The Sports Archives – Cricket Australia Prepared To Go To Arbitration Over Pay Dispute

Posted on August 4, 2017 by thesportsarchives

By Rick212 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/icc-cricket/324545382/, CC BY 2.0, Link

As the bitter pay dispute involving the Australian test sides and their federation continues to rumble on, Cricket Australia (CA) has insisted that it will look to independent arbitration sooner rather than later if the players continue to refuse to reach an agreement. For months there has been a blockage in talks as the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) has refused to agree to a dismantling of a fixed-revenue-sharing payment system to players that is currently the norm.

James Sutherland, the Chief Executive of Cricket Australia, has said that he hopes there will be a resolution within days but that it would have to be taken to an independent umpire if no agreement can be reached. He said “We believe now is the time for the game to get on, to get played, preparation for tours and the season ahead to happen. We encourage the ACA and the players to take up that challenge and hopefully arbitration is not required.”

For arbitration to take place both sides must agree that this is the correct course of action, so even this attempt to break the negotiations stalemate might be fraught with difficulties. If arbitration does take place Cricket Australia have stated that they would offer contracts to players on a short-term basis until the finer details of the new agreements are put together.

Tours of Sub-Continent In Danger

With 230 male and female cricketers out of contract in Australia since July 1 2017, without pay, it is a dangerous time for cricket in the country. Around 70 players had contracts that extended beyond that point and have continued to be paid, but on the whole the two-Test series in Bangladesh, the Test series in India and the ever-popular Ashes series against England that begins in November this year, are all in danger of being scrapped if an agreement cannot be found between the warring factions. Already there has been a withdrawal of Australia A touring South Africa due to the pay dispute.

A Benefit to Grassroots Cricket?

One of the reasons Cricket Australia wants to shake up the pay structure, it says, is to enhance the flow of money to grassroots cricket in the country. It is widely accepted on both sides of the pay divide that the sport needs greater investment in order to compete against the wealthier sports in the country, ensuring that Junior cricket can grow and flourish. The ACA have put forward a peace plan that includes $30m to flow into the community level of cricket, but now the disagreement is over the finer details of the plan.

Throughout the disagreement and standoff over pay the international teams have continued to show great respect to the sport, offering certain concessions in order to get back out on the field and play. The men’s team has continued to train in Darwin, preparing for the upcoming tours that are in danger of being cancelled, and all players have shown their love and passion for the jersey in a range of social media posts and statements.

Content Written By Sophie Williams

Posted in Cricket, Other | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – Angling For Success: Become A Better Fisherman (Or Woman)

Posted on July 29, 2017 by thesportsarchives

Deep Sea Fishing

The sport of fishing is perhaps one of the most primal, yet least discussed sports in the whole of popular culture. Nothing quite compares to the thrill of catching a giant bass or pike and comparing it to all-time records.

Many laymen think that fishing is all about luck, but experienced professionals will tell you that it’s anything but. To become a better fisherman, you need to make sure that you’re following best practice.

Use A Data-Driven Approach

Today’s sports are coming to rely increasingly on the use of data. Football and tennis coaches regularly use data to help their athletes and sports stars perform better on the pitch or court and attack their opponents’ weaknesses. Can anglers do the same?

The answer is “yes.” One of the best ways to up your game is to keep a journal. In the journal, you should record when you caught your biggest fish and the conditions that prevailed when you did. Was it a windy day? Was it a cold day? What time of year was it? What were the geographical features of the local area? All these details are essential for helping you to consistently repeat your biggest catches.

Also, remember to record the conditions on occasions when you didn’t catch any fish at all. Create a database of all your catches and try to correlate the chances of catching a fish with the types of conditions on the water.

Work Your Bait Properly

In order to catch fish, you need to work your fishing rod properly. That means having a good cast and properly attaching the bait. If you don’t cast your line far enough or into the right spots (or if you don’t properly attach your bait to your line), then fish won’t see your line as an enticing proposition, and they won’t bite. Bait needs to be prepared properly and needs to be appropriate to the waters you’re fishing in.

