pitchers crazy with his ability to get big hits off of bad pitches out of the strike zone.
The Yankees had some tremendous teams from 1949 to 1955. It was Berra who led the Yankees in each one of those seasons. Five times he drove in over 100 runs in a season. For 10 straight years he hit 20 or more home runs. He did all of this without being a strikeout hitter. In one season (in 1950) he had 597 at bats but only struck out 12 times.
Did You Know?

• Yogi Berra was the second man in Major League Baseball history to manage his own child. In 1985, his son Dale Berra became a Yankee.
• He was greatly admired for his business sense. He invested in everything from bowling alleys to YooHoo during the 1950's. All of his investments made him a wealthy man.
• Yogi won pennants as manager of the 1964 Yankees and the 1973 New York Mets.

Yogi Berra Timeline Biography

• Born: May 12, 1925 in St. Louis Missouri
• Age 9: Yogo sold 3 cent newspapers to help out his family.
• Age 15 Friends called him "Yogi" because he looked like a character from a movie.
• Age 17: Signed by the New York Yankees for $90 per month
• Age 21: Joins the Yankees at the end of the 1946 season
• 1952: Sets American League home run mark for a catcher
• 1955: Wins third MVP award
• 1958: Catches the entire season without an error

Pro Wrestling

Pro wrestling or professional wrestling is a form of wrestling in which the wrestlers get compensation for participating in a wrestling event or match. Their winning or losing is based on a set of rules that determine the award of points. Freestyle and Greco-Roman are the two wrestling styles commonly practiced by pro wrestlers. The only difference between the two styles is that in the Greco-Roman style, a wrestler can hold his opponent only above the waist. Women's wrestling competitions are always held in the Freestyle category.
The governing body that administers professional wrestling matches internationally and in the Olympics, is known as FILA (Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées or International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles).
There are some specific rules associated with pro wrestling. Points are awarded when one of the wrestlers achieves a takedown, a reversal or an exposure. Takedown occurs when a wrestler gains control over his opponent. Reversal happens when a wrestler gains control over his opponent from a defensive position. Points for Exposure are awarded when a wrestler succeeds in exposing his opponent?s back to the mat. Any illegal moves or maliciousness on part of a wrestler results in a penalty.
There are three periods in an international wrestling match. A wrestler who wins two or more periods is declared as the winner. Victory is awarded in an international wrestling match under four situations namely, Win by fall (when a wrestler holds both his opponents shoulders on the mat), Win by technical fall (when he is ahead by six more points in a match), Win by decision (judges decide the winner when no one has a fall) and Win by injury (when a wrestler forfeits due to injury).
The route to becoming a professional wrestler is full of challenges. It requires hours of practice and training every day before a wrestler can raise his skill levels to professional standards. A strict diet while training is absolutely essential to keep fit. Regular holidays become a luxury and living out of a suitcase a reality.

Boston Red Sox

With 27 games to go on Sept. 1st, the Sox were in first place with a nine game lead over the Devil Rays; not making the playoffs didn’t even seem like a possibility.  Losing 17 out of 22 games will change any team’s fortunes; while they have suffered some injuries to their pitching staff, even with a patched together rotation they should have been able to win at least 10 of those games just with their very expensive and explosive lineup.  But so far that very expensive and supposedly explosive lineup has been nowhere to be found.   Years of relying on high prized big name free agents has seemed to catch up with the Red Sox as their lack of depth is hurting them when they need it the most.   Highly sought after free agents Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford have done little during September to ease the team’s slid; Carl Crawford may go down as one of the worst free agent signings ever as he is hitting only .255 this season with 11 home runs and only 18 stolen bases.  That is not a good sign for a player in his first of a seven year contract worth $142 million; imagine how productive he will be in four years once he has lost most of his speed.  Instead of blowing that money on Crawford they should have let him go to the rival Yankees and instead spend that money on some much needed pitching depth.  When a knuckleballer a few years past forty is your third best starting pitcher then you have some serious problems, it is amazing that they didn’t try to at least add more depth at some point, that would have come in handy about now. 

Mike Tyson

Tyson started to compete in amateur boxing at 15. Even at this early stage, he already showed some habit of knocking people out. He held the record of the fastest knock out win, ever: 8 seconds. At 18, he won the national Golden Gloves championship-heavyweight division. He turned pro at 19 and rocked the world of boxing right away. Thirty-eight wins in succession, all but 4 of them inside the distance. These four survivors, obviously, had the common sense of using their feet to run instead of their hands to fight.

