The Sports Archives – When Is Prince Albert Going to Hit Again?

Posted on May 11, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Albert Puljols April 2012 StatsWhat’s wrong with Albert Pujols? That’s what Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim fans have been wondering after the first month of his first season with the team.  Here are his fantasy baseball 2012 numbers after April – a .217/.265/.304 slash line, with just four runs batted in. The most shocking thing about Albert Pujols’ numbers? He had no home runs going into May. None. Zilch. That’s stunning, given his reputation and his career history. You have to go back to when Pujols was a rookie in order to find him having as bad a month. Could changing teams – and leagues – make that much of a difference?

When it comes to fantasy baseball, Albert Pujols did finally lose his spot this winter as being the top pick – he was picked third in most leagues. Now he is giving fantasy owners who have him as their fantasy baseball first baseman agita, because his numbers have been so putrid.

Come to think of it, imagine what angst the Angels must be having about Albert Pujols’ start, given how much they agreed to pay him over the next 10 years — $240 million! The Angels finished April in last place, in no small part due to Pujols’ poor start. That’s quite the price to pay for lackluster results.

Probably the only people happy about Pujols’ scary-bad April numbers might be St. Louis Cardinals fans – he spurned the team in order to take more money from the Angels. Nothing feels better for a fan than seeing their traitor fall into shambles when deserting them. Cardinals fans seeing Pujols batting average plummet is akin to Cavaliers fans watching LeBron James buckle under the pressure of the fourth quarter.

So, if you have Albert Pujols as your fantasy baseball first baseman, what should you do? Nothing, for now – dropping him from your fantasy league could be a huge mistake. There is plenty of time in fantasy baseball 2012 for him to turn it around. Tossing him too early could very well be a much regrettable move.

Whether or not Albert Pujols will still be great 10 years from now or even five years from now is an open question – the Angels may very well rue paying him that sort of money. But for now, Pujols is still one of the top first baseman in baseball – and top players – in the game, slow start and all. So don’t even think about dumping him just yet.

Lisa Swan is a weekly sports writer for DraftStreet, a leading source for free and for pay fantasy sports leagues.

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The Sports Archives – Fitness for Hockey

Posted on May 10, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Hockey is a very physical and visceral sport and  it’s one that requires a lot of dedication and skill if you want to excel. To this end training is highly important and it’s crucial that you should train and develop your fitness and strength if you want to be a success. Here we will look at how to train your fitness for hockey.

 

CV

First of all you are going to need to develop your cardiovascular fitness. This means fitness that requires your heart rate to increase over an extended period of time – any kind of continuous exertion. Of course hockey itself requires you to be constantly on the move and running or skating up and down the pitch for an extended period and it’s crucial that you ensure your fitness is up to the task.

In order to train this kind of fitness the best strategy is simply to ensure that you practice exerting yourself for these continued periods of time – by running on a treadmill for a certain amount of time for instance, or by cycling on a bicycle. If you do this several times per week for 40-60 minutes then you can quickly improve your stamina and ensure that your performance doesn’t start to drop off.

You can also improve CV by using something called ‘interval training’ which is a form of training that pushes your body harder, faster. The way this works is that you take it in turns to swap between slow jogging and fairly fast running. This then causes you to exert yourself more in a shorter amount of time, while your heart is forced to adapt to the changing paces which means it gets worked harder and which means your body produces more growth hormone.

Strength

You also need to develop your strength for multiple reasons in hockey. For one, barging into the opponent is part and parcel of this sport, and you’ll be at a distinct advantage if you have wider shoulders and more muscle weight behind you when you collide with your opponent. To improve this try working out regularly by lifting heavy weights. The idea here is to cause micro-tears in your muscle fibers, and when these heal the body will use amino acids from your protein to build them back thicker and stronger.

