The Sports Archives – Will the Great Britain Football Team Leave Any Sort of Legacy?

Why Was It Done?

David Beckham

David Beckham was not selected for Team Great Britain.

As the United Kingdom, rather than England, was designated as the host nation for the 2012 Olympic Games, it was thought that it would be fitting to have a football team representing the nation this year. Everybody knows that each country in the union represents themselves when playing football at international level, and this was really the first bone of contention when it comes to having a combined team. The “smaller” nations’, or to be more blunt, the nations who aren’t named England, Football Associations were worried that being involved would lead to their FIFA memberships being called into question.

Even without the possibility of such sanctions, people were still left hugely unimpressed. This is partially what led coach Stuart Pearce into picking players only from England or Wales.

Courting Publicity

On the one hand, Pearce looked to remove the circus surrounding the whole footballing furore by not naming David Beckham in his squad. While this seems to be a shrewd move – playing in the American Major League is hardly top-level, I do not care what anyone says – what he has done is actually increase the media scrutiny and left the door wide open for huge criticism if they don’t perform.

Legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly once said to Phil Thompson, who had queried why he wasn’t in the team following a heavy defeat: “Did you see how bad they were? Do you really want to have your name associated with that?”

I have a funny feeling that Beckham may be feeling those same sentiments in a week or so!

Does Anyone Care?

Nationalism, at least among the working classes, is currently at an all-time high in the United Kingdom. Ask the man on the street what he thinks about Scottish independence, for example, and the answer will probably be “good luck to them.” Sport in the UK has always been afflicted with the notion of supporting people from another nation. It is why Andy Murray went from British to Scottish in the space of an hour at Wimbledon earlier this month, and why the rivalry between opposing nations in the union, particularly at football and when England is involved, is so fierce.

After all the publicity and fuss surrounding the Team GB football squad, there is likely to be an underwhelming feeling of “meh” felt by the vast majority of the nation both now and in the future, especially as their chances of success appear slim.

There are a wonderful set of Olympic sporting videos that have been produced by Videojug specifically for the Olympic games.

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The Sports Archives – 2012 International Triathlon Events

Every year, thousands of athletes take part in triathlon events in locations around the world. While many high-profile international triathlons have already taken place this year, there’s still plenty of action to look forward to in the next few months of 2012.

Triathalon

Alpe d’Huez Triathlon

25 July

The Alpe d’Huez Triathlon is one of the most hotly anticipated events in the sport’s calendar, set in one of the most awe-inspiring locations. There are two variations of the event. The long course incorporates an eight mile, 3,000 feet ascent cycle along the Alpe and a swim in the EDF du Verney Lake in Vaujany as well as a 21.9km run. The shorter course featured a 1.2km swim; a 30km cycle and a 7.3km run.

TriStar Monaco

2 September

This will be the third annual TriStar Monaco, but it’s already been embraced by the Triathlon community. Part of this is down to the luxurious location, but it’s also a tough and rewarding course which comprises of a 1km swim off the Monaco beach of Lavarotto and a gruelling but picturesque 100km bike course. The final leg of the triathlon is two laps (10km) of the world-famous Formula One circuit, concluding outside the Monte Carlo casino.

Ocean Lava Lanzarote Triathlon

8 September

Another event back for its third year is the Ocean Lava Lanzarote Triathlon, featuring a 1.9km swim in the Puerto del Carmen and 90km bike ride through the vineyards of La Geria, El Golfo and over Femes. The run consists of three loops of Puerto del Carmen before heading to the finish. For less experienced competitors, there are half- and quarter-distance variations of the race.

Virgin Active London Triathlon

21 September

Attracting over 13,000 competitors, this has become the largest mass participation triathlon in the world. Competitors can choose from four variations of the race: Super Sprint, Sprint, Olympic and Olympic Plus. The Super Sprint event incorporates a 400m swim in London Docklands as well as a 10km bike ride and 2.5km run that travels past some of the city’s most notable landmarks. At the other end of the scale, the Olympic Plus comprises a 1500m swim, 90km bike ride and 10km run.