On November 22, 1986, he became the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history. He wrested the title from Trevor Berbick, who couldn't take much more punishment from Tyson after 2 rounds. His knock out record of 44 out of 50 wins ranks at the top of the all-time list. It seemed the mere shadow of his glare could already stun his prey. Those who watched on TV his fight against Peter McNeely in 1995, for example, would recall the pre-fight ritual in the middle of ring where the referee mumbled the rules and asked the fighters to acknowledge each other with a glove shake. For a minute or two Tyson did not move a muscle except his eyes-they followed McNeely as he tensely shifted his body weight from left to right.

McNeely grinned for what the viewers felt was cover for fear. When the bell rang, he charged at Tyson and got himself tagged instead. He was out in the first round. There is another side of Tyson's story, however. Quite arguably still captive of his past, he easily got himself into trouble with the law. That kept him out of boxing at several points of his career, the longest period being the one in which he served time from 1992 to 1994 for conviction from charges of rape.

It was not good for his boxing career. After defending his title 11 times in more than 3 years before losing it to Buster Douglas in 1990, he did manage to recapture it from Frank Bruno 6 years later. But people knew that his time as a prizefighter was up. Seven of his last 12 fights ended either in defeat or no contest. After Douglas, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams and Kevin McBride beat him the way he beat the rest-by knock-out.

Boxing Bests

 The Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier match dubbed as "The Thriller in Manila" should be mentioned first for the top slot. Ali himself described this fight as one that sent him as close to death as he had ever been. Both men threw venomous punches which made the fight one of the best that boxing had ever seen. After the fight, neither man was ever the same.

There are at least several other Ali fights that would qualify as "best" but this one stands out. How about Sugar Ray Robinson's fights when he defeated Henry Armstrong, Jake La Motta, Carmine Basilio, Gene Fullmer, Carl Olsen, Randy Turpin, Rocky Graziano, Kid Gavilin and Fritzie Zivic? The long list tells why he deserves to be included. Defeating the best boxers is equivalent to fighting the best fights. This list includes a few of the many Hall of Fame Champions whom Sugar Ray fought against and defeated. Just pick any of these fights and you get the best.
Rocky Marciano achieved one of the best boxing knockouts when he smashed Jersey Jo Walcott to the canvas. In fact, had Walcott been an ordinary person, he would have been decapitated. Among other of Marciano's fights eligible to be considered best are his winning fights against Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore.
Add to your list of the best boxing knockouts the Diego Corrales vs. Juan Luis Castillo match. This fight, giving Diego Corrales the WBC lightweight crown in May 2005 was a full recipe of battering blows, lightning combinations and underhand tactics. What's amazing about this best boxing fight is the fact that Corrales had been knocked down twice and still won. He spat out his gumshield after each knockdown to gain additional recovery time. Corrales needed more rounds to deliver his so-called "perfect" right hand that sent Castillo down in Round 10.
Of course it would be unfair not to put the Mickey Ward vs. Arturo Gatti fight in the list. This match was considered one that brought back memories from a golden era of boxing. After a decade of controversies in the boxing world, this "Fight of the Century" helped revive boxing's flagging fortunes. This 2002 event sent the two fighters into a brawl that was so reminiscent of the old days, with Ward sending Gatti down in the ninth round with his ferocious left.
The Julio Cesar Chaves vs. Meldrick Taylor fight truly belongs to the "best" list, and truly astonishing at that! These two talented fighters went at it for almost the full twelve rounds. You were asking why almost? It is because Chavez, who was behind on points, was able to steal the victory over Taylor only in the last two seconds of Round 12. If this fight doesn't qualify for the best then what does?
The 1981 Las Vegas match between "Sugar" Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns deserves to be included in the row. Fighting for the welterweight title, the speed of "Sugar" Ray met the devastating power of the "Hit Man". In one of the toughest boxing fights ever, Hearns who had the advantage of his huge reach was well ahead of Leonard by the 12th round. In spite of having a badly swollen left eye, however, "Sugar Ray" got his act together and started to use the full advantage of his superior speed. In a battle of speed against power, Leonard cut loose in the 14th and won by a KO.
It would make the list incomplete if Manny Pacquiao didn't figure in here somewhere. Recognized as being the best pound for pound fighter in the world, any of Pacquiao's title fights would qualify for this list of greatest fights. It would be a pleasure to watch this Filipino lefty again as he defeats boxing greats like David Diaz, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar de la Hoya and his demolition of Ricky Hatton.
Many more could be added to the list, both from the "old" fighters and the newer ones. The best boxing fights are filled not only with a display of strength, power and tactics, they are also loaded with emotions that could stir hope, unite people, and open new horizons to peoples and races.
The great fights of the past bring back legendary names such as Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano and even the daddy of them all, John L. Sullivan. Then onto Randolph Turpin, Floyd Patterson and the great Cassius Clay, soon to become Muhammed Ali. Then into the modern era. Who can say who was best or what fights were the best ever. There are too many great ones, and those mentioned above are just a very small drop in a large ocean, with everybody having their own favorites.

