The Sports Archives – 2012 European Championship Infographic!

Posted on June 7, 2012 by thesportsarchives

The stage is set for the year’s most significant footballing event and Europe’s biggest football tournament: the UEFA Euro 2012! The Euro 2012 Infographic provides a selection of the most interesting data visualizations for the upcoming Euro 2012 as well as from previous tournaments in the form of statistics, facts and trivia.

Discover where in Poland and the Ukraine the 2012 European Championship stadiums are located, what their respective capacities are and how many matches each is hosting. An overview of the most significant numbers of this coming tournament is followed by info on record and cumulative stadium attendances from the history of the Euro’s as well as details on the fastest goals ever scored. Top goalscorers from the past two iterations of the tournament are compared and followed by a comprehensive series of goal scoring statistics from all Euro’s ever played. For those that fancy a bet on the beautiful game the infographic also presents a breakdown of how well 60 bookmakers managed to forecast match results with their odds during Euro 2004 & 2008 and what the degree of odds consensus was amongst them.

2012 UEFA Euro Cup Infographic

This infographic is provided by the Euro 2012 Tips portal.

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The Sports Archives – How Did Player’s Names on Football Jerseys Come About?

Posted on June 6, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Dingle and Berry Football PlayersHave you ever wondered how the idea of placing a player’s name on the back of a football jersey came about?  It is no stretch of the imagination to find out that television had something to do with it.

Evidently, in 1960 the Chicago White Sox‘s owner, Bill Veeck, was one of the first to suggest that player’s names be put on jerseys.  It allowed television fans to see the names of their favorite White Sox’s players even if people in the stadium could not. Having a player’s name on his jersey is a practice now standard by 25 of 30 clubs.

After this the American Football League picked up this idea and began putting player’s names on football jerseys.  The National Football League waited until 1970 to begin this practice.  College football trailed behind professional football leagues in placing names on the back of jerseys and some teams still don’t.

There is no NCAA regulation that requires college teams to have player’s names on the jerseys.  Some coaches believe it undermines the team’s spirit and cooperation.  Some want to keep the tradition of having no names on the jerseys alive for the sake of tradition; including Notre Dame, USC and Penn State.  There is also the financial aspect to consider if you are a small college on a tight budget.  If you are a small college that uses football uniforms year after year before replacement, you might not want to put names on the jerseys. Uniforms can be compromised after repeated adding and removing of names.

Football jerseys and team sportswear, have become a booming retail success story since the 1990s. At first people wore a jersey to show their passion for a particular NFL or college team.  Then young people, especially the Hip-Hop crowd, embraced the look.  Now people of all ages wear sport jerseys for casual and as a fashion statement.

Having favorite player’s names on football jerseys has become very popular with football fans.  Fans like to wear these jerseys to show their team pride.  Another new trend is putting your own name and number on a favorite football team jersey.  It fills that need of the individual who always dreamed of playing college or professional football.  Personalizing your football jersey with your name also gives you that one-of-a-kind, custom jersey.  There are many companies that provide personalized football jerseys for either professional or college teams.

About the author:  Jacklyn Owen is an avid writer on sports related topics.  Visit her website at http://recreationandsportsworld.com/

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The Sports Archives – The Time Of Year College Football Springs Into Action!

Posted on June 5, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Spring opening

Spring, the season which brightens the darkness of winter, gives life to hardcore college football fans who are suffering withdrawal symptoms from their passionate addiction. With the long agitating wait ended, the quarterback recruitment completed, and teams intensely drilled for battle, dilemmas and speculations are now a shadowing memory. What’s the gift deeply desired or craved? Perhaps, over 45 broadcasted contests on over 10 televised channels, which occurred during the March & April period this year. Does this information demonstrate the critical time in the college football calendar? What achievements or accolades are decided during this phase? Do the clashes in the preliminary stages lack the true tension, grit or determination of a close season, nail-biting decider?