Garmin Barcelona Triathlon

7 October

Another big city triathlon event which offers multiple options for its competitors is the Barcelona Triathlon. This year almost 5,000 people will choose between Super Sprint (400m swim, 10km cycle, 2.5km run), Sprint (750m swim, 20km cycle, 5km run) and Olympic (1.5km swim, 40km cycle, 10km run) as they compete on one of the most scenic courses in Europe. One of the highlights of the Barcelona Triathlon is the bike section, which includes riding around the Parc de la Cuitadella and under the Arc de Triomf.

I’m David Johnson, a triathlete and personal trainer in the UK. An avid blogger who loves to share my experiences and interesting stories in the wonderful world of athletics.

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The Sports Archives – Knickerbocker Glory!

Teamed with ‘knickerbocker’ shorts, usually held up by a belt of differing widths, early footballers would wear thick leather football boots and long, woolly socks with shin pads which could be tucked in or worn outside.

Essex County Football Team

Earlier still, when football began to become popular in the 1800s, players would wear their tough, steel-capped work boots, with metal tacks hammered into the sole to provide some kind of grip on slippery grass surfaces.

Purpose-made football boots arrived much later, when entrepreneurs including Adi and Rudolf Dassler realised the potential in creating a whole new industry based around this burgeoning sport.

The brothers laid the foundations for what we know today as Adidas and Puma, two companies renowned worldwide for not only football boots, but for a huge range of apparel and equipment used in sporting activities as wide-ranging as running, rugby, boxing, cricket, hockey and golf.

Worldwide Recognition

The iconic Adidas 3 stripes are recognised throughout the world, and so too is Puma’s leaping cat logo, which can be found on sports clothing, footwear and equipment from Formula 1 to freestyle swimming.

Originally known as Ruda, after founder Ruldolf Dassler, Puma have been associated with some of the most legendary players ever to have pulled on a pair of football boots, including Pelé, Eusébio, Johan Cruyff and Diego Maradonna.

Over the years, Puma sponsorships have included Spurs and Newcastle United, the Irish Rugby Union team, boxing’s Oscar De La Hoya, golf’s Ian Poulter, and Red Bull Racing.

Olympic Sponsors

Adidas – named after Adolf ‘Adi’ Dassler – are sponsors of the London 2012 Olympics, and have been associated with clubs, countries and individuals too numerous to mention, from the England and South Africa cricket teams to the British and Irish Lions, the New Zealand All Blacks, and the victorious Team Sky Cycling, currently riding the crest of a wave after Bradley Wiggin’s incredible performance at the 2012 Tour de France.

Another name that has stood the test of time is Umbro.

Well over 80 years after their initial foray into the sporting world, Umbro are current suppliers of the England team football kit, following on from the first tailored shirts and shorts they provided for the two protagonists in the 1934 FA Cup Final.

Renowned for kitting out all but one of the 1966 world cup sides, they have been official suppliers of the team strip for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.

Football writer Nicki Williams writes for Gear-Zone, suppliers of sporting apparel and footwear on-line and specialists in The North Face and Rab Clothing

Picture source: Gear-Zone/Compfight

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The Sports Archives – Is Having Sex Really Bad for An Athlete Before a Game?

Do athletes really have to abstain from having sex before a big event?

This is a question many athletes are asked throughout their career. The answers are mixed; some answer “no,” while most answer “yes.” Some say it’s okay to have sex as it won’t affect the way they play; however, there are also those who are adamantly against having sex before a big game. In fact, Muhammad Ali reportedly refused to make love for a month and a half before a fight.

So the question is, is having sex before a big event really bad?

Testosterone and Aggression Talk

One explanation as to why having sex is not good for an athlete before a big event is because it draws testosterone away from the body. Testosterone is a hormone related to aggression. After a man ejaculates, there will be a drop in the testosterone level. So if you want the player to be more aggressive and perform better during a game, he should abstain from having sex. The more pent-up his sexual frustration will be, the more aggressive he’ll be on the field.

However, and this is a very big however, the drop is very insignificant that it doesn’t really affect the testosterone level that much. In fact, studies have already disproved this “explanation” and reduced it to a myth. One study has even proved that having sex actually boosts testosterone levels, so the athlete becomes even more aggressive. The study also showed that it is abstinence from sex that actually decreases testosterone level to that of a child’s testosterone level. Not good at all for aggressive sports such as boxing and football.