Treating Sports Injuries

Hundreds of athletes sustain acute injuries everyday while participating in sports. An acute sports injury is one in which there is a specific mechanism of injury (hit by ball, plant and twist, collision with opponent) and an immediate onset of symptoms including swelling, pain, bleeding, and possible deformity.
A number of types of sports injuries can be considered acute including:
• Sprains (injury to ligaments)
• Strains (injury to muscles)
• Contusions (bruise)
• Subluxation (partial dislocation that reduces itself)
• Dislocation
• Fractures
If there are signs or symptoms of a serious injury (deformity, severe swelling and/or pain), emergency first aid should be provided while keeping the athlete calm and still until emergency service personnel arrive on scene.
However, most acute sports injuries can be treated safely at home using the P.R.I.C.E. principle. The acronym stands for:
• Protection
• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation
The principles of P.R.I.C.E. should be used for the first 48 - 72 hours immediately after the injury. The goal during this time frame is to control the amount of swelling to the injured area, prevent further injury, and reduce pain. Following these principles can effectively reduce the amount of swelling in an injured area thereby reducing the amount of time required for rehabilitation.
Protection The first principle is protection. The purpose of protection is to avoid further injury to the area by protecting the injured structures. The type of protection used varies depending on the injured area but may include an ace bandage, aluminum splint, sling, protective tape, or over-the-counter brace.
These devices are applied so that the injured structures are protected from further injury. For example, an individual who recently suffered an ankle sprain may initially wear an ankle brace. A good ankle brace should protect the athlete from movements of inversion (movement of the ankle/foot inwards) and eversion (movement of the ankle/foot outwards) because those movements could further injure the damaged ligaments, but would allow the ankle/foot to move up and down.

Sports Injuries

Sport injuries occur to players while playing the game. Many of the sport injuries may occur due to too much strain of the body parts while participating in the sports activities. For example you can hurt your calf muscle and can have a sprain in your thigh muscles when you do excess of running in the football. Injuries in sports like football, hockey and rugby are very high as it involves direct collision of players while playing the game.
The dynamic nature of these sports also accounts for more injuries to the athletes. Mostly these injuries are characterized by bruise, muscle strain, and ligaments tear. These injuries when not treated at the right time can end the career of the athlete itself, so proper precaution and preventive measures should be taken by the athlete both on and off the field. Some of the common sports injuries that occur to athlete involved in soccer, cyclist and tennis players are runners' knee that causes pain in the front of the knee. It damages the structural orientation of the muscles in the knee and ultimately leads to ligament tear in the knee region.
A comprehensive and effective treatment method called RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) has been developed to deal with the runners knee problem. The above mentioned RICE treatment method is also followed to treat various injuries. The treatment to the sports injuries will depend on the specific source of the person's pain. Injuries are common to professional sports persons, and most teams have professional medical staff or team physical trainer to help them out in dealing with their injuries.
The concerned medical staff takes decision that could help a player to prolong his career as an athlete in spite of his injuries. Sports injuries have became a common thing in the professional athletes' life and athletic trainers hired by the team devise a perfect training and warm up activities to prevent and recover from these injuries. An athletic trainer is a certified, health care professional who practices in the field of athletic training.
Every individual athlete is required to consult the athletic trainers to devise their training schedule so that they can avoid injuries and prolong their career. The athletic trainers' help out the athlete to remain in the best physical shape by organizing the right amount of training activity including a balanced nutritious diet require by the athletes.
Even though sports are exciting to watch and play, the right precautions and preventive measure should be taken to tackle these injuries.

The science behind the golf swing

The golf swing begins in the positioning stage. This stage is the position that the golfer places their body in to begin the swing. According to Glenn Fleisig MD, the address position is a functional body position which includes the proper grip and body position. A balanced, "athletic" address position, which is consistent swing to swing, will provide the golfer with the correct starting position for the swing. Inconsistency in either how the body is set up or with the grip leads to inconsistency on shot to shot. The body in terms of muscle activity is fairly low at address. The muscles of the body are supporting the body in a specific anatomical position and preparing it to swing a club.