Public support

Growing crowds continue to flock in hordes year-by-year to witness college football, statistically average attendances rose significantly since 1998, increasing by more than 32 percent. In 2011, attendances soared to create a new record with almost 4.7 million spectators filling the stadiums at each level of NCAA. These facts signify the expanding rates of support, reassuring followers that the game isn’t suffering, in fact quite the contrary; it sustains a healthy status in the public eye.

Critical times & defining moments

Switching to the live action, what’s the critical period to any sports season, the introduction or the finale? Take NFL for instance, how many viewers does the Super Bowl receive in comparison to the standard seasonal fixtures? Not only does the Super Bowl acquire global attention, it’s celebrated in a style to portray the defining moment in the 17-game campaign. 111.3 million witnessed Super Bowl XLVI staged in Indianapolis on NBC, the most watched television show in United States history. Does this suggest that interest levels rocket as the prize approaches?

Finances & ticket prices

The accumulation of any audience, in any environment, can depend on financial strategies, the rise and fall of ticket prices, discounts & promotions, which influence the less “die hard” and attract the more widespread number to the showcased event. In current economic disability, college football didn’t sympathize with the people’s constraints, instead single-match tickets ascended to a 30% increase in the last 3 years to an average of $65.

Hype & buzz

College FootballCan the hype of college football be determined by our roots or the state we originate? In the Miami Hurricanes record season in 2009 (9-4) they averaged 47,551 in a maximum capacity of 76,500, in addition they charge $19 for entry, including the closely fought, highly demanded tussle with Florida State in the “erstwhile epic.” Meanwhile, the big 12 conference maintains its helm as the most expensive section for ticket charges, the “red river shootout” involving Texas confronting Dallas requests a steep cost of $110. In 2010-2011, Texas averaged the fifth highest attendance, 100,654. This brings forth the question: What factors determine the college football buzz in a state region?

Passions & desires

Alabama, the 26th largest populated state in the United States, holds a deep-rooted desire & sheer passion for college football, with no exceptions to the date on the calendar. A clash following the season –opener in 2011 with LSU was one of the highest sold of the season, during game-week tickets could only be found at a mammoth $5,000. Spring attendances this year continued to impress at Alabama, averaging 78,526 spectators in the first three weeks. Would it be a fair assertion to suggest specific states contain the adrenaline, the drug for college football but in other states they require an injection of success or adversity?

Current health

Focusing on the current stability of the game, college football impressively averages almost 9 times the amount of college basketball support with 46,632 attending during 2010 in comparison to 5,237. No matter what date or time, college football progressively prevails as an integral event for the public. Whether it’s the curiosities & joys at the start to the jubilation & heart aches at the finish line, is timing essential? Through troubling declines & richly successful moments, teams require consistent & continual loyalty for the duration.

This is a contributed article written by sport enthusiast Tom Andrew McGowan. He is writing for AthlonSports college football section, your online resource on everything college football: college football recruiting rankings and news.

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The Sports Archives – A Career in Sports Engineering

Posted on June 4, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Oscar PistoriousIf you have a passion for both sports and science, a career in sports engineering could be perfect for you. These days, the sports industry is big business. Sports suppliers and athletes alike want to out-perform their competitors. Sport engineers can fill this need, as they spend years researching the most innovative sports technology. Whether a particular brand of golf ball needs to travel further in the air, or if a marathon runner needs better-designed shoes to minimize injury, a sports engineer has the answer. Just because sports engineers don’t build bridges or highways, doesn’t mean that their field is any less important. According to ScienceMag.org, sports engineering is science in action. Here are some reasons why it’s such a useful career choice.

It prevents injuries

A major part of sports engineering is to improve the safety of athletes and to minimize their injuries. This can range from making improvements to equipment and products to improving playing surfaces. According to ScienceMag.org, playing surfaces in particular are a big cause of injuries and sports engineers spend years developing the best materials for optimal traction, friction, durability and safety.

Improve performance

This is where the money lies! According to ScienceMag.org, sports engineers spend a great deal of time figuring out how to improve products and equipment. Some sports engineers are paid hefty sums by sporting goods companies to make a particular product the best on the market. For example, according to ScienceMag.org, sports engineers have discovered that a baseball bat’s performance will be determined by the level of sound frequency it emits when hit. A lower frequency means a greater chance of a home run! Various tweaks and changes can then be made to the design and materials of the bat, resulting in a bat that blows the competition out of the water.