Learn All You Can

There’s a lot to learn about fishing, just as there is in any sport. But the more you learn, the more successful you can be. Try reading the books of some of the great anglers of the past. Find out what it was that they did to achieve success in the sport and try to emulate them. Look for parallels between the fishing scenarios they describe and the ones that you’ve experienced and try to build on their strategies.

Cover More Water

Fishing at Sunset

Sometimes fish aren’t biting because they’re not there. If that’s the case, then you need to cover more water to find higher concentrations. Many of the top fishermen in the world cover dozens of miles in a single day if they sense that fish simply aren’t in the water. It almost goes without saying, but relocating your boat to areas with more fish increases the chances that at least one of them will bite.

Prepare For Poor Weather

Finally, don’t forget to take all the equipment you need for a long day on the lake, including wet weather gear.

Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – Talking Points from This Year’s Wimbledon

Posted on July 24, 2017 by thesportsarchives

Wimbledon has been and gone for another year. Roger Federer made history by winning Wimbledon for the eighth time, without losing a single set in the process. Spain’s Garbiñe Muguruza picked up her first Wimbledon title, after a nail biting first set, she made light work of Venus Williams in the second set, winning it 6-0. But, what other talking points can we take from the two-week event?

Centre Court has a new darling

The British public found themselves cheering on an unexpected treasure. While everyone expected Andy Murray to give fans the most excitement, it was Johanna Konta who ended up being the number one hope. British fans have been crying out for a star female tennis player for many years, and there may finally be someone who is ready to fit the bill.

We are still waiting for the next gen to make a statement

There is some really exciting talent in tennis at the moment, such as Nick Kyrgios, Dominic Thiem, and Alexander Zverev. However, it seems they have a long way to go before bridging the gap between the young talent and the big four.

We are rewinding the clock

It feels like we have gone back to the future. Of course, Federer’s record eighth win was incredible at the age of 35-years-old. But, what about the amazing Venus Williams? She made the women’s final and played some of the best tennis she has ever played at the age of 37. And, it is even more impressive when you consider the fact that she has had an autoimmune disease to contend with.

Wimbledon always brings the drama

Gilles Muller v Rafael Nadal has to be one of the most dramatic tennis matches we have watched in a long time. Muller won the match by winning the final set 15-13. After four hours and 48 minutes, it felt like both players should have progressed to the next stage.

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic need to take a leap out of Federer’s book

Both Djokovic and Murray missed out on the semi-finals due to injury. While Novak retired during the match, Andy made it to through to the end, albeit he was defeated. It was clear that Britain’s number one hope was struggling with his hip. It could be time for both players to have a rest. After all, it worked wonders for Roger Federer.

Tennis is thriving at the moment

If there is one thing we can all agree on, it is that tennis is well and truly thriving at the moment. Wimbledon may have been missing Serena Williams, and there may have been too many injuries, but there were still some incredible matches and moments. If you missed out on Wimbledon, don’t miss out on tennis action over the coming year. Tickets for the Aus Open are available, and the good news is that this is when Serena is targeting her return, so you should be able to see all of the top tennis stars.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed reliving the fun and thrills of Wimbledon. From nail-biting chess matches to the simply stunning, it had everything. We can’t wait for the next one!

Posted in Tennis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Sports Archives – 4 Reasons You Should be Cycling to Work

Posted on July 5, 2017 by thesportsarchives

Cyclists at Hyde Park corner roundabout in London

Image source

Sometimes it can seem like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to take up a new sport. However there is one form of exercise that will not only save you time and boost your fitness but can be done when you would normally be sitting on a bus, train or in a car. That is the mighty commute. Here are our top reasons why everyone should be cycling to work.

Extra Brownie Points With Your Boss

Cycling to work has been proven to improve productivity, motivation and employees ability to deal with stress. A new scientific study has revealed that employees that exercise before work, or in their lunch breaks, significantly improved the way they dealt with their work management, it increased their motivation and they were able to deal much more comfortably with the day-to-day stresses of work life.

