The Sports Archives – The Road to the BCS Championship game!

Posted on December 30, 2013 by thesportsarchives

When: Jan 6th, 2014 at 8:30pm ET

Where: Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA

Broadcast: ESPN / Musburger and Herbstreit with the call

In Person: BCS Championship Tickets

photo BCS_Championship_zps45138f32.jpg

Unlike last year’s BCS Championship game, this one will be a thrilling game and both teams will have their hands full for a full 4 quarters. You have a Cinderella type story with the Auburn Tigers as they started the season unranked and have made it through some of wildest finishes in college football history. On the other end of the spectrum, you have the Florida State Seminoles taking the season by the throat and dominating everyone with their juggernaut powered defense. Let’s take a quick look at how these two powerhouses got to the big game.

Florida State Seminoles: 13-0

Head Coach: Jimbo Fisher (4th year)

The AP, ranked Florida State #10 to start the season and then steadily moved up from #10, #8, #6, #5, #3, #2, and to #1 solidifying their spot in the BCS Championship game. The Seminoles faced five ranked teams and blew them all out for a combined score of 254-41; those are some pretty impressive numbers versus ranked opponents. If you want to pass the ball against the Seminoles you better have a “plan b” because their stingy pass defense is ranked #1 and #3 overall in the FBS.

When looking at their schedule, the scoring numbers are quite stunning. The Seminoles average score is 53 and their opponent’s average score is just 11.

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The Sports Archives – The Most Important Decision: Choosing a Pair of Football (Soccer) Boots!

Posted on December 27, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Football players are often guided by a number of factors through their careers, whether they make it to the very top of the game in a professional capacity or if they just play with their friends in a local club side every week. Some things, like tricks and shots at goal are done instinctively, while other decisions – such as their choice of footwear – are guided by completely different factors.

Soccer Cleat

As a professional or amateur player, your choice of boots is important. Some might say that they just strap on a pair of boots and they play with no interest in the make or colour, but others are very particular about what they play in to help them to make the most of the conditions and to give them that inspiration to produce a man-of-the-match performance. When you buy a new pair of boots, either from Newitts over the Internet or a store in your nearest shopping centre, you need to take a number of things into account, especially if you want to be able to perform, while others choose to take factors into account, (there is a difference!)

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The Sports Archives – What To Look For In A Racebook Website!

Posted on December 26, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Saratoga Race Track 1907

Finding a racebook website these days isn’t what you’d call a problem – there are dozens of the things popping up month after month. However, finding one that you can not only trust but know you’re getting the best possible shot at success is another thing altogether – these are a much rare breed to say the least.

The key is to know precisely what it is that makes a great racebook website in advance and set your sights on nothing less. So with this in mind, here’s a quick look at the five most important considerations to bear in mind when it comes to picking from the racebook sites on offer today:

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The Sports Archives – Ready to Hit the Trail? How to Prepare for a Long Hike!

Posted on December 23, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Appalachian TrailHiking is a wonderful hobby and there is nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment when you reach the top of a mountain and survey the landscape around you – knowing that you made it there with your own two feet. It’s so enjoyable to wander through the quiet landscape with nothing but the rush of wind in the trees and the calls of the birds to keep you company.

However, a hike can turn from fun and pleasant to uncomfortable and downright dangerous if you are not prepared. If you don’t bring enough food with you, you will be hungry and weak while trying to climb your last few miles and if you don’t have adequate rain gear an unexpected deluge will leave you soaked and shivering. If you don’t have the right shoes or backpack, you can find yourself uncomfortable and in pain and if you don’t prepare your route with a map- you could get lost in the woods. This is why it is important to always plan ahead and prepare yourself before you go on a long distance hike.

Here are some tips to keep in mind to prepare yourself before you go on a long hike:

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The Sports Archives – Improving Your Skills With Baseball Training Aids!

Posted on December 23, 2013 by thesportsarchives

David Ortiz

Baseball is a popular sport. The structure of it is quite simple: players use a bat to hit a ball far enough to be able to run around to each base in hopes of scoring a home run. People all over the world enjoy playing and watching the sport, picking their favourite teams and rooting for their victories against the others. Each team is usually made up of nine players who take turns batting and fielding.

Those who are in the field will try to catch the balls that the other team hits so that they can get it back to the base man as fast as possible before the opponent gets to the base. The players run clockwise to each base, first, second, third and home base.

Seems Simple But Needs Skills

While the rules and structure of the game may seem simple, it actually requires quite a bit of skill and coordination to be good at it, and make a career of it. Many of the players on professional teams spend hours a week training and practicing their pitching, batting and catching skills. Luckily, though, for those who wish to break into the sport of baseball, there is baseball training aids available for purchase.

The structure of baseball can be traced back to as early as 1344 in a French manuscript which contained a game similar to baseball. The earliest known reference to the actual game of baseball, however, dates back to 1744 where it was featured in a British publication called ‘A Little Pretty Pocket-Book.’ This game featured a triangle shape of all the required bases instead of a diamond, and used posts instead of ground-level bases.

The game of baseball was not played until 1749 in Surrey, and actually had the Prince of Wales as one of the players. The first reference of baseball in America was in 1791. It was recognized in Germany in 1796. By 1856, baseball became the national game in America. The National League was founded in 1876. Since then, various manufacturers have created baseball training aids to help players and potential players become better at the sport by having the option to practice their techniques while also developing them to become stronger.

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The Sports Archives – What Happened To The UK’s Best Loved Racehorses?

Posted on December 21, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Del Mar Horse Racing

Horseracing has been a great tradition in the UK for hundreds of years. According to Wikipedia, the sport generates over £3.7 billion for the British economy and our country is home to nearly 60 licensed racecourses, which in itself demonstrates exactly how popular horse racing has become.

