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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Tiger Woods and golf

Tiger Woods is uncertain as to when he will resume playing golf.

"Usually I set a timetable when I want to come back and play when I've had injuries before," Woods said at the AT&T National, which benefits his foundation. "This one is different. I'm going to learn my lesson from what I did at The Players and apply it this time and come back when I'm 100 percent. I don't know when that's going to be.

"That's kind of the frustrating thing about it right now is I don't know."

Regarding the British Open:

"I wouldn't go over there just to show up," he said. "I'd go over there to win the golf tournament, so I need to obviously get my body ready so I can practice, and eventually play."

"We're testing it every day to see what it feels like," he said. "You try and push it as far as the leg will go, and then if it doesn't feel any good, then you bring it back. And each day it's gotten better. We haven't had any setbacks, which has been good. But still, it's not as explosive or as strong as I'd like to be."
So, for now, playing golf is on hold.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Arnold Palmer- a golf great

With the possible exception of Jack Nicklaus, there is simply put no name that is as associated with the sport of Golf as that of Arnold Palmer. He is, together with Nicklaus, responsible for making golf a popular instead of an esoteric game, and is easily also one of the best to have ever played the game. An Arnold Palmer quiz needs to look not only at his incredible records as a player, but also his contributions on a larger scale to the sport of golf itself.

However, Arnold Palmer trivia, like that of any athlete, is so full of information regarding the statistics and numbers involved in his career that it would be impossible to ignore them altogether. For example, Palmer won seven majors in the course of his career. He won the masters in four different years, the US open once, and the Open Championship (The British Open) twice. He nearly won all three in a single year but lost the Open by just one shot. He won 29 PGA tour events once within the window of four seasons from 1960-1963, which were easily his best years. He was also the first person to earn a million dollars on that tour, again establishing him as a sporting superstar rather than simply a golfer.

An Arnold Palmer quiz needs to note that he helped to make golf less of a sport for the elite, and more a sport that everyone could enjoy. Many people found themselves unable to continue playing team sports as they grew older, and golf provided them with a sport they could all enjoy even into old age. This was something that became emphasized even more into the twilight years of Palmer's career, as he became one of the promotional faces of the senior PGA tour, helping to popularize those events the way he had helped to popularize the regular tour in earlier years.

Arnold Palmer trivia should end with his last formal tournament that he played in, which was in October 2006. Palmer had retired from the Masters in 2004, the Us. Senior open in 2005, and in 2006 he withdrew after starting a tournament because he felt that he could no longer play effectively. His legacy was reaffirmed by moments of brilliance even during those last tournaments, including a legendary shot in 2004 at the Bay Hill Invitational

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

A Fit body for Golfing success

Golf is a game requiring mastery in a variety of areas for success. Breaking down the game of golf into categories. Success and development within is required in the areas of mechanics, physical, nutritional, and mental. Mechanics is the development of the proper biomechanics of the golf swing. Physical entails developing the body around the golf swing. Nutrition incorporates fueling the body for proper success on the golf course. Mental is the development of the correct mind set to excel at the game of golf.

Each and every one of these categories has a direct affect on the development of your golf game. Often the golfer tends to focus only upon the development of the golf swing through mastery of biomechanics of the golf swing. Developing the biomechanics of the golf swing requires you to correctly master each phase of the golf swing. Often the golf swing is broken down into phases. These phases are address, backswing, transition, downswing, and follow through. Not only is it required of the amateur to master each movement entailed in the phases of the golf swing. It is also necessary to perform each specific movement with the correct timing. Finally, the discussion of the biomechanics requires you to create efficiency and repeatability within the golf swing. After recognizing all the intricacies involved in the development of efficient golf swing mechanics. It is understandable why golfers spend an in ornate amount of this part of developing their golf game.

What golfers at times fail to recognize that additional categories exist requiring development to create the optimal golf swing. If ignored these aspects can negatively affect the development of the golf swing and golf game. The next category requiring development within the golfer is categorized as physical. Physical refers to the development of the body around the golf swing. Often times the body is a hindrance in the development of the biomechanics of the golf swing. The golf swing requires certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within the body to execute the golf swing correctly. If the body is lacking in any one of these physical categories, the ability to perform the biomechanics of the golf swing correctly will be hindered. The end result is the possible inability to master the biomechanics of the golf swing. The common result is the development of compensations in the golf swing. For example, the golf swing requires a high level of flexibility to complete a full shoulder turn. If the golfer is lacking flexibility, the ability to complete a full shoulder turn will be compromised, thus causing compensations in the golf swing.

Each and every physical component has a direct effect on the execution of the golf swing. Compensations can easily occur if these physical aspects are not developed around the golf swing. In addition to developing these physical aspects of the body, it is of equal importance to develop these parameters around the biomechanics of the golf swing. This type of training is termed cross-specific training. Cross-specific training can be defined as the developing the physical parameters of the body to the positions, movement, and requirements of the golf swing. This simply states the components of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power must be developed around the requirements of the golf swing.