The back swing (take away) is when the body begins to move the club. The back swing is the portion of the swing that places the body in the correct position to begin the downswing. During the entire back swing the body begins the recruitment of energy that will be transitioned at the top of the back swing towards the ball. Key points from a biomechanical analysis of the back swing are: as the club moves backwards shear force is applied to anterior portion of the right foot, at the same time a posterior shear force is applied to the left foot (Fleisig, Biomechanics of Golf). This is the beginning of torque development in the body that will be transitioned into the club head at impact. Rotation of the knees, hips, spine, and shoulders continues during the back swing creating additional torque to be translated into the club head in later stages of the swing. The important point to remember in the back swing is that the entire rotation of these body parts occurs around an imaginary axis of the body. EMG activity is moderate during this stage of the swing as a result that the body during this portion of the swing is essentially creating/storing energy that will be released towards the end of the swing.

The completion of the back swing is what is termed the "transition" stage of the swing. The transition point of the swing is where the body finishes its backward movement and begins the forward movement of the swing. The best reference point of when the transition stage of the swing begins is when weight shift onto the inside of the right foot (right-handed golfer) is completed and movement back towards the left foot begins. The transition in terms of a time frame is very short and is completed when weight transfer begins to move forward, and the club completes its movement backwards. Research states that the transition of the swing is where additional elastic energy is stored within the body. This is a result of the lower body moving forward and the upper body still "coiling" backward. Studies show that at the completion of the transition (top of the back swing) the hips are closed to approximately 45 degrees and the shoulders are closed to about 100 degrees (Fleisig, Biomechanics of Golf).

After completion of the transition, the down swing into impact begins. Weight shift continues during the down swing. The generation of torque is created in the lower body and then transitioned up through the body into the club and eventually the club head. According to Fleisig, the majority of torque in the swing is generated by the lower body muscle groups of the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core region (low back, abdominals, obliques). The torque created in the lower body creates acceleration in the upper body as energy is transferred into the club head. EMG studies indicate that there is moderate activity of the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, and rotator cuff muscles (Geisler, Kinesiology of the Full Golf Swing) during the downswing. The downswing is complete at the point in which impact occurs with the golf ball.

Impact with the ball occurs for approximately half a milli-second (Fleisig, Biomechanics of Golf). The purpose of impact is to hit the ball in the correct direction with the chosen amount of force by the golfer. At impact the weight transfer is complete. Shear force from both feet are towards the intended target. Research indicates that at impact the left foot (right-handed golfer) is supporting 80% to 95% of the golfer's weight (Fleisig, Biomechanics of Golf). Impact again occurs for a very short amount of time (.0005 seconds). Impact is the point at which the potential energy created by the body during the back swing, transition, and down swing is transferred into the club and club head. The potential energy created by the body is then transferred into kinetic energy as club head comes into contact with the ball.

After contact, the impact stage of the swing is complete and the follow through stage begins. The follow through is essentially the deceleration of the body after contact with the ball has been made. This is completed through the body rotating to a completion point where the club head is behind the golfer. Deceleration by the body occurs as a result of the absorption of energy back up through the kinetic chain of the body. Follow through is where the body slows itself back down and dissipates all the kinetic energy create by it, which was not delivered into the ball.

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter's baseball career has been a fruitful one indeed, as he has managed, in only 15 years, to become one of the greatest baseball players alive. This is not the only article of this kind, as you can most probably find a Derek Jeter biography over the Internet, if you would simply write Derek Jeter on Google. Nonetheless, I am going to talk a bit about the key parts in his career so that you can see the evolution of Derek Jeter, both as a man and as a player.

Born on June 26, 1974, Derek Jeter, son of Charles and Dorothy, quickly developed his innate ability for sports. Since his father worked as a drug/alcohol abuse counselor, Derek's life was a healthy one, kept away from vice and unhealthy diets. In 1992 he joined the Minor Leagues and struggled for three years to advance until, in 1995, be caught a break and was given a spot in the Major Leagues. This is a special moment for Derek, as he in now playing with the big boys, training harder and better.

From 1995 to 1999 Derek went on a winning streak, as his batting average kept rising and he helped his team go through many hardships and gaining many victories. However, in 2000, he won the Derek Jeter World Series award and, later on, became one of the few players to ever own both an All Star Game MVP award and a World Series MVP award for the same season. In 2004 he suffered a shoulder injury and his game started to fade away easily, as his recovery went along quite slow. Even though Derek was injured, he kept on playing and helped the New York Yankees rack up several points in the championships they got to play and even secure a few titles.

His reputation grew stronger and endorsement deals came along, as he even helped release a baseball training machine to the market: the Derek Jeter batting trainer. The machine resembled his initial training apparatus and was designed to help children all around the country improve they swinging arm, while increasing both their batting average and strength.