Weak-in-the-Knees Talk

Another explanation why many athletes refuse to have sex before a game is because the act of ejaculation often times leave some men feeling drained and weak. Now, this is definitely something that we don’t want. After all, who wants their favorite player to be weak-in-the-knees during the game, right?

However, it should be understood that, although having sex can make one feel weak afterward, the activity is actually not a very demanding one. In fact, some say it’s much like walking up a couple of flights of stairs. Also, making love oftentimes makes one feel rejuvenated.

Of note though; a study has shown that making love still has an effect on the heart rate up to a couple of hours after having sex. With the heart rate affected, the performance of the athlete may also be affected. However, who would be making love a couple of hours or more before a big event? The athlete should be preparing for the game then, not making love.

Sleep Talk

Some coaches urge their players to abstain from having sex before a big game simply because they want their players to be more rested after a good night’s sleep. Sleep can affect one’s level of alertness. The less sleep he gets, the more his alertness and performance levels are negatively affected.

In summary, if having sex before a big game is good for the athlete, then by all means have sex if it’ll make him perform better. If it affected his performance in a bad way, then he should abstain from having sex next time.

Citations:

Jennifer Dalphonse is a freelance writer for a sports blog. Through this article, she hopes to throw light on whether or not having sex before a big game is bad for an athlete.

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The Sports Archives – Three Sports Nutrition Myths Debunked

Sports FoodDon’t eat that; eat this instead. Don’t do that; do this instead. There are a lot of nutrition myths in the sports industry. If you follow one of them without doing some research first or asking an expert, then it could be very detrimental to your game performance. Instead of helping you, it could affect the way you perform, or, worse, it could affect your health.

Below are three very common sports nutrition myths.

Vitamin supplements are enough to give you energy.

Some athletes often times think that the vitamin supplements they’re taking are enough to give them the boost they need. However, it should be understood that these supplements are only giving them the vitamins and minerals their bodies need. This won’t give them the energy and fuel their body’s need to perform well at sports. To perform well, they’re going to need calories which provide the body’s energy.

Our bodies need vitamins and minerals, but if our micronutrient requirements are met through the right diet, then taking more vitamin supplements as well as mineral supplements is not going to give us any more benefit. In fact, it can only do the opposite and harm you.

If you want to make sure that you are receiving the needed vitamins, nutrients, and calories, then ask your doctor. He may refer you to a dietitian or nutritionist who can better assess what your body needs, taking into consideration your activities, height, weight, and other factors.

Drinking lots of water during a game or while exercising will only slow you down.

The more physical the activity, the more you sweat. The more you sweat, the more fluid you lose. The more fluid you lose, the more fatigued you become. So contrary to this popular belief, drinking less is actually more detrimental to your health and your game performance than drinking more water. Look at it this way, if you’re playing a very physical sport such as football and you’re not replenishing the fluid you’ve lost, then it’ll be easier for you to become dehydrated and suffer from fatigue. If this happens, then your performance will be affected.

It’s recommended that you drink the amount of fluid that your body has lost. You have to know your sweat rate so you can meet your hydration needs. Furthermore, it is recommended that you frequently drink small amounts of fluid throughout the game rather than drinking large amounts in one sitting.

What you eat before a game doesn’t matter, as long as you’ve eaten a full meal.

What you eat does matter. For example, if you’re playing high-endurance sports and stamina games, then you need to eat foods that are high in carbohydrates. It can help increase the glycogen level in your muscles, giving you stamina and helping you keep hunger at bay. Eating fruits that are good energy sources is also a good thing. These include bananas and red grapes.

On the other hand, if you’re into sports that require strength rather than stamina and endurance, then you’ll need foods rich in protein and calcium such as lean meat and low-fat dairy products. These will not only help in improving muscle strength but also help in increasing muscle mass.

Of note though; you have to eat these foods a few hours before the game to give your body time to digest the full meal.

Citations:

Jennifer Dalphonse is an article provider who writes for an allpro sports blog. She specializes in writing about diet, exercise, and food that are perfect for athletes.

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The Sports Archives – Baseball Card Manufacturing Broken Down In 5 Steps

Baseball Cards

Trading cards have been circulating since the 1880s. It has evolved through the years in size, shapes and make. Originally, trading cards became popular because of baseball fans. These cards have been collected by people of all ages.