Occasionally, one horse stands out from its competitors to become a National Icon. But what happens to these horses after the camera bulbs stop flashing and they’ve been overshadowed by a younger, hungrier steed? Read on to find out.

Shergar

Shergar shot to fame by winning the 202nd Epsom Derby in 1981 and achieving a lead of ten lengths, the longest margin in the history of the race. Named European Horse of the Year, the Irish racehorse retired from racing the following September.

But Shergar hit the headlines again in 1983 when he was stolen by masked gunmen from the Ballymany Stud. Nobody was ever discovered and the controversial incident has been the subject of several publications and documentaries, with the story even having been made into a film.

Although elements of the incident still remain a mystery, it’s now widely believed that Shergar was stolen by members of the IRA in an attempt to extract a ransom, but the horse was killed when the kidnappers realised that their plan had failed.

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The Sports Archives – 49ers Destroy Jaguars in London!

Posted on December 20, 2013 by thesportsarchives

49ers Offense

Hosting regular season NFL games in London has worked exceptionally well. The NFL were sceptical at first, but the English fans have proven their love of the game is genuine, and they’re being rewarded for their commitment. This season, for the first time ever, The NFL increased London’s one game allowance to two games. The first game of London’s NFL season pitted the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday 29th September. The second had the NFL’s worst team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, take on the 2012 Super Bowl runner-up, the San Francisco 49ers.

Colin KaepernickDays before their match-up the NFL announced that next season would see another game added, meaning Wembley will host three games in the 2014 season. This is another huge step on the road to London getting an NFL franchise. Before anyone had the time to think about next year, they had Colin Kaepernick’s 49ers to occupy themselves with. Since taking over from Alex Smith as San Francisco’s starting quarterback, Kaepernick, has gained rave reviews across the NFL, and his London performance would only add to his blossoming legacy.

Quarterback’s used to be known for their throwing capability, now they’re able to run, throw and pull off many plays to entertain the fans, and ultimately win football games. Known for dominating the game in every way, Kaepernick did so once again as he rushed for two touchdowns himself, and threw for another, while throwing for 164 yards, and rushing for 54 yards himself. So why are the modern era quarterbacks’ playing such a different style than those that went before them? Could it be better training, or could it be as simple as the improvement that’s been made to their NFL jerseys, such as lighter fitting compression clothing (available at online store compressionsportswear.co.uk )

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The Sports Archives – Oddball Sports Of New York City – Freak Or Unique?

Posted on December 19, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Madison Square GardenWhen it comes to sport, ‘each to his own’ so the saying goes, but whilst many of us think of sport as Major League Baseball or NFL, you’ll find a lot stranger goings on in the Big Apple. From bull riders to big eaters right through to the Gotham Girls Roller Derby you’ll find them all in NYC. Here we take a look at NYC’s weird and wonderful ‘sports’ and leave you to decide…

Professional Bull Riders (PBR)

What?  A bull riding competition in the heart of Manhattan? Are you crazy? Yep, as crazy as it might seem, each year the city sees 700 tons of dirt lining the arena floor and an excitable crowd cheering on the bull riders as they do everything they can possibly do to stay on top of a bucking 2,000 lb bull for 8 seconds or more. Points are awarded for control, body position and style of riding.

Where?  Madison Square Garden

Why?  Professional riders like Luke Snyder can earn over a $1 million in their bull riding career. With large-scale pyrotechnics and rock music it’s more like a rock concert than a sport but it’s a whole lotta fun to watch.

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The Sports Archives – Candlestick Park: Home Of The San Francisco 49ers!

Posted on December 18, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Candlestick Park Home of the San Francisco 49ers

The Bay Area in California is home to dozens of world-class attractions. Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the San Francisco Cable Cars are all at the top of any tourist to-do list. But sports fans who happen to be in Northern California should reserve time to attend a San Francisco 49ers game at Candlestick Park.

Whether you have been to the Park or not, do yourself a favor and make it happen one last time. As the team is scheduled to move into a new home stadium for the 2014 season, this year is the last time fans will be able to watch NFL football at Candlestick Park.

Candlestick Park is located in the Hunters Point/Bayview area—the SE part of San Francisco—on 602 Jamestown Avenue. One of many points to the structure is that it survived the 1989 earthquake—7.1 on the Richter Scale—with no injuries. Although minor structural damage to the building did occur from the large quake, repairs and renovations quickly stabilized the structure and prevented any costly destruction.

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The Sports Archives – Things To Know When Training For Your First Triathlon!

Posted on December 17, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Triathlon Swim Bike Run

Your first triathlon will no doubt be an event that you remember for the rest of your life. Years and years of hard work, dedication, gruelling training and nutrition regimens, will all come to a head on one glorious yet extremely terrifying day. Before the actual event itself however, there’s the training itself, which is not easy to say the very least. There are the nutritional factors to cover, the recovery, and the Triathlon gear and equipment itself. There will be highs, and there will be lows, but when you cross that finish line, no matter where you happen to place, you can rest assured that you’re up there with only an elite few of dedicated athletes willing to go the extra mile to achieve greatness. Here we’ll be looking at several things to consider whilst training for your first triathlon.

What is a triathlon? – A triathlon is an athletic competition made up of multiple stages (three, hence the name TRI-athlon), that takes place both on land, and in water. It comprises of a stage of swimming, a stage of cycling, and a stage of running. As the event is so intense, having the right triathlon clothing, the right triathlon gear, and the right triathlon bikes can help give you a valuable advantage over the competition. The distances can vary, but each stage is designed to push you to your absolute limits.

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