This study also revealed that employees that cycled to and from work didn’t get ill as much as other staff who were not getting daily exercise and they also didn’t need to take as many breaks and were able to finish work on time. Proving that cycling keeps both bosses and staff happy.

Doing Your Bit for the Environment

One point that we can’t ignore, when it comes to cycling to work, is the effect that it has on the environment. Not only are you producing zero emissions but you are contributing to a much more efficient society. Cyclists travel up to three times faster than pedestrians and also faster than most cars, when it comes to rush hour traffic. Cars have been found to travel an average speed of 7 mph in peak hour, city centre traffic, whereas cyclists travel up to 15 mph. Bicycles and hybrid bicycles take up less parking space and use up just 5% of the materials and energy needed to make a car.

If you have been wondering for a while what is a hybrid bike, then now is the time to really put some research in. Not only will a hybrid bike get you safely to and from work but it will also double up nicely as a countryside bike, which can take on tougher terrain for outdoor sports fanatics.

Heart Health

We all know that regular exercise can have a dramatic effect on the health of our hearts. However it has now been revealed that regular cycling can drastically reduce your chances of heart disease, by up to 50%. According to recent medical studies, approximately 10,000 fatal heart attacks could be avoided, every year, if people invested in daily exercise, like cycling to and from work.

Reduce Pollution Intake

Surprisingly it has been found that people who commute to work on their bike actually breathe in less pollution than people who drive or use public transport. The Imperial College of London has recently revealed that drivers and passengers in buses and taxis actually inhale a much higher level of pollution than cyclists.

Taxi passengers and bus passengers are said to inhale the most amount of pollution, up to 100,000 ultra fine particles, with drivers of cars inhaling up to 40,000 and cyclists and pedestrians only inhaling up to 8,000 particles. So that debunks the popular myth that cyclists are breathing in more fumes than anyone else in the city, proving that cycling is now proven to be the healthiest and easiest way to get around any city or town.

Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – The 4 Best Competitive Sports To Play With Friends

Posted on July 4, 2017 by thesportsarchives

Are you looking for a new competitive sport to play with your friends? Sick of going out, eating food, drinking beer, and doing other things that cost money and don’t really benefit you in any way? Finding a competitive sport to play can be a great, healthy way to bond and have fun. Here are some ideas that could inspire you!

Crossfit

OK so crossfit isn’t something you play…more something you do while crying and begging for the pain to stop, just PLEASE stop. That being said, crossfit is something many people fall in love with. They fall in love with the abbreviations (- WOD anyone?) and how intense the workouts are. There’s usually a leaderboard in each crossfit ‘box’ too, so if you go with your friends, you’ll know exactly who can do the most rounds of pullups, who completed the workout the fastest, and anything else they set out for you that day. You don’t have to think about what to do, because everything has already been laid out for you. All you need to do is get ready to give it your all.

Badminton

Badminton isn’t as fast paced as sports such as, say, tennis, but it can still give you a killer workout and a huge sense of satisfaction when you win. It’s much harder than it looks too. There are multiple swings you can learn, as well as techniques that will help you to become a better server. It’s a good idea to start playing with someone on the same sort of level as you, so be aware of that before you give it a go.

Foosball Table

image

Foosball

Foosball will make your heart race and give you hyperfocus you didn’t even realize you had. Who cares that it’s a game played on a tiny table? It’s still a sport, and it’s still something you can have lots of fun doing with your friends. Speaking of Friends – just take a look at Joey and Chandler. They loved their foosball table. So much so that they could hardly bring themselves to smash it up when the baby chick and duck got stuck in there, and Monica had to do it for them (with a quiet glee). To them, it was one of the best foosball tables as it held so many amazing memories for them. Yours could do the same for you!

Squash

Squash will literally make you move so fast you’ll ache for days afterwards. You’ll use muscles you didn’t even know you had, and that will all become evident when you can’t get out of bed the next day. Squash is a super competitive, fast paced sport, and it definitely isn’t for the faint-hearted.