The value of a trading card depends on the image printed (if it is a popular player or team), the rarity of the piece and the condition when it is being sold. A single card can cost from a penny to really outrageous prices. The most expensive baseball trading card amounted more than $2,800,000, a huge sum of money for something made of cardboard or thick paper. The Honus Wagner T206 PSA 8 is considered the holy grail of the card community.

Trading cards of earlier times were made and distributed by tobacco and candy companies. They came inside packs tobaccos and were basically meant as “collectibles” for advertising the products. Today, trading cards are made by modern marvels and are printed in numerous designs and sizes. They are now a product on their own and are manufactured in more quantities than they were before.

To give you a picture of how these collectible items are made, here is a step-by-step procedure as revealed to the fans of these trading cards.

  1. What is to be printed on the trading card takes time and goes through rigorous process. Whether the image will be in portrait or in landscape, an individual player or a whole team, this is carefully selected. The image and texts on the back are then laid out and a printing plate is made. 
  2. These designs are then printed in huge quantities using state of the art printers. They are printed on large sheets of cardboard within an offset lithography press. 
  3. After printing, the large sheets of thick paper go through a conveyor belt where they are slit and cut down into specified sizes. The cards from the same sheet are stacked on top of each other. 
  4. The cards then go through another conveyor belt where at the end of the line, able hands check if they are cut into similar sizes. A group of workers examine the quality of the printed cards before they head to the next machine. 
  5. After they are grouped into the number that each pack should contain, the cards go through a machine where they are collated and wrapped. The packs are then assembled to boxes, sealed, and shipped nationwide for all baseball trading card collectors to enjoy. 

If you are buying these cards for your collection and wish that it will be worth a ton of money in the coming years, it is a necessity that your cards are safely packed that they can endure the test of time. Before, shoe boxes were the popular homes of these collectibles. Now, there are a lot of ways to store your precious collection. There are archive-quality albums, plastic boxes, card sheets, and numerous other supplies to take care of your trading cards. Storing individual cards in bag sealers is also one of the safest and most practical ways.

Maria Dublin provides guest blogging assistance for PlexPack – a company that manufactures sealing and shrink packaging systems. Visit PlexPack.com for a free quote on your flexible packaging needs today.

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The Sports Archives – Adam Dunn: Back in Action?

Adam DunnWhen you pick Adam Dunn for your fantasy baseball team, you have to be aware that he is not your typical ballplayer. You will never get a high batting average from him – his career average is .243, and the most he has ever batted in a year is .267. He strikes out more than anybody in the league – he has led the league in strikeouts three years, and is currently leading the American League in strikeouts in 2012. He doesn’t steal bases.

Why Dunn wasn’t picked up much in early 2012 by fantasy baseball players

So what does Dunn have to offer? He hits a lot of home runs, gets a bunch of RBIs, and walks a ton. Most years, that is. Dunn did have a very disappointing 2011, when Dunn batted just .159 and hit only 11 home runs, and drove in only 42 runs in 122 games. That’s not what you would expect of a player who was in the first year of a four-season, $56 million deal with the Chicago White Sox.

This meant that not as many fantasy baseball team owners picked up Dunn this year. In 2012, Dunn did not even make the top 200 players picked in most MLB fantasy drafts, and he barely cracked the top 250.

How Dunn is doing in 2012

Fortunately for fantasy baseball team owners who did take a chance on him, Adam Dunn’s 2012 is much better than his 2011. Whether it is partly due to a better comfort level with new manager Robin Ventura rather than Ozzie Guillen, who managed the White Sox last year, Dunn’s power numbers in the first half of the season are very good – he had 28 homers and 65 RBIs at press time. He also leads the American League in walks, home runs, and strikeouts (of course, the third category isn’t anything to get excited over!) In addition, he represented the White Sox in the All-Star Game.

What should you do in your league

Chances are that Dunn, who was so unpopular in this season’s fantasy drafts, may have already been picked up in your league during the season, as Dunn started hitting home runs again. However, if there is a chance that Dunn is still available in your fantasy baseball league, snatch him up. Not only will he get you good power numbers, but he is qualified in most fantasy leagues as DH, first base, and left field, giving you some versatility.  It turns out that Dunn’s career isn’t really done, after all, even though 2011 looked so abysmal for the 32-year-old.