The exercises in particular you should focus on are the legs for your running and for your stability, and you should train these using squats, lunges and clean and presses. You should also train the shoulders – both deltoids and lats which you can achieve with exercises called dumbbell raises, with shoulder presses, and with shrugs. This will help to give you more pushing power and at the same time it will improve your strike. Finally abs and obliques are also very important for further stability so practice sit ups and crunches and particularly twisting sit ups which can help you to improve balance and torque.

Practice

Most important of all though is to simply practice playing hockey in every form possible. Do this as regularly as you can, because this will use the exact muscles and fitness you require for the real matches. The more you practice the more your body will be honed to perform on the day.

Chad Moreau is well versed with the best hockey training techniques. He likes to share his knowledge on his blog to make others aware of some of the best online training programs.

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The Sports Archives – 5 Ways to Enjoy the UEFA Champions League Final

Posted on May 9, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Do Your Homework

Sure, it’s tempting to treat the big game as pure spectacle, but learning a little about narrative about the teams going into the game can make all the difference. For example, after a great start to the season Bayern were unable to keep pace with bitter rivals Borrusia Dortmund: some have suggested an over-reliance on Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben’s inability to regularly play a full ninety minutes contributed to their mid-season dip in form. However the two will meet up in the DFB Cup Final on May 12, and much of Bayern’s attitude and confidence will be affected by their performance in this end-of-season showdown.

Similarly, Chelsea will face Liverpool in the FA Cup final on Saturday, with both teams looking to put some gloss on a disappointing league season. After defeat against Newcastle, Chelsea now look unlikely to qualify for next season’s Champions League, and defeating Bayern may be their only route back into the competition. The team’s aging spine of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba have shown decided creakiness this season, and the final (played at Munich’s home stadium) could be the last chance of European glory for many in the squad. Terry himself will have to watch from the sidelines after a straight red card earned him a suspension; he is joined by six other first team regulars facing disciplinary suspensions.

Clear Your Schedule

It’s a Saturday evening kick off for those of us on Greenwich Mean Time, but if you’re a busy kind of fellow it might be wise to mark it off on your diary. There will doubtless be pub showings aplenty wherever you are, but whether you’re a Blues fan or a follower of Die Roten there’s something special about getting your pals in one place for a big occasion. Remember that if Chelsea do manage to pull off the victory, two out of Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle will miss out on Champions League football next year, with all the accompanying implications for ambitious players like Gareth Bale, Papiss Cisse and Robin Van Persie. Oddly enough for a game that doesn’t involve the champions of either league, there are several other clubs with a vested interest: you can exploit this to get your Spurs, Gunners and Magpies fans to come along and get invested.

Stay Connected

Failing that, there are a bunch of ways to keep tabs on your football-loving pals. You can live-tweet the action, fill your Facebook feed with every mundane happenstance until literally no-one is subscribed to your feed anymore, or just keep a simple, old-fashioned sms messaging group on the go. If you’re really crafty you could set up a projector with live-updating entries to your personal hashtag – maybe #CatsEuroParty – with which your friends from the interwebs can do as they please!

No matter how you enjoy this year’s final, never give up! Munich fans will doubtless recall how this final finished:

Catherine Halsey is based in Edinburgh and writes for a digital marketing company. This article links back to https://groupme.com/.

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The Sports Archives – Olympic Time!

Posted on May 7, 2012 by thesportsarchives

When Usain Bolt lines up for the start of the Olympic Men’s 100 meters final this summer, the eyes of the world will be on the clock to see whether he can beat his own world record. The days where world sprint records were smashed by seconds are long gone, and if Bolt does achieve a new world record, he will be shaving as little as one hundredth of a second off the current best time. Accuracy of measurement is critical in sport, and the technology has developed rapidly over the last century.

Usain Bolt

Omega

The one brand name which is most linked with the measurement of sports timing is that of Omega, the company whose links with the Olympics goes as far back as 1932. The stopwatch used at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles was accurate to a whole second only, and although at the time it served its purpose, a more accurate chronograph is required today. Omega are still at the forefront of timekeeping at sports events today, although nowadays the measurements are taken electronically rather than manually.