After understanding the physical component of golf swing development. The golfer must understand two additional categories directly affecting the game of golf. The next category the golfer must understand and develop is nutrition. Nutrition is a fairly basic component to understand in relation to golf or any other athletic endeavor. Essentially, nutrition is the process by which one fuels their body for their sport. Basically if poor nutrients are given to the body during athletic endeavors, outputs on the field of competition (i.e. golf course for golfers) will be less than optimal. Nutrition in relation to athletes is not solely concerned about weight loss, but more so on providing the body with the nutrients required for success on and off the course. Weight loss and good health go hand-in-hand with proper nutrition, but with athletes the number one concern is properly fueling the body for success in their chosen sport. Nutrition in golf and athletics in general are required for success during competition and development of the athlete in their chosen sport.

For example, nutrition fuels the body in the development of it physically. In order to develop higher levels of strength and power within the golfer, proper nutrition will undoubtedly increase the success within this category. If the body is provided proper nutrients, the ability of it to develop the physical requirements needed of the golf swing will occur at a much more optimal process.

The final category lending itself to develop of one's golf game is mental. Often referred to as a key element of success within the game of golf. Numerous materials exist on the development of the mind within golf. It is often a category that is address once a proficiency in the area of golf swing mechanics has materialized, but at times is overlooked by many amateurs within the game. A grasping of the basic concepts of positive mental outlook, visualization, and preparation can improve a golfer's success rate on course a great deal. As with all other categories requiring development for the game of golf, the mental side of game is in need of attention.

Development of a golfer's swing and game consists of much more than the golf swing itself. It requires efficiency within the biomechanics of the golf swing. Inside these biomechanics of the golf are ingraining the correct sequence of the golf swing and the timing required. Developing the biomechanics of the golf swing can hinge upon physical components of the body. Certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power are required to execute the golf swing correctly. On top of developing the body for the golf swing proper nutrition is required. Nutrition fuels the body during a round of golf and assists in the process of developing a well rounded golf game. Finally, the correct mental approach is required for success within this game of golf. The mental side of the game requires just as much attention as the other components in the development of your game of golf. All in all a comprehensive approach in the development of your golf game is required for optimal success in the game of golf. This entails time and effort in the areas of: golf swing biomechanics, developing the flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power required physically of the golf swing, properly fueling the body with optimal nutrition, and development of a sound mental approach to the game of golf.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Yankees and Red Sox rivalry

There are many great rivalries across in sports, but the one between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox is legendary. The history between these two fabled baseball teams is too extensive to give proper consideration in a brief article. Here is a brief synopsis of this great rivalry.

Boston won the first World Series in 1903 as the Americans, before changing their name to the Red Sox in 1908. The Yankees, who were known as the Highlanders in the early days, met the Boston Americans in 1904 in a season ending battle for the pennant. Boston was victorious in that game, which was the only time that these two teams met in the final game of a season, due to a World Series not being played that year.

Babe Ruth arrived in New York for the 1920 season after six successful years in Boston as a pitcher and outfielder. He was sold by the Boston owner, Harry Frazee, to pay off loans, and this was the beginning of what many have called "The Curse of The Bambino". It took 86 years for Boston to win another World Series after winning with Ruth in 1918. The New York Yankees' dominance was unprecedented over these years, with pennants, championships, and statistics that would be unequaled by any sports team in history.

Boston did have some memorable moments during the years of Yankee supremacy. The Red Sox nearly edged out the Yankees for the pennant in 1949 when they only had to win one of their two remaining games against the Bronx Bombers. They were defeated in both games and the Yankees went on to start a streak of five consecutive World Series championships.

The Red Sox appeared to be a lock for the pennant in 1978, but the season ended in an epic battle with the Yanks prevailing in a one game playoff. Many great Red Sox players such as Yastrzemski, Rice, Fisk, and Lynn were part of this exciting, but losing effort. Unfortunately, this would prove to be the last opportunity for these talented players to win a World Series. Boston would finally break the curse in 2004!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Ted Williams

It does not take very much to make somebody realize just what an impact Boston Red Sox Ted Williams had on the world of professional baseball. As a matter of fact, you would have to have been living under a rock for quite some time if you have never heard the name of this famous player. As far as contributions to baseball go, there is plenty that the world of baseball fans can thank Boston Red Sox Ted Williams for.

When talking of such a famous player, it is almost too difficult to figure out just where to begin. Boston Red Sox Ted Williams was famous for being voted in as a American League Baseball Most Valuable Player more than once. In addition to that, he enjoyed the honor of being one of the celebrated players to be inducted into the prestigious Baseball Hall of Fame back in 1966. Then, once you add to this all of the wonderful statistics and achievements under his belt and it should be quite easy to see just why Boston Red Sox Ted Williams is such a valuable piece of baseball history.