Lisa Swan is a blog writer for sports sites like DraftStreet.com.

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The Sports Archives – Speedway Racing – What’s It All About?

Speedway motorbikes are unlike your conventional road bikes; for starters, they don’t have brakes! They have one gear and a 500 cc engine that runs on methanol fuel. They can accelerate at excessive speeds of up to 60 mph, which is faster than an F1 car!
The racing circuit is oval and is usually 300 metres in total. The bikes race in an counterclockwise direction and to get safely around the bends, riders have to skid.

Motorcycle Speedway StartRaces, or meetings as they are known, are usually held every other week at most tracks around the country and have 15 heats. You will find two teams racing against each other and each team consists of seven riders. Only two riders from each team will race at the same time and each win earns the team three points, second place brings two points and third one point – the loser gets no points! The more points a team has, the closer they get to moving up the league, just like in football.

Speedway Leagues

The UK has three leagues: Elite League, Premier League and the National League (for the younger riders).

The following is how the league points scoring system works:

  • Home loss –  nil points
  • Home draw – one point
  • Home win between one and six points – two points
  • Home win by seven or more points – three points
  • Away loss by seven or more points – nil points
  • Away loss by six or less points  – one point
  • Away draw – two points
  • Away win between one and six points – three points
  • Away win by seven or more points – four points

What makes a team?

Each team is made up of seven riders, each having a number. Team members one, two, three, four and five can ride in any order, as decided by the team manager. Team members six and seven are the reserves.  The reserves must be the two riders with the lowest average scores in the team.

Each team will have its own colours, but the home team will always have blue and red helmets and the away team black and yellow or yellow and white helmets. The riders will wear Kevlar racing suits to protect them against any falls. The suits are usually custom-made and incorporate sponsor logos. Riders also have special boots designed for racing. The boots have a special steel toe that the rider puts onto the track when cornering. In addition to the helmet, the riders also wear goggles to protect their faces and eyes.

Andrew Stevens takes a look at the popular sport of speedway Racing, writing here for Club Promoto.

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The Sports Archives – Treat Your Injury Like an Olympian!

With the 2012 Summer Olympics taking place in London, millions around the world will have their eyes glued to their favorite athletes representing their country. Gold medals and praise aren’t the only things these athletes take home with them, though. Some bring home a handful of injuries from training and   performing the sport they love. The phrase “no pain, no gain” may come to mind, but another thought that may arise is how do some of these athletes recover and get back on track. Let us take a look now and see how some Olympians have overcome and bounced back into the arena.

Kerri Strug: Gold Medalist at Atlanta in 1996

With taking home the bronze in Barcelona in 1992 and the gold in Atlanta in 1996, without a doubt Kerri Strug stands as one of the most admired gymnasts in American history. The world cringed though when Kerri took to the vault and fell, resulting in a sprained ankle and ligament damage. Ligaments are tough bands of tissue that connect bones to each other, and when torn or damaged, can result in serious pain and weakness. This, however, did not stop her from bouncing back on the vault for a second time to make a perfect landing, giving her team Olympic gold. Kerri received immediate treatment on her ankle injury, which led her to a fast recovery. Many whom experience ankle injuries ignore the problem at first, which could be the worst decision because if not treated immediately, it may cause permanent dysfunction later down the road. Today Kerri runs marathons, supports charities, and supports athletes at the Olympic Games.

Usain Bolt: Gold Medalist at Beijing 2008

Representing the island nation of Jamaica comes one of the fastest runners who walked, or shall we say “ran,” the earth, Usain Bolt. Not only did Usain race his way to three gold medals in Beijing in 2008, he has also holds many world records that will be hard to beat. While gearing up for the London games, Usain suffered lower back pain and tightness in the hamstring area. Even though he has qualified to run in the Olympic Games, this caused him to place second in the qualifying races against his running partner, Yohan Blake. Not only did Usain seek immediate treatment from back pain doctors and a specialist in Germany named Doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, who treats sports injuries, he will also undertake cryotherapy treatment. This process involves stepping into an ice chamber that uses liquid nitrogen to chill his body. Through this treatment, he will experience rapid muscle recovery, and the treatment also releases endorphins, helping