Disabled athletes

A rewarding aspect of sports engineering is creating innovative products that allow disabled athletes to perform at the same level as able-bodied ones. An example of this is Oscar Pistorious, the South African record-breaking athlete who has no legs, but can compete against his able-bodied contemporaries. Thanks to sports engineers, he is able to run at lightening speed, using carbon-fibre blades (TheIndependent.co.uk). These blades have earned him the nickname “The Blade runner”, as well as some controversy. He runs so fast that his competitors feel he has an unfair advantage!

Sports engineering can be a highly useful and rewarding career, as you can help athletes improve their performance, decrease their injuries and even make amputees run! It goes without saying that a love for sport is a must, as your whole career will be centered on it. Sports engineering can even be studied online and numerous career opportunities are available, most focusing on development, innovation, and research. Enroll in a sports engineering program today, and see science in action.

Ang Lloyd writes on behalf of Now Learning, an online education portal that promotes an assortment of study opportunities Down Under, including small business management and engineering courses in Australia.

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The Sports Archives – Is Kurt Angle’s Olympic Desire Genuine or a Publicity Stunt?

Posted on June 2, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Kurt Angle won Olympic gold in 1996. Since winning that medal, he has stated that he wanted to go back to amateur competition or to compete in Mixed Martial Arts. For one reason or another, it never happens.

Kurt Angle

Angle claimed that he would try out for the 2004 Olympic Games, but he never did. Now (yet again) he’s talking about trying out for the 2012 Olympics. At 43 years old, and after sustaining a litany of debilitating injuries, including spinal trauma, the overwhelming perspective is that Angle is just posturing for publicity’s sake. In a recent poll for PWI, a vocal 15 percent believe that Angle genuinely wants to return to Olympic competition, even if he’s a long shot to make the team. Many believe that Angle has fought against the odds his entire career. After all, if George Foreman could return to boxing at 45 years old, who’s to say that Angle can’t make another Olympic run?

On the flip side of the coin, Angle has also been known to desperately seek media attention. Since arriving on the scene at TNA Wrestling, Angle has had numerous run-ins with the law including several DUI/DWI arrests as well as some responses for domestic disturbances with an ex-girlfriend. There have also been several public outbursts via his social media Twitter account, which he later claimed was hacked.

Could it be that Angle’s desire to return to a legitimate competitive stage is yet another attempt to get into the good graces of the media and his fans? Has TNA Wrestling’s lack of growth caused concern for the aging performer whose body is about to tap out after years of enduring career threatening injuries?

Fans hope that this isn’t a desperate ploy to grab publicity for his name – but what else is left for him to do in the twilight of his career to maintain relevant? The last thing fans want is for Angle to wear out his welcome and embarrass himself much like Ric Flair has been doing for the last 10 years. Angle is arguably the best pound for pound wrestler in the world, and for him to diminish his legacy for the sake of marking out for himself would be a shame and a painful reminder that there is no old timers day in a sport that chews up its athletes or pushes them to a breaking point.

The more he pushes himself, the more fans will beg him to walk away gracefully. Unfortunately, in this business it is one of the most difficult things to do.

The Wrestling Jackal has been covering the pro wrestling business for over two decades. He occasionally contributes to Online Wrestling Videos.

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The Sports Archives – Is Pro Wrestling Better or Worse Than It Was Five years Ago?

Posted on June 1, 2012 by thesportsarchives

I’m an old school purist. Well, not that old school, but I do prefer the pro wrestling product of the 80’s when the business protected the magic that made it so engaging. The first Wrestlemania took place in 1985, yet that was 29 years ago and kayfabe has been dead for well over a decade and a half. So in this new era of “sports entertainment”, an elder statesman such as myself is curious to know whether or not the business has gained in popularity or regressed in interest ever since the curtain was pulled and the almighty Oz was exposed.