Just as many other players in the major leagues, Boston Red Sox Ted Williams got his start by playing baseball in the minor leagues. Stepping up to the plate for teams such as the Minneapolis Millers and the San Diego Padres, Ted Williams had his fair share of practice to get to his famous position with the Boston Red Sox. In 1939, he got his chance to move into the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox. Ted Williams wasted no time at all before he began breaking records with his batting average.

In 1941 Williams had one of the greatest individual seasons for any ballplayer in history. At age twenty-three he hit .406, the last ballplayer to reach that magic figure, won his first home run crown, and won the All-Star Game with the most dramatic hit of his career, a ninth-inning two-out homer in Briggs Stadium.

Today, you can ask just about any one of the thousands and thousands of Boston Red Sox fans about Ted Williams and all of his incredible contributions to the world of baseball and they are sure to give you quite an earful. From one of the most passionate fan bases in the world of major league baseball, it is not hard to see just why Ted Williams is such a cherished player whose name is sure to go down in history.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Boston Red Sox-Fenway Park

For many Boston tourists, Fenway Park holds a top position on their "Must See while in Boston" list. Home of the Boston Red Sox, Fenway is both the smallest of any major league baseball facility and the oldest still in use. It's also one of the last to use hand-operated score boards.

That's part of what makes Fenway so special. Most of the seats are close to ground level . . . and speaking of ground, the Red Sox play on real grass, not artificial turf. If you're used to watching baseball games from the huge stadiums in other cities, you'll be amazed by how close you are to the players and the action on the field. You can hear the crack of the bat against the ball - and who knows, you might even catch one!

Here are a few things you should know to get the most out of your visit to this famous Boston destination:

- Consider staying in one of the nearby hotels in Boston's Fenway neighborhood. Hotel Commonwealth, Hotel Buckminster, the Eliot Hotel (actually in Back Bay), and Howard Johnson Fenway Park are all within 5-8 minutes walk of the ball park. Not only will you enjoy the short walk to the park, but if you celebrate in any of the nearby bars and nightspots after the game, you'll appreciate the equally short walk back.

- While you're in Fenway Park, be sure to check out the Green Monster. This famous 37 foot left field wall compensates for the unusually short left field - and its quirks have caught many players from out of town teams by surprise, much to the delight of Red Sox Nation, as local fans are called. If you want a quintessential Fenway experience, try to get seats in the section on top of the Green Monster that was added in 2003.

- If you plan to attend a game, be sure to get your tickets as soon as you know the dates when you'll be in Boston. They sell out quickly. Current seating capacity for day games is 35,692 and for night games its 36,108. Back in the 1930s, Fenway used to pack in almost 47,000 spectators but changes in the city's fire codes in the 1940s dramatically reduced seating by almost one third. On the other hand, the Sox became so unpopular at points during their long losing streak with the Yankees that at couple of points in the 1960s, they played to crowds of less than 500.

- If you can't get tickets for the game that you want to attend, don't despair: Fenway sells a limited number of Game-Day tickets. Sales start 2 hours before the game, and you can line up 5 hours ahead of time. Of course, you may not want to spent that many hours of your visit to Boston waiting in line for tickets that you might not get.

- If you still don't have a ticket, you can pursue 3 more reasonably good options: 1) join others without tickets and watch the game on a big screen at one of the popular Boston bars near Fenway, 2) go on one of the Fenway Park tours given when the Red Sox aren't playing, and/or 3) extend your visit to Boston long enough to get tickets for another day.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Remembering Babe Ruth

One cannot talk about baseball history without remembering "The Great Bambino" Babe Ruth.His iconic status has made him a benchmark for all baseball players. Here is a short Babe Ruth Biography.

He was born on February 6, 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland as George Herman Ruth, Jr.His chilhood was hard; His mom died while he was young and his dad signed him into an orphanage. A pastor helped and guided him with his athletic ability and he broke into the major leagues in 1914 and played for the Boston Red Sox. After a great performance as a pitcher for the Red Sox, he then transferred to the New York Yankees in 1919 where he switched positions to a full time right fielder. It was during this time that he became one of the most prolific hitters in baseball history.

Babe is basically touted as the man who changed baseball from a game dominated by speed and low scores to a game that had power and high scores. His prowess and charismatic personality boosted him to fame, especially when he became the first man to hit 60 home runs in one season in 1927. This record was broken later on in 1961 by Roger Maris.

The left handed Ruth is has the tenth highest lifetime batting average with an average of.342, with a 1.164 career on base plus slugging average and.690 career slugging percentage to this day remain Major League baseball records. In his lifetime he led the league twelve times in home runs during a season and slugging and OPS percentages thirteen times each as well as runs scored eight times.