Derek Jeter is, for the moment, considered to be one of the best players of his generation. He is the all-time hit leader among the position of shortstops and his.317 career batting average, for the 2009 season, ranks him as the fifth-highest among active players. He has been among the American League (AL) leaders in hit counts and runs scored for the past ten years. He is the all-time Yankees hit leader, passing the Hall of Fame member Lou Gehrig, in the year of 2009

The Derek Jeter Attitude

All coaches should be happy if they have players that take the same mental approach to baseball as Jeter does. Here I take three Derek Jeter quotes that I feel reflect the proper mental attitude for any player at any level to have toward the game.

Quote #1 This quote reflects Jeter's thoughts about the importance of having fun and enjoying the game.

"You have got to have fun. Regardless of how you look at it, we are playing a game. It is a business, it is our job, but I do not think you can do well unless you are having fun." Derek Jeter

It is refreshing to see a Major League Baseball All-Star like Jeter feels that having fun should be a priority. I feel that more players, coaches, and parents should share that same sentiment. Many coaches and players forget the fact that baseball is just a game and games are meant to be played for fun!

Quote #2 This quote shows that Jeter values defensive play and pitching as keys to winning.

"That is how you win - pitching and defense." Derek Jeter

This quote is coming from one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball History, yet he is makes it clear that he considers pitching and defense the keys to winning. Maybe some coaches and players should put more emphasis on the defensive aspects of the game.

Quote #3 This quote reflects how important Jeter thinks it is to keep working and improving. This quote shows the importance of staying focused and staying "hungry".

"We just want to win. That is the bottom line. I think a lot of times people may become content with one championship or a little bit of success, but we do not really reflect on what we have done in the past. We focus on the present."Derek Jeter

As you can see from Jeter's quotes, he does not put himself or his success above the game or his team. He shows a commitment to continue improving and working hard. His love for the game is obvious. He is an inspiration to anyone that watches him play

Derek Jeter

Born on June 26, 1974, Derek Jeter, son of Charles and Dorothy, quickly developed his innate ability for sports. Since his father worked as a drug/alcohol abuse counselor, Derek's life was a healthy one, kept away from vice and unhealthy diets. In 1992 he joined the Minor Leagues and struggled for three years to advance until, in 1995, be caught a break and was given a spot in the Major Leagues. This is a special moment for Derek, as he in now playing with the big boys, training harder and better.

From 1995 to 1999 Derek went on a winning streak, as his batting average kept rising and he helped his team go through many hardships and gaining many victories. However, in 2000, he won the Derek Jeter World Series award and, later on, became one of the few players to ever own both an All Star Game MVP award and a World Series MVP award for the same season. In 2004 he suffered a shoulder injury and his game started to fade away easily, as his recovery went along quite slow. Even though Derek was injured, he kept on playing and helped the New York Yankees rack up several points in the championships they got to play and even secure a few titles.

His reputation grew stronger and endorsement deals came along, as he even helped release a baseball training machine to the market: the Derek Jeter batting trainer. The machine resembled his initial training apparatus and was designed to help children all around the country improve they swinging arm, while increasing both their batting average and strength.

Derek Jeter is, for the moment, considered to be one of the best players of his generation. He is the all-time hit leader among the position of shortstops and his.317 career batting average, for the 2009 season, ranks him as the fifth-highest among active players. He has been among the American League (AL) leaders in hit counts and runs scored for the past ten years. He is the all-time Yankees hit leader, passing the Hall of Fame member Lou Gehrig, in the year of 2009.

Tiger Woods discusses how he feels

— Tiger Woods was on the practice range just as the sun began to rise Tuesday over Firestone, his first time on a PGA Tour golf course in nearly three months.

Even as the season heads toward a conclusion, Woods can't wait to get started.

"I'm excited to compete, to play," Woods said. "And hopefully, to win the tournament." Championship (May): withdrew after nine holes
That part about

It's everything else in the world of golf he once ruled that is so much different. Woods showed up at this week's Bridgestone Invitational at No. 28, his lowest world ranking since the start of his first full season on the PGA Tour. He has a new caddie — at least temporarily — in Bryon Bell, a childhood friend who heads up a design business that is not getting much work these days with a downturn in the industry.

He no longer is the dominant force in golf, having gone 20 months since his last win at the Australian Masters.

For Woods, however, the biggest change is how he feels about his health.

"The great thing is I don't feel a thing," Woods said. "It feels solid. It feels stable. No pain. That's one of the reasons why I took as long as I did to come back, is that I want to get to this point where I can go ahead and start playing golf again like this. It's been a very long time, and it feels good to go out there today and hit balls like this, go practice and feel nothing and walk around and pretty much do anything I want on the golf course."