Mania 29In 2007, John Cena dominated the WWE, Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle were tearing down houses for TNA and Pro Wrestling Illustrated readers named Hornswoggle the Rookie of The Year. It was definitely a mixed bag as far as the overall quality of wrestling went.

Yet there still more big names on the wrestling scene five years ago. Shawn Michaels, Batista, and Edge were still active. Now HBK and the Rated R Superstar have called it a career, while Batista walked away from the business in disgust to pursue Hollywood and MMA.

TNA on the other hand has been suffering since the addition of legendary icon Hulk Hogan to the roster. While the company continues to employ some of the brightest stars on the indy circuit, they have been over shadowed by former WWE castaways and returning old timers who have blocked the spotlight of success on their nationally televised program. During TNA’s inception, the foundation of the company was built with a focus on the stars of tomorrow, yet in 2012 they have been hindered by the stars of yesterday…and yesterday was at least 10 years ago as it follows the fatal footsteps of the plagued WCW.

However, 2007 was also the year that the wrestling world was rocked with by the Chris Benoit murder/suicide that put the industry on a high-profile watch and forced it to endure media scrutiny eventually leading to a lesser PG rated product.

Now in 2012, both the WWE and TNA have been able to finally develop some new stars which many believe have created a sense of excitement for both companies. The Rock and CM Punk have generated considerable buzz, and created potential dream match scenarios that didn’t exist five years ago. In a recent PWI poll, 65% of wrestling fans who were asked this very question voted that the overall product and industry is better than it was in 2007. I still have trouble swallowing that pill, yet I haven’t cast my official vote. What is yours?

The Wrestling Jackal has been writing about and covering the pro wrestling industry for over two decades, and has a small hobby site where he shares classic wrestling videos that takes him back to a time when the industry was at its finest. Feel free to give it a visit and relive some of your favorite pro wrestling memories.

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The Sports Archives – Astro Turf versus Normal Grass for Training in Sports

Posted on May 31, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Astro Turf was first adopted for use in sport by baseball. Its inaugural usage in the Houston Astrodome paved the way for other teams and other sports to cover their own pitches with it, and in fact coined the name as well. Originally called Chem Turf, the name was swiftly changed due to popular usage of the term Astro Turf.

Houston AstrodomeIn fact, Astro Turf itself has almost become obsolete in its original form, but the colloquialism still stands as the most popular name for all forms of artificial grass.

Why Use Astro Turf?

There were many initial advantages for the use of artificial turf in sports. It is relatively low maintenance, extremely hard-wearing and can be laid almost anywhere without sunlight and irrigation considerations. The durability makes it ideal for training, where real grass pitches could become churned up and unsuitable for use by game time. It is obviously better for indoor arenas, and resists the heavy usage likely to occur in most sports.

Drawbacks

SoccerYet some disadvantages became apparent fairly quickly – the artificial surfaces had much less give than grass fields, and players often found themselves with far more serious injuries than they may otherwise have incurred. This was especially true in sports such as soccer, where players were likely to be sliding on the ground, and kits did not cover all the skin.

New Generation

However, the new generation of synthetic grass, Field Turf, uses polyethylene fibers, which cushion a fall in much the same way as real grass does. Astro Turf and its new generation brothers make play in ball games much faster, and they give a far truer bounce as well.

The advantages of this are obvious, as players can throw the ball longer distanceSoccer Fields by utilizing a bounce, safe in the knowledge that the ball will not hit a divot and veer off to the left or right. Also, the lines for the field of play are sewn into the original design, so there is no risk of them fading and making it harder to call out.

The main benefit of training on Astro Turf or Field Turf is that it doesn’t mess up the surface of the pitch. Often, teams are reluctant to practice on their match pitches, as in some weatheRainrs it can then make the surface unplayable for days afterwards. Training on synthetic grass has no effect on the playability of the surface, so teams can go all out in practice as well as during a match.