What do you think of these competitive sports? Will you and your friends give them a go? There are so many more amazing competitive sports out there. How about tennis, swimming, and even baseball? Let us know what you think and leave suggestions of your own in the comments section.

Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Sports Archives – Top 10 Greatest Football Players Of All Time

Posted on June 21, 2017 by thesportsarchives

These athletes sure know how to handle a ball – with their feet. Today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 greatest football players of all time.

10. George Best – (Years active: 1963-1984)

Greatest Football Players
With his speed, stability and finishing, this Northern Irishman was a tremendous player on the pitch. Combine those skills with his ability to fly through defenders and it’s no wonder he was such a good winger. Best’s “beautiful game” also helped Manchester United win the European Cup in 1968. Unfortunately, he enjoyed his success a little too much and died from health problems in 2005.

9. Ronaldo – (Years active: 1993-2011)

Greatest Football Players
Sometimes called the ‘Original Ronaldo,’ this Brazilian is so talented he became known as “the phenomenon.” Thanks to his powershot, striking talent and dribbling skills, he played with many world-class teams, including Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and AC Milan. He also played three FIFA World Cups and helped Brazil win its fifth tournament in 2002. Four years later, he became the all- time goalscorer in World Cups.

8. Michel Platini – (Years active: 1972-1987)

Greatest Football Players
This legendary French player was known for his proficient passing and expertise in free kick taking. During his senior career, which included five years with Juventus, he scored a total of 224 goals. He also made a name for himself playing with the French national team, and led his fellow players to victory in the ’84 Euro. His multiple accolades include 3 Ballon d’Ors and 3 Onze d’Ors.

7. Alfredo Di Stéfano – (Years active: 1945-1966)

Greatest Football Players
Though he was from Buenos Aires, this great player played for the national teams of three different countries: Argentina, Colombia and Spain. But he was especially key to Real Madrid, which he helped win multiple Euro Cups in the 1950s. With his endurance, power and range, the blond arrow was truly the complete package – and his individual honors prove it.

6. Johan Cruyff – (Years active: 1964-1984)

Greatest Football Players
As demonstrated by his 8 Dutch national championships and 3 Euro Cups wins, Cruyff wasn’t only a football star while playing for Ajax and Barcelona but also with his national team. Aside from being named Dutch Footballer of the Year 5 times, El Flaco could play both wide and center field. But it was his mastery of the “Total Football” style of play that really stood out.

5. Lionel Messi – (Years active: 2003-Present)

Greatest Football Players
Messi’s talent caught the attention of FC Barcelona before he’d even reached his teens. The Argentine footballer debuted with the league at 17 and soon became captain of his home country’s national team. In just a few short years, his playing and scoring skills became legendary and nabbed him record-upon-record. These include four Ballon d’Or awards and the most hat tricks in Champions League campaigns.

4. Zinedine Zidane – (Years active: 1989-2006)

Greatest Football Players
Starting his club career in Cannes, Zizou quickly moved up to more first-rate teams, displaying his excellent control of the ball with clubs like Juventus. But it was with Real Madrid that Zidane hit his prime, winning both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. After bringing France to victory in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the Frenchman was rewarded with a Ballon d’Or in 1998 and retired from the sport in 2006.

3. Franz Beckenbauer – (Years active: 1964-1983)

Greatest Football Players
With his ability to take control on the field and effortlessly play as a central midfielder or defender, it’s no surprise he was nicknamed Der Kaiser. The German footballer’s teamwork skills were especially important while playing with Bayern Munich, with whom he won several Bundesliga titles and 3 European cups. He also twice led the West German national squad to World Cup Victory: once as captain and once as manager.

2. Diego Maradona – (Years active: 1976-1998)

Greatest Football Players
Thanks to his domination on the pitch and his incredible dribbling techniques, it’s clear this Argentinean player’s got game. But it’s was his ‘Hand of God’ goal and his ‘Goal of the Century’ in the 1986 FIFA World Cup that Maradona made history. While he played with more than half a dozen different teams in his career, the most notable were Barcelona, with which he won the Copa de la Liga and Napoli, with which he twice earned Serie A titles.