Asked how long it has been since he felt so good physically, Woods replied, "Years."

Five boxing Champs

Mike Tyson

Tyson was lethal when he combined his speed with his power. He is at his best within the first six rounds and is not the same after. He intimidated opponents with his fearsome reputation. He is known for his early knock-outs at 30 and 91 seconds. He was destructive at his prime, going in the ring like he was going on a battle, with all his pent-up energy and determination; he was a force to be reckoned with - earning him a spot at the top of the hardest hitters in boxing history.

Sonny Liston

Some people think that his chance to fight for the title was a long time coming. He was at his prime even before that, delivering fire power and early knock-outs. But people tend to remember Liston as the dismal opponent of Muhammad Ali. His uncompromising and menacing demeanor made Liston the opponent to beat. He was perhaps the most underrated hardest hitter in the boxing history.

Joe Louis

Also known as the Brown Bomber, Louis was formidable at his prime. He was not like the others who finish their opponents with one punch. He was what the boxing insiders called the great finisher; because once he gets hold of his opponent, he never let go. He also intimidates his opponents with his fearless aura and his opponents were ready to be knocked-down even before the fight, truly one of the hardest hitters in boxing history.

George Foreman

Also known as Big George in the boxing circuit, he did not pack a punch gracefully. He was clubbing left and right his opponents; delivery big, looping, forceful and bludgeoning blows. His massive punch gave him the spot to the hardest hitters in boxing history; once his opponents walk into this unstoppable force, it's the point of no return.

Rocky Marciano

Forty-nine successive wins and 43 knocked-outs earned him the right to be one of the hardest hitter in boxing history. He is known to take his time, softening up his opponents with bruising bombardment. His right hand is said to change day to night; ending the fight for his opponents. He shows great single-shot punch delivered late into the fight ending his opponent with his blockbuster right hand

George Forman's Motivational Speech

George Forman's sister said he would never amount to anything!

George Foreman became heavy weight boxing champion of the world. Today he is a preacher, entrepreneur and the spokesperson for the George Foreman Grill with over 1 million units sold. And yes a motivational speaker.

"Look at me."

That was his opening line and one that he repeated like a refrain throughout his presentation.

What did that mean? "Look at me." Don't look at my scars, my color, education or obstacles. "Look at me." See the fighting spirit within me. See me for who I am and can be. Although Foreman shouted that to his fight manager - the phrase is one that he might have shouted at his sister, his teacher and at his own reflection in the mirror. His own self talk - to push himself to look at himself.


I dare you, look in the mirror and shout, "Look at me."

He tells his own story - a poor black kid who did not fit in, who didn't want to go to school, who only wanted to use his physical advantage to intimidate and beat up other kids...

As a child, George Foreman did not have a future nor a direction. The only motivation he had might have been anger and a fighting spirit.

A guidance counselor told him - "If you only want to beat up people you might as well become a boxer."

George Foreman pointed out that he was never a boxer - he was a fighter. The difference as he illustrated was that a boxer was one who took the perfect stance - hands and feet in the perfect position - looks pretty - almost like a dancer. A fighter was one who ignored the blood and pain and simply fought.

As a true motivational speaker, George Foreman talked about his inner fears and doubts. He laughed at himself and encouraged us to do the same. A true motivational speaker knows that it is not about appearing superior to your audience. You can only motivate people who can identify with you and your pain.

When he started to fight, he confessed that he got scared, closed his eyes and swung his huge fists at his opponent. He was the surprised one when he opened his eyes to discover his opponent on the floor.

That strategy worked until he met better boxers who danced out of the way of his blind-fury fists. The new surprise for him was that after he opened his eyes his opponent was still standing and grinning at him. That demanded a new strategy - time to keep his eyes open when he swung his massive fists.

A motivational speaker must demonstrate the power of his opponent. No one is motivated by an easy victory.

George Foreman talked about his fear of fighting "Smokin' Joe Frasier". George Foreman had to knock Joe Frasier down six times to win that fight. Six times! And each time that Foreman knocked Frasier to the mat Foreman prayed that Frasier would stay down this time. How many of you are willing to do the same thing six times just to win one fight? How many give up too soon?

Then it was time to face Mohamed Ali. Five rounds and Ali did not throw a punch. Ali simply danced. George thought he had Ali beat. In the fifth round as they embraced - Ali taunted him with "Is that all you got George?" That taunt chilled George and foreshadowed what was still to come.

George was spent and Ali had made an accurate analysis of his opponent's endurance. Mohamed Ali won that fight, not because he was tougher, but because he fought smarter.

George Foreman was defeated that day by more than a boxer; he was defeated by a smart fighter.