Chronograph

The advancement of sports timing technology meant that chronograph, or stopwatch features, became more commonly added to standard wristwatches. People who were taking up sports such as jogging or swimming wanted to be able to accurately time themselves running over a given distance. Most often, a small stopwatch dial is found in the center of the face so as not to distract from the main dial. A classic design such as that of the mens Emporio Armani Chronograph watch will not date, and will provide the opportunity to accurately time sports for years to come.

Running Events

Electronics and computing technology feature heavily in the track and field timing for this summer’s Olympics in London. When the starter fires his pistol, this automatically starts the clock running. When the runners cross the line at the end of the race, the clock automatically stops. This is done by directing a beam of light across the finish line, which is broken by the first athlete to cross. In longer races such as the marathon, each competitor wears a small transmitter in the shoe, and this stops the clock when they cross the finish line. This makes accurately measuring the times of many dozens of athletes far easier. Although using a watch such as the men’s Emporio Armani Chronograph may be accurate enough to measure the winning time, those sort of stopwatches cannot cope with multiple timings.

Field Events

Until relatively recently, the distances thrown or jumped in field events such as javelin, discus or long jump were measured by a team of officials with a measuring tape. Nowadays, although there will still be officials with their tape measures in the stadium for back up should something go wrong, the distances are now calculated using a complicated mathematical formula based on the landing point, starting point and another fixed point. The calculations involved are similar to those used by civil engineers when measuring distances for building new roads, and use the same sort of equipment.

Citations:

For accurate time keeping, the mens Emporio Armani Chronograph watch can be found online at WatchHub.co.uk.

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The Sports Archives – Skiing in Summer – Top Ski Resorts With Year Round Snow!

Posted on May 5, 2012 by thesportsarchives

For those skiing enthusiasts who just can’t get enough of the white stuff, the end of the ski season in large parts of Europe doesn’t necessarily have to mean the end of opportunities for getting out on the slopes. For those who are looking to do a bit of skiing in summer, below are some of the top ski resorts for the season, many of which have year round snow.

Kaprun Glacier, Austria

This was one of the first glacier sites to be used for skiing and remains open 365 days a year, making it a beacon for ski lovers who just can’t wait for the winter months. The glacier is more than 3,000 meters above sea level and surrounded by some of the highest mountains in Austria, all of which are continuously covered in more than a meter of natural snow. There’s a wide variety of different runs in Kaprun to suit skiers and snowboarders of all abilities, from white-knuckle steep slopes, to gentle easy routes. Cross-country skiing is on offer, as well as other activities like hiking. http://en.kitzsteinhorn.at

Zermatt, Switzerland

This is another destination where, thanks to the glaciers, there are year round options for keen skiers. Here, the Theodul glacier provides 20km of great slopes right through the summer months and you can ski here 365 days a year. There are options for all levels of skiers here, from challenging pistes, to easygoing nursery slopes, as well as plenty of après ski fun. http://www.zermatt.ch/en

Whistler Blackcomb, Canada

Around 125km north of Vancouver this is considered one of the top ski destinations in the world. With one of the longest ski seasons in North America (roughly May – November), Whistler is a great option for Europeans looking for some summertime skiing and the resort attracts more than two million visitors a year. There are over 8,000 acres of slopes to hurl yourself down at Whistler, 3 glaciers, 16 alpine bowls and more than 200 marked trails, as well as a world-class selection of accommodation and entertainment. http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com

Coronet Peak, New Zealand

A 20 minute drive from Queenstown a destination that has a great selection of skiing and snowboarding sites for those willing to make the journey down under. The resort has recently undergone a fantastic million-dollar renovation that has seen it equipped with some of the best facilities around and Coronet’s prime ski season is conveniently timed to last right through the European summer. The 280 hectare ski area offers a variety of different terrains, from simple nursery slopes to challenging Black Bowls, and has the most extensive snow making system in the country for days when the powder needs a bit of a boost. http://www.nzski.com/mountain.jsp?site=coronetpeak