He is also ranked number one on the list of 100 Greatest Baseball Players as ranked by The Sporting News in 1998. Not only this, but Babe is also ranked as the most recognized athlete, an accolade he shares with Muhammad Ali, the famous boxer. This ranking takes into account 800 famous athletes whether dead or living that have made an impact on the sports they participated in.

But the iconic status of the man does not end there. In a 1999 survey by ESPN, 97% of Americans 12 years old and over identified closely with Ali and Ruth. This in turn also makes him the third greatest US athlete of the 20th century behind Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali.

The baseball great is survived to this day by his lone daughter Julia Ruth Stevens, 93 who lives in New Hampshire. Julia to this day vows to keep the name her father and also to tell stories of the baseball great to anyone who will listen. In her own words, he was not only a great baseball player but also a great father, and the world should not forget who he was and what he has done for the sport of baseball.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Dillon Gee

In a season full of key injuries and negative financial news, the Mets have found one bright spot.... Dillon Gee.

This rookie is pitching like an ace.

Gee outpitched Jair Jurrjens to remain unbeaten this season, and Jose Reyes hit a bases-loaded triple, leading New York past the Atlanta Braves 5-0 on Saturday night.

"I was really impressed because it was a game that we needed some zeros," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He's proved that he can pitch at this level and have success. All he does is give you quality outings."

The Mets took advantage of an error by shortstop Alex Gonzalez to score five times in the seventh inning.

New York's bullpen kept a lead with Pedro Beato and Tim Byrdak combining for two perfect innings to close end it.

"Better than the last few I watched," Collins said.

The Mets set an unwanted major league record Friday night: Their last six home losses have all come in games in which they led in the seventh inning. The bullpen had a 10.57 ERA over the previous 12 games.

Gee (6-0) won his fourth straight start, needing only 85 pitches to get through seven innings before he was lifted for a pinch-hitter. Showing smarts and poise again, he allowed four hits and walked two while finishing with a pair of strikeouts.

"He was definitely on top of his game. He was basically doing anything he wanted tonight," Braves slugger Chipper Jones said. "Fastball in and out. Changeup, bottom dropping out of the changeup. Cutter, which is something we were seeing for the first time. Just really, really kept us off balance."

Gee became the first rookie in club history to win his first six decisions in a season as a starter. Jon Matlack, the 1972 NL Rookie of the Year, opened 6-0 with one win out of the bullpen.

"I think the confidence factor is really good right now," Gee said. "I'm glad to be helping the team. I don't read too much into it. I'm pitching to contact, changing speeds."

New York has won all eight of Gee's starts this season, making him the only pitcher who has made at least five starts without his team losing any of them.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Shaq retires

Shaq O'Neal, 39, made his retirement official, reiterating what he revealed in a video posted to Twitter two days earlier that his NBA playing days are over. Saying those words where he did brought a full-circle piece of closure to his career, since it all ended at his home in a suburb of Orlando, the city where his pro days began when the Magic made him the No. 1 pick in 1992.

''Never thought this day would come,'' O'Neal said. ''Father Time has finally caught up with Shaquille O'Neal.''

Speculation has been high for weeks that O'Neal's playing days were over, and what was widely expected became real on Wednesday. It took him 10 seconds to announce his plan in a video posted to Twitter, and as few athletes in the world could do, those 10 seconds turned into a three-day story. Tributes have poured in since, and on Friday, O'Neal thanked just about everyone he could remember.

His parents, thanking his father for his disciplinary ways and his mother for sneaking him cake, milk and cookies when that discipline prevented the boy from getting his own. His brothers and sisters. His six children, who got an apology for his schedule demands and a promise that they would keep going to Toys ''R'' Us. His fans worldwide. The NBA and Commissioner David Stern. The camaraderie in the locker room. The six teams he played with.

''And I'm really going to miss the free throws,'' deadpanned O'Neal, a notoriously bad foul-shooter.

A joker, all the way to the end.

He would not have it any other way.

He insisted he will not return, nor will he coach anyone but his three sons. His career ends with 28,596 points, 13,099 rebounds, 15 All-Star selections, four championships and three NBA finals MVP awards.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Gary Carter

The tumors in Hall of Fame Mets catcher Gary Carter's brain appear to be malignant, according to a statement released Friday night by doctors at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.

"Following a thorough examination and assessment of Gary Carter, biopsies were performed this morning from a tumor located in Mr. Carter's brain," the statement read. "The preliminary results are that his tumor appears to be malignant. Once the pathology report is available, which will take several days, we will discuss treatment options with Mr. Carter and his family.

"In the meantime, Mr. Carter is in excellent spirits and good physical condition. He is resting comfortably, surrounded by his family. We hope that his friends and fans will continue to pray for Mr. Carter and his family during this time."