In his presentation Foreman honoured his opponent. George did not whine nor complain. A real motivational speaker tells life the way it is - not the way it should be.

As he marched purposely off stage, motivational speaker George Foreman closed his presentation with this message: Fight - Fight - Fight

Mohammed Ali and Parkinson's Disease

Many famous personalities around the world have, or had, Parkinson's Disease. The list reads like a who's who: Mohammed Ali, Michael J. Fox, Johnny Cash, Katharine Hepburn, Billy Graham, Pierre Trudeau and Pope John Paul 2.

Parkinson's Disease is a neurological disease that can cause trembling or shaking of different parts of the body. It is progressive and can cause total paralysis and death. Most often it is associated with old age, but there is a form of the disease that afflicts people as early as their 30's. The progression of the disease and its symptoms can be very rapid or quite slow. The constellation of symptoms is different for each patient, and can change day by day or even hour by hour.

Perhaps the most famous Parkinson's patient is Mohammad Ali, the American boxer. He was a brilliant star in boxing in his prime. Because of the effects of the disease, now in his late 50's he has difficulty walking, speaking and moving his hands. The disease makes his gait very short and choppy and gives him balance problems. Despite these difficulties he carried the Olympic torch to light the flame for the 1996 games. His symptoms were obvious at that time, but he remained upbeat and cheerful, and despite his having lost the ability to smile, he appeared very happy to be present at this event.

Johnny Cash, the famous American country singer, announced that he had Parkinson's in October of 1997. The actress Katharine Hepburn's head movements late in life may have been the result of Parkinson's Disease. Margaret Bourke-White, the famous LIFE magazine photographer, died of Parkinson's in 1971.

One of the youngest patients known to the general public is Michael J. Fox. He was the star of the three very popular "Back To The Future" movies, playing an American teenager who was unwittingly transported back to 1955 where he met his parents when they were teens themselves. Just after filming of the last of these movies was finished, Michael began exhibiting the first signs of the disease. For him, the first sign was an uncontrollably twitching pinky finger. For a number of years he hid his diagnosis and did his best to conceal the effects of the disease, but in late 1998 he announced his condition.

Since that time he has undergone brain surgery and has been on a long and changing list of medications in an effort to control his symptoms. He created the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, which is dedicated to finding the cure for this terrible disease. His goal is to find that cure and put his own foundation out of business.

Michael has done many interviews over the course of his illness. In some of these interviews he seems relatively symptom-free; in others, his symptoms are very obvious. Some have assumed that he appears on-camera while symptomatic in an effort to gain pity. Michael denies that and states that it's just the unpredictable nature of the disease; sometimes the medications take effect sooner, and sometimes later. What is most admirable about this is that, whether he is very symptomatic or relatively symptom-free, Michael always handles the situation with grace, poise and wisdom. If his interviewer seems uncomfortable at the beginning of the interview, by the end it is easy to see that they have been put at ease by Michael's good humor, his upbeat acceptance of his situation and his determination to help others with his diagnosis.

Michael J. Fox has written books about his journey with Parkinson's. The first is called "Lucky Man," in which he recounts how the disease made him take a good look at life and learn to appreciate the good things much more than he had before his diagnosis. The second, "Always Looking Up - The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist," is a forward-looking and hopeful sequel.

Although each patient's symptoms are different and may change, there are many symptoms common to the disease. One of these is called the "mask face," or hypomimia. With many patients, the face becomes very still, seeming almost expressionless. The eyebrows don't move, and the patient is unable to smile. Michael J. Fox and Mohammed Ali show this symptom. Patients can also exhibit tiny handwriting and a soft, whispery voice.

Golf and lower back strain

The lower back is placed under high amounts of stress every single swing of the golf club. Over time the muscles of the lower back can become fatigued from the golf swing. This will eventually lead to the muscles of the lower back "giving up" and becoming fatigued.
Once the muscles of the lower back are fatigued it is a very short step to injury. What is the process of eliminating this type of scenario playing out?

It simply requires the development of muscular endurance in the lower back to withstand the stressors of the golf swing. Bottom line the golf swing is a repetitive movement, requiring the body to perform the swing over and over again. In order for the muscles (lower back muscles included) involved in the golf swing to perform the repeatable movements of the golf swing over and over again in an efficient manner.

Muscular endurance is the ability of the neuromuscular system of the body to perform a repetitive biomechanical movement (i.e. golf swing) without becoming fatigued. How do you develop muscular endurance specific to the golf swing? By simply, implementing golf fitness exercises into a structured program.

In addition to the development of increased muscular endurance the efficiency of the golf swing mechanics may require adjustment. Efficiency within the mechanics of the golf swing can directly affect the amount of stress placed upon the lower back.