This post was written on behalf of Hi-TechTurf.co.uk

Image attribution 1|2|3|4

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The Sports Archives – Olympic Medals

Posted on May 30, 2012 by thesportsarchives

With the London Summer Olympics just around the corner it’s natural to begin thinking about some of the traditions and rituals associated with the event. Just recently the Olympic Flame was lit in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the games. Using the power of the Sun and a parabolic mirror the flame was lit and then was passed onto the Olympic Torch which will now make its way to London via numerous torch bearers in time for the opening ceremony on the 27th of July.

2000 Olympic First Medals

Ancient Medals

At the original Olympic Games, long before their modern-day revival, the prize awarded to the top performing athlete was far from a gold medal. In fact the prize had no monetary value but was purely symbolic. An Olive branch was given to only the winning Olympian, the branch was woven into wreath crown. The symbolic nature of this prize stems from the fact that the Olive branch was taken from a sacred tree located in Olympia near the temple of Zeus. Being given a wreath with direct association to your god must have been quite an honor. To this day Olympians compete not only to be the best, and for their countries, but also for the honor of competing at the games regardless of where they place.

Modern Games

The modern Olympics really took shape with the formation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894 and the first games were soon scheduled in for 1896 in Athens. Athens had hosted a number of Olympic events in the years running up to 1896 but these were for Greek and Ottoman Empire athletes. They did however spark the creation of the IOC by Baron Pierre de Coubertin which led to the modern international games.

Modern Medals

The last time that an entirely gold medal was awarded to a winning athlete was way back in 1912 in Sweden. Since this time the gold medal has actually consisted of a silver medal covered in a layer of gold. There are strict guidelines set out by the IOC regarding the construction and presentation of the medals. This is a result of the host nation having the responsibility of manufacturing the medals to be used at the respective games, a tradition that started in 1900 when the games were hosted in Paris and the medal was produced by the Paris mint.

As mentioned, the gold medal is not entirely gold, at the same time it’s hardly gold costume jewellery either. The gold medal must be constructed of 550 grams of high-grade silver and be coated with pure gold. So the medal is still packed full of precious metals, and as such has an intrinsic monetary value. The monetary value of a medal is obviously not the motivation for winning one for an athlete. Of course there would be far easier ways to earn that kind of money than winning an Olympic event!

The silver medal, awarded for 2nd place, is exactly the same in build as the gold medal except of course that it doesn’t have the pure gold outer layer. As a result the monetary value of a silver medal is roughly half that of a gold medal. It was not until 1904 that the modern hierarchy of gold, silver, and bronze came into use. Before this time the winner would actually receive a silver medal and an olive branch and the runner-up a bronze medal and a laurel branch.

London 2012 Olympic Medals

2012 London Olympics LogoThe medals for the upcoming London Summer Olympic games are set to be the largest medals awarded at an Olympic games to date. The design was completed by artist David Watkins and is being produced by the Royal Mint, now located in South Wales. The front depicts the god Nike flying into the Panathenaic stadium in Greece with the Acropolis and Parthenon in the background. This is a generic design started in 2004 when the games returned to Athens. The reverse of the London medal comprises of geometric lines, a ribbon flowing in the shape of the Thames, and the London 2012 logo.

Citations:

If a real Olympic Medal is just out of reach this time around, then grab some gold costume jewellery, perfect for Olympic celebrations at home.

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The Sports Archives – Top 5 Mount Everest Moments

Posted on May 29, 2012 by thesportsarchives


cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by Rupert Taylor-Price

Mount Everest boasts events which have inspired awe the world over spanning more than 150 years. Only a handful of summits over six of those 15 decades have been successful. Here are the top five most memorable Everest moments.

1850s: The Discovery and Naming of the Mountain

Although officially announced and named in 1856, the mountain had been discovered during the Trigonometric Survey of India in the 1850s. Radhanath Sickdhar, an Indian mathematician, determined its height to be 29,002 feet (now amended to 29,029 feet). It was named for the Surveyor General of India, Colonel Sir George Everest.