1. Pelé – (Years active: 1956-1977)

Greatest Football Players
With his multiple World Cup victories, goal-scoring techniques and overall unbeatable skill, this Brazilian all-star is probably the best player football’s ever seen. He didn’t only amaze the world with his dribbling, but earned a Guinness World Record for most career goals scored with 1281. Aside from his individual trophies, he won multiple titles with the Santos FC and made Brazil three-time World Cup champions. It’s little wonder he’s The King.

Do you agree with our list? If you can watch Football Live Stream Online Free on PC Mac iPad Smart TV without VPN at home or office.

Featured images:
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned

Alan is a film critic and culture junkie. He’s analysing life – one frame at a time.

Posted in Soccer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – Nationals vs. Astros in 2017 The World Series?

Posted on June 14, 2017 by thesportsarchives

Washington Nationals

By Sam Waters

As June wanes, MLB fans are tantalized by the standings.  Four of the six division leaders have never won a World Series.

That’s half the teams that have never won baseball’s ultimate championship.  It also includes one of two teams that has never even reached the Fall Classic.

Adding to the excitement, three more of the perennial postseason bridesmaids are hovering around five-hundred—the minimum requirement needed to feel optimistic about a playoff berth.

Those four division leaders are the Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, and Houston Astros.

The Minnesota Twins, our fifth division leader, haven’t won a title since 1991.  That leaves the New York Yankees as the only division leader we haven’t mentioned.  Of course, their copious championship haul has been documented ad nauseam.

The Nationals are the only National League team that has never appeared in a World Series.  The franchise has only played for the NL pennant once (1981) and that was when they were based in another country (when they were the Montreal Expos).

The other franchise with a big goose egg in the championship column are the Seattle Mariners.  The M’s had an awful start to the 2017 campaign, but are currently within striking distance of a wildcard spot.

The Nationals joined the Majors in 1969.  The Mariners joined eight years later.  Together, they’ve combined for more than 7,000 losses.

In 2008, the Tamp Bay Rays came up short in their only World Series appearance.

The Texas Rangers have come up short in two World Series appearance.  While they’re 12 games back of the division-leading Astros, they are hovering around the five-hundred mark.

Don’t hold your breath for the eighth team sans a World Series trophy.  The San Diego Padres currently have a winning percentage under four-hundred and are one of the worst teams in baseball.

Houston Astros

It might sound odd to say, “The Nationals are champs” or “The Astros win it all,” but so was envisioning a cosmos without a century-long Chicago Cubs World Series drought.

There’s a lot of baseball left to be played, but as things stand now, the Nationals and Astros will likely win their respective divisions.

The Nats currently have an eight-game lead over the New York Mets—who’ve lost more than they’ve won.  The Astros can coast.  They already have a double-digit lead in the A.L. West.

The Brewers and Rockies sit tenuously atop their respective divisions.  Both teams are having their heels chomped on by quintessential National League teams, the Cubs and Dodgers (respectively).

The Nats and Astros both have good pitching staffs (as do the Rockies and Brewers) and both can knock the cover off the ball.  Again, a lot can happen, but those teams are built to win.

Only the baseball gods know what the future holds.  It’s more than a possibility that none of the zero-championship franchises reach MLB’s season finale.  For example, a Yankees-Cubs World Series could be on the horizon.

A Yankees-Cubs World Series will be ginormous for two groups and two groups only: fans of the respective teams and the sports media.  The match-up will probably turn-off the rest of the baseball world.

After all, who wants to watch the rich get richer?

A World Series involving any combination of the Nats, Astros, Rockies, and Brewers is likely to capture, and hold, the imagination of hardcore and casual fans.  Who doesn’t want to see a franchise win their first ever title?

First-ever titles are becoming rare.  Until the league expands, it can only happen eight more times.