Additional research has indicated the shear forces placed upon the lower back of a professional golfer is significantly less than the amateur golfer. The reason for the difference is the mechanics of the golf swing performed by the professional is much more efficient, placing less stress on the lower back.

Stated previously, numerous reasons exist for the lower back to become injured. The mechanics of the golf swing and endurance with muscles of the lower back are only two of many possibilities. If the lower back is weak the shear forces placed upon it by the golf swing will eventually lead to fatigue. The development of higher levels of muscular endurance can counter act this situation. The utilization of golf fitness exercises is best in relation to the golf swing for this situation.

Additionally, the efficiency in which the mechanics of the golf swing are executed affects the lower back. A less efficient golf swing places higher levels of shear force upon the musculature of the lower back causing fatigue and possible injury. A comprehensive golf fitness program to develop higher levels of muscular endurance and the creation of a efficient golf swing golf through instruction may assist keeping your lower back injury free.

Derek Jeter's 3000 hits

Derek Jeter (the Yankees starting shortstop) reached a career milestone by getting 3000 hits in his career. He is the first ever Yankee to get that goal and he is the 28th player in the history of baseball to do this. And there is a long list of Yankee players that have made the hall of fame, which haven't gotten this goal. That is one huge goal to accomplish as an MLB player and is sure to give you an easy ride to the hall of fame!

In Derek's first at bat he got a single up the middle. On his second at bat he hit a solo homerun to get the 3000 career hit mark. There is no better way to break a record like that, especially at your home field. (Yankee stadium) The fan that caught the ball even gave the ball immediately back to Derek Jeter after the game.

Derek had an unbelievable game. Not only the fact that he broke the milestone, he also had some very clutch hits in helping his team to win and he went 5 for 5. (5 hits) It was Derek's day and nothing was going to stop him. The Yankees ended up winning the game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Devil Rays are also in the Yankees division which helped them get a bigger lead in the division/wild card race they are fighting for.

With all of the Derek Jeter injury talks that were going on; people probably doubt that he has health issues after this game.

Some other accomplishments Derek Jeter has in his career are:

· 12 time American league all-star

· 5 American League gold glove award (shortstop)

· USA Today High School Player of the Year

· All-star game most valuable player award

· World series MVP award

Derek also has many other minor accomplishments, but these are the major ones he has in the MLB. Derek is an incredible baseball player and people are questioning if he will one day earn the 4000 hit milestone. I think that he will have to play 5-8 more seasons and get around 150 hits per season. Even if he reaches the 3500 hit mark it will be amazing. Very few players in baseball have ever done that.

Derek Jeter's history

Derek Jeter's baseball career has been a fruitful one indeed, as he has managed, in only 15 years, to become one of the greatest baseball players alive. This is not the only article of this kind, as you can most probably find a Derek Jeter biography over the Internet, if you would simply write Derek Jeter on Google. Nonetheless, I am going to talk a bit about the key parts in his career so that you can see the evolution of Derek Jeter, both as a man and as a player.

Born on June 26, 1974, Derek Jeter, son of Charles and Dorothy, quickly developed his innate ability for sports. Since his father worked as a drug/alcohol abuse counselor, Derek's life was a healthy one, kept away from vice and unhealthy diets. In 1992 he joined the Minor Leagues and struggled for three years to advance until, in 1995, be caught a break and was given a spot in the Major Leagues. This is a special moment for Derek, as he in now playing with the big boys, training harder and better.

From 1995 to 1999 Derek went on a winning streak, as his batting average kept rising and he helped his team go through many hardships and gaining many victories. However, in 2000, he won the Derek Jeter World Series award and, later on, became one of the few players to ever own both an All Star Game MVP award and a World Series MVP award for the same season. In 2004 he suffered a shoulder injury and his game started to fade away easily, as his recovery went along quite slow. Even though Derek was injured, he kept on playing and helped the New York Yankees rack up several points in the championships they got to play and even secure a few titles.

His reputation grew stronger and endorsement deals came along, as he even helped release a baseball training machine to the market: the Derek Jeter batting trainer. The machine resembled his initial training apparatus and was designed to help children all around the country improve they swinging arm, while increasing both their batting average and strength.

Derek Jeter is, for the moment, considered to be one of the best players of his generation. He is the all-time hit leader among the position of shortstops and his.317 career batting average, for the 2009 season, ranks him as the fifth-highest among active players. He has been among the American League (AL) leaders in hit counts and runs scored for the past ten years. He is the all-time Yankees hit leader, passing the Hall of Fame member Lou Gehrig, in the year of 2009.