1953: The Beekeeper and the Sherpa

The Beekeeper is Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand; his Sherpa for the amazing journey, Tensing Norgay. These two brave men were the first to reach the summit of Everest. They accomplished this amazing feat on May 29, 1953. A little known fact is that two other men dared the climb two days earlier, and missed reaching the summit by a mere 300 feet. Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans—two British climbers in Hillary’s party—were simply too low on Oxygen to make it. They did, however, break the trail and stash spare O2 as they went. This made it possible for the famous Beekeeper and Sherpa team to reach the summit.


cc licensed ( BY SD ) flickr photo shared by Kappa Wayfarer

1963: Reaching the Summit via the West Ridge

America funded a large south-side expedition to reach the summit in 1963. A smaller team split from the group and headed to the West Ridge of Everest, a discouragingly steep and serrated knife-like edge. Many thought the West Ridge was simply impossible to climb with its hurricane-force winds and precariously fragile shale. Two American men, Tom Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld, braved the conditions and, after experiencing a few nearly-lethal incidents, scrambled over the summit. They descended down the Southeast side.

1970/2000: Skiing Down the Mountain

In 1970, Yuichiro Miura, a Japanese alpine racer, was able to ski part of Everest. He started at 27,000 feet (2,029 feet below the summit) equipped with a parachute. It wasn’t until 30 years later—October 7, 2000—when a Slovenian man named Davorin “Davo” Karnicar, 38, would ski Everest from the summit. His slide-slipping and schussing journey lasted five hours ending at Base Camp on the south side.

2003: Everest Gets an ER at Base Camp

Many of the memorable moments of Everest happened at the top. This particular one is an accomplishment much closer to sea level; Base Camp. A Bozeman, Montana volunteer, Luanne Freer, founded the first clinic on Everest. Not only does the ER at Base Camp provide emergency medical care and save lives, but it also offers a place where people can get medical assistance, socialize, or enjoy a nice mug of hot tea.

This article was written by JustRopes.com the online leader in climbing rope.

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The Sports Archives – 5 Things You May Not Know About Masters Champion Bubba Watson

Posted on May 28, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Bubba WatsonSince winning the Masters back in April at Augusta, Bubba Watson has seen interest in him throughout the world grow significantly. Since donning the famous Green Jacket, a lot of attention has been focused on him, and no wonder. As the World Ranked no. 4, being one of the longest hitters in the professional game and possessing a swashbuckling style which makes him stand out from the crowd, Watson is one of the most interesting players in the world. Here are five interesting things about the Masters champion you may not know:

    • Last year, Bubba spent a cool $500,000 on a designer watch, and even wore it during last year’s Accenture Match Play tournament. Watson, despite his image as a ‘good ole boy’ from the southern US, is fond of making a few outlandish purchases, but with career earnings to date of just over $16m or £10m excluding lucrative sponsorship, he can easily afford them.
    • Speaking of splashing the cash, Bubba owns a replica of the General Lee, the car that featured in TV series The Dukes of Hazzard. He bought it just before his Masters success for $110,000 at a charity auction. A lot was made of this during the tournament in Georgia, and he described his prized purchase as his dream car.
    • While serving his apprenticeship in the game, Bubba and his friend and fellow PGA professional Boo Weekley practiced by trying to hit drives over Weekley’s parents’ house. This partly helps to explain why he’s seen as one of longest drivers to have ever picked up a club.
    • Bubba has many celebrity friends, including somewhat bizarrely, Canadian pop star Justin Bieber. Even before his Masters success, Watson was recognized as a big star because of his high status in the game, and has spoken at length about his friendship with the polarizing singer.
    • At the Alstom French Open in 2011, Watson infuriated locals, players and tournament organizers for a number of reasons. When interviewed following his first round, he struggled to name any local attractions, and was castigated for refusing to share a car with fellow players to take him to the course. Meanwhile, he was scathing of the support at the tournament, largely because he saw them as being too quiet compared to more raucous crowds at PGA events.

More information about Bubba Watson  can be found here: http://www.yourgolftravel.com/19th-hole/2012/04/10/bubba-watson-10-things-you-may-not-about-bubba/

This list was compiled by golfing holiday provider www.yourgolftravel.com, who offer breaks in golfing destinations throughout the world.

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