 

 

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – Arnold Schwarzenegger: The Icon

Posted on May 20, 2017 by thesportsarchives

Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Schwarzenegger: The Icon

“I want to be somebody.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger was born in Austria in 1947 to a Nazi police officer and his mild-tempered wife. Arnold’s father showed blatant and strong favoritism towards his older brother because of the unfounded suspicion that Arnold was not his biological child.

Humble Beginnings

Both Arnold’s parents were harsh disciplinarians. Later Arnold would say, “”Back then in Austria it was a very different world … if we did something bad or we disobeyed our parents, the rod was not spared.” They were also very poor. Arnold recalls one of the highlights of his childhood was when his family got a refrigerator.

Very interested in sports as a boy, Arnold made the choice at 14 to become a bodybuilder, choosing this path over soccer. Bodybuilding at the time was seen as eccentric and didn’t have the kind of respect that it does today, largely thanks to Arnold’s professional body building career.

In 2004 in an interview with Fortune, Arnold said he suffered what “would now be called child abuse” at the hands of his father, whose funeral he did not attend in 1972.

I Want to Be Somebody

He told Fortune how his adversities made him passionate about success in life, saying that every time he was hit and every time he was told he will never succeed at body building, he would say, “This is not going to be for much longer, because I’m going to move out of here. I want to be rich. I want to be somebody.”

While serving his one year of mandatory military service in the Austrian Army, Arnold went AWOL to compete in the Junior Mr. Europe contest. After winning the competition he spent a week in military prison for going AWOL and was assigned to kitchen duties as punishment. This turned out to be an incredible opportunity for Arnold, who now had access to eat all the food he needed to accelerate his body building!

In his 2015 comedy special, standup comedian Bill Burr would later summarize the incredibly superlative distinction of Arnold’s path in life:

“That dude should be unloading trucks in Transylvania. That should have been the height of his success…”

He became famous for lifting weights. Did he rest on his laurels? No. Next challenge: I’m going to become an actor despite the fact that nobody can really understand me.

Against the Odds

Against all odds, he starts making movies! ‘Get down! There’s a bomb! Get out of there!’ He becomes one of the biggest blockbuster stars of all time! ‘What are you going to do next Arney?’ ‘I think I’ll marry a Kennedy.’ ‘There’s no way you can do that!’ Bam! He does it!

Cherry on top: ‘I’m running for governor of a state I can’t even pronounce,’ —and he wins the election! …anyone else think they can move to Austria, learn the language, become famous for working out, become a movie star, marry into their royalty, then hold public office?”

A True Olympian

After leaving the Army and competing in his first Mr. Universe competition in 1966 (taking second place that year), Arnold moved to London to begin training with one of the judges of the competition who offered to coach him.

Two years later he fulfilled his childhood dream of moving to America and took up residence in Los Angeles, California where he began working out at Gold’s Gym. In 1970 at age 23, he won his first Mr. Olympia competition in New York, a title he would win seven times setting a world record. He won Mr. Universe five times.

He would go on to parlay his athletic fame into a blockbuster movie career, earning him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and from there became governor of the state of California in 2003, serving until his term limit was up. He turns 70 this year and he still lifts weights to this day.

Posted in Bodybuilding | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Sports Archives – Michael Jordan: Dusting Yourself Off

Posted on May 13, 2017 by thesportsarchives

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan: Dusting Yourself Off

“I’ve failed over and over and over again…”

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” -Michael Jordan

Born in 1963 to a middle-class family from Brooklyn, Michael Jordan grew up in North Carolina where his first setback was not making the varsity basketball team in high school his sophomore year. The coach deemed him too short at 5’10.

Instead of being discouraged, this setback fueled Michael’s ambition and he trained hard and played aggressively, becoming the star of the junior varsity squad by tallying several 40-point games. The next summer he grew four inches and because he had trained so rigorously he was ready to take his high school basketball career to the next level.

“If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” -Michael Jordan

As a senior, Michael averaged 20-points over his last two years of high school play, and was courted by several college teams before deciding to play for North Carolina, where he majored in cultural geography.