Tignes, France

A truly year round resort, providing ski covered slopes for avid skiers throughout both the winter and summer months. During the summer season there is 130 hectares of skiing to get stuck into, as well as incredible challenges, such as a vertical drop of more than 750 meters, which is not for the faint-hearted. Summer skiing in Tignes means there’s more than just the usual après ski options on offer and other outdoor sports like tennis and basketball, as well as BBQs and pool parties can make for a unique ski experience. http://www.tignes.co.uk

For those keen on skiing in summer, these resorts are a great option. Whether you go for the year round snow of Zermatt or Kaprun, or the slightly longer haul summertime skiing in Whistler or Coronet Peak, the options for getting some serious piste time in once summer has arrived are pretty awesome.

Amy is a guest blogger on behalf of Alpine Action. For great deals on Meribel ski chalets and for an informative Meribel piste map, contact Alpine Action today.

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The Sports Archives – Funny Sports Pictures – Series 13

Posted on May 3, 2012 by thesportsarchives

More funny sports pictures from The Sports Archives!

Every Dog Has His Day Funny Sports Picture

Every Dog Has His Day!

Running With The Bulls Funny Sports Picture

“You want to run with me? … Who’s your Daddy now?!”

Hear No Evil Speak No Evil Funny Sports Picture

Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil!

View all of our Funny Sports Pictures!

Series 1 | Series 2 | Series 3 | Series 4 | Series 5 | Series 6 | Series 7 | Series 8 | Series 9 | Series 10 | Series 11 | Series 12

Posted: 05/03/2012

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The Sports Archives – 5 of the Coolest MotoGP Racing Circuits

Posted on May 2, 2012 by thesportsarchives

MotoGP is one of the most enjoyed and cherished sports around the world. The fan base of MotoGP has increased in size and magnitude. More and more people are getting involved in it in one or the other form.

Everyone would like to become a part of this great sport. In the past ten years, MotoGP has gained tremendous popularity in countries where once it was a barely known sporting activity. As compared to the fewer countries and racing circuits where these events were organized, present time has seen a great change in the number of countries getting involved in these events. Being around a racing track is an entirely different experience and one can feel the energy of these high-speed cars running through his body. In this article, some of the most enjoyed and historic racing circuits are discussed in detail.

1. Losail Circuit in Qatar

Losail circuit came into existence in the year 2003, and organized its first international event in the year 2005. It’s among the longest circuits in the world with more than 1 km long main straight. The overall length of the circuit is 5.380 km and its featureless landscape makes it really challenging and difficult track to get onto. The driver has to use all of his skills and capabilities to complete a smooth run over this track full of desert sand. Losail circuit is located in a desert outside Qatar’s capital, Doha. It is nearly 30 km away from the Doha International Airport and with the hospitality of the city; it’s one of the best racing place on Earth.

2. Le Mans Circuit in France

Le Mans is one of the most prestigious circuits in the world and is has hosted racing events since its inception in 1966. It is hosting motorcycle grand prix over the Bugatti circuit since 2000. The overall length of the circuit is 4.18 km and follow straight start-finish concept as most of the other racing circuits in the world. This circuit forms an important part of the world known De La Sarthe circuit which hosts 24-Heures du Mans.

The circuit is locate 200 km in south-west direction from Paris and has proper connectivity via car and train. Le Mans even has its own airport for serving the needs of the fans and players.

3. Jerez Circuit in Spain

This circuit is known for its sharp turns and twisting edges throughout the circuit. Jerez circuit has hosted motorcycle grand prix race right from 1987 and it even hosted Formula 1 races during 1990s. The 4.428 km track is best suits hard suspension set ups and makes the race really thrilling. This circuit has hosted 25 GP events till date and it has been upgraded in 2002 itself.

It is located at a distance of 5 km from the local airport and is thoroughly connected via different transport modes. There are frequent train services for Madrid and Barcelona which makes it easily accessible.

4. Silverstone Circuit in UK

Silverstone is located right in the heart of UK and it is situated around 90 minutes North of London. It is easily accessible via road and has plenty of transport services. The circuit has a track length of 5.902 km with 18 corners throughout the circuit. It is going to organize British Grand Prix 2012 in the upcoming month of June.

Silverstone has a long history of hosting Motorsports events for last 60 years. It offers some of the most exhilarating driving experiences to its visitors.

5. TT Assen Circuit in Netherlands

Assen holds a great part of Motorsports history and it has hosted some of the most enjoyed Motorsports events since 1925. This circuit is often called as “The Cathedral” and its modern circuit was laid in 1955 with a total length of 4.542 km. It is roughly 200 km from the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam and has its own railway facility.

Steve Andrews is a writer for BikeInsurance.net covering biking related topics and news like how to find classic motorbike insurance.

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The Sports Archives – The Fall-out From the 2012 Grand National

Posted on May 1, 2012 by thesportsarchives

The 2012 Grand National is likely to live long in the memory.

Horse Racing

A dramatic duel between Neptune Collonges and Sunnyhillboy produced the closest finish in the race’s 173-year history, but that was largely overshadowed as a global audience of millions and the 70,000-strong Aintree crowd in attendance watched on in disbelief as Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised and According to Pete had to be put down following serious falls.

Jockey and horse safety is back in the headlines again. Here’s a look at the fall-out from the race following the tragic events in Liverpool and some analysis of what the future of the much-loved sporting event could hold.

Jockeys

Ruby Walsh was due to ride On His Own in the National only for a horror fall in a previous race on the same day to rule him out due to injury. The champion jockey was quick to defend race organizers for the measures taken to reduce the possibility of any fatalities or serious injuries – and he wasn’t alone! Daryl Jacob, meanwhile, basked in the glory of leading Neptune Collonges to victory.

Trainers

Paul Nicholls ended his long wait for Grand National success with Neptune Collonges and is hoping common sense prevails amid calls for widespread changes to the format of the race, pleading for officials not to go too far. Nicholls argues that reducing the size of the infamous fences at Aintree will only speed up the race and lead to more fallers. Malcolm Jefferson, owner of According to Pete, insists he would have no hesitation about entering a horse into next year’s race despite the heartache he has endured over recent days.

Pundits

Larger-than-life John McCririck has called for changes to be made regarding horses that get loose before the start of a race as Synchronised ditched jockey AP McCoy to delay the start of the race before tragedy followed.” Claire Balding aired her views via Twitter and urged for a rethink over the 40-horse field that traditional starts at the National.

Animal rights groups

Much has been made of the comments from Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid, who has been scathing in his criticism of the Grand National. Officials from the RSPCA, meanwhile, want the Becher’s Brook fence removed.

The future

There are various theories being bandied around at present as to what happens next regarding the Grand National, including making no changes whatsoever. One train of thought is to scrap the race altogether, although that would appear extremely unlikely. Reducing the field is another option generating plenty of debate along with reducing the race length, number of fences and size of fences. There are even calls to make the fences bigger as it would slow the race down.

This round of news following the 2012 Grand National comes courtesy of Equestrian Clearance, a leading retailer for horse equipment and accessories.

Image courtesy of Richard Humphrey

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The Sports Archives – The Rise And Rise Of Graeme McDowell

Posted on May 1, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Graeme McDowell has enjoyed a whirlwind last two years.

Graeme McDowell

Success at the 2010 US Open – the first time a Northern Irishman has achieved the feat – has propelled the 32-year-old to golfing stardom and significantly boosted his sporting profile.

Here we profile the man affectionately dubbed G-Mac.

Starting out

It was at the age of eight that McDowell’s love affair with golf started under the guidance of his uncle Uel Loughery, who helped to nurture his natural talent and started his rise to prominence. McDowell eventually turned professional in summer 2002 and just under a decade later is among the top-20 players in the world, much to his credit.

The G-Mac trophy cabinet

McDowell wasted little time winning tournaments after turning pro and his breakthrough year duly followed in 2008 when he made his Ryder Cup debut, although it was to prove a bittersweet experience as Europe were defeated in Kentucky. Nevertheless, revenge was sweet for McDowell as he secured the decisive point two years later at Celtic Manor to help Europe regain the Ryder Cup to cap a stunning 2010 that included his US Open victory, the first Major win of his career. McDowell became the first European to win the US Open in 40 years when he held his nerve to beat the likes of Grégory Havret, Ernie Els, who finished second and third respectively.

Off the course – YouTube interview with him –

By his own admission, McDowell lists “wine, cars and watches” as his luxury items of choice and he also has had an input into a specially commissioned blend of whiskey. He’s an avid Manchester United fan and his commitment to the Red Devils was underlined last April when he missed the Masters par-three tournament in favor of watching Sir Alex Ferguson’s side play Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League. McDowell is also one of band of elite sportsman to have fully embraced the Twitter revolution.

In his own words

On his US Open success: “It’s difficult to win a golf tournament, let alone a Major – I’m just so thrilled to get over the line.”

On a low-key 2011: “I felt like I did a lot of growing up. I went through a process where I acclimatised to being one of the best players in the world and it was a difficult process.”

Did you know?

McDowell is superstitious and only uses white tees.

(image: Keith Allison – Flickr)

This profile of Graeme McDowell was provided by golfing holiday supplier YourGolfTravel.com, who are currently running a competition offering people the chance to play against the 2010 US Open champion. More details here:  http://www.yourgolftravel.com/cleveland

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The Sports Archives – Ways to Improve Your Golf Swing!

Posted on April 30, 2012 by thesportsarchives

Playing golf looks simple enough: position yourself, take a swing at the ball and move on. However, it is really not that easy. Unlike any other sport, golf follows a unique scoring system – the lower your score is, the better. Novice golf players know that a game of golf is difficult to play. Aside from dealing with water hazards and sand traps, you also have to make sure that your golf swing is good enough to carry the ball over the fairway, across the green, and into the hole. The required number of shots in each play does not help in the scoring either, because the more shots you make, the higher your score will be.

Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, Northern Ireland

Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, Northern Ireland

Nevertheless, there are some tricks that you can do to improve your golf swing. Going to a driving range is a great way to practice on your golf swing. The driving range has different targets with different distances from where you are. You can also visit the local country club for a more hands-on experience.

One of the most important aspects of the golf swing is your grip. How you handle the golf club can make a difference on how you hit the ball. When you hold your club, use only your fingers and not the palm of you hands. Make sure that you do not grip the golf club too tightly because it will strain your hands and arms and limit your flexibility when you swing.

When you are about to take a swing at the ball, make sure that your stance is correct and your body is positioned correctly so you can hit a straight shot. Determine the target line and keep your shoulders, hips and feet parallel to it. When you stand with your feet apart, the distance between your feet should be slightly wider than the width of your shoulders. Also, your club should be aimed at the target when you get into position. Together with your club, the ball and the ground, your stance should form a triangle.

As you take your swing, maintain the triangle and make certain that your hands, arms and shoulders are all moving together as one. Take note that your club should be parallel to your target during this time. Making a letter “L” and keeping the club face square at the top during your swing will allow you to be in the same plane when you begin to swing downwards. Keep in mind that the end of the shaft of your golf club is near the ball so you are able to make a solid shot when the club meets the ball. The rhythm and tempo of your golf swing are supposed to be steady and smooth. Always do a follow through during your golf swing by transferring your weight from one foot to the other.

One more tip that will come in handy is for you to stay relaxed. Stretch your arms and swing your torso from side to side before the game. When playing, take your time before hitting the ball. Take a few practice shots if you want.

With constant practice, your golf swing will be more consistent. With a lot of effort, time and patience, you will have solid shots instead of your usual slices and hook shots when you play golf with your friends.

Article was written by Robert Kirk his website is for people looking to buy electric golf trolleys online his website has many unbiased honest reviews of all the best electric golf trolleys on the market.

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