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” -Michael Jordan

In a moment that Michael Jordan would later describe as a major turning point in his career, he made the game-winning jump shot at the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown and one of his future NBA rivals, Patrick Ewing.

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” -Michael Jordan

In the 1984 NBA draft, as we all know, Michael was picked by the Chicago Bulls where he would go on to popularize professional basketball to the entire world throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He was so popular among fans, he made the cover of Sports Illustrated just one month into his NBA career with the headline “A Star Is Born.”

“Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.” -Michael Jordan

Michael’s next major setback was when fans voted him to be an All-Star starter that year, and other veteran NBA players actually became jealous of all the attention he was getting, so they refused to pass him the ball throughout the game. Unaffected, he returned to regular season play and was voted Rookie of the Year.

“I play to win, whether during practice or a real game. And I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.” -Michael Jordan

Then Michael hit a major roadblock in his second season: he broke his foot in the third game of the year, and had to miss 64 games while recovering. When he returned in time for the playoffs, he set a record for points in a playoff game with 63 points scored in Game 2, a record that still stands. The next year, he became one of only two players in history (the other is Wilt Chamberlain) to score 3,000 points in a season.

“The key to success is failure. Failure makes me work even harder. I’ve never been afraid to fail.” -Michael Jordan

The greatest trial of Michael Jordan’s life was when his father was murdered by two teenagers in 1993. Devastated by the loss of his father, Michael retired from the NBA and announced he would play minor league baseball to honor a dream of his late father’s that he would be a great baseball player.

In 1995 after announcing his return to professional basketball with the two-word press release “I’m back,” Michael Jordan went on in the 1995-96 season to set a record for the best regular season in NBA history 72-10. The NBA officially states, “By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.” In 2016, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Posted in Basketball | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – What To Know Before You Buy A Fishing Boat

Posted on May 10, 2017 by thesportsarchives

Boating

Written by: Quintin Bentley Crevling

Imagine yourself floating on the open ocean rocking back and forth with a cold drink in one hand and your fishing reel in the other. There are few things in life more peaceful than these moments, but you shouldn’t dump your life savings into a fishing boat before you know the basics.

If you are buying a fishing boat you will need to learn how to repair common problems otherwise, you will find yourself calling marine services for assistance. You must know common issues for used boats, how to get your boat ready for the water, important maintenance fees, and where you will store your boat.

There is a myriad of problems that can occur on a used boat, so it’s important to know the biggest issues to look for. The first thing to check is the engine. If the engine cracks, then water will get into the oil and give it a milky appearance, so make sure to check the oil. Electrical issues are one of the most expensive problems for used boats.

You should turn on every single electrical component in the boat one at a time, and then all at once to test the fuse box. When you take the boat on a test run, make sure to show up early so you can hear how it sounds when it starts. Many owners will have the boat running when you arrive to create the illusion that it fired right up.

All boats must be surveyed to ensure they are fit for the water. This is an expensive fee as you will have to pay by the foot of your vessel and the employee’s hourly wage, which will surpass $100 an hour. You must also register your boat with the local government.

Fees vary depending on the length of the vessel and how you intend to use it. Most importantly, you must have insurance before getting on the water. This is for your protection, but more importantly for the protection of other people of the water.

Buying a used boat is a massive money dump if you don’t know how to properly maintain the vessel. You must constantly check fluids and lubricate parts to ensure they continue to run smoothly. This is not only costly but also a huge time commitment.

Luckily the large maintenance expenses only come around once every few years. Roughly every five years you will need to have the bottom of the hull scraped and painted so barnacles and weeds don’t eat away at the boat, or create a drag that wastes fuel.

Storing a boat is the most expensive necessity for owning a boat. If you can’t store your boat at home, then you will have to find a dock or dry dock to store your boat. It’s very hard to find an open space on a dock to store your boat in the water.

These high commodity spaces will go for upwards of $2,000 a year. The last resort is to store your boat in a covered dry dock. These expensive storage facilities will cost you as much as $600 a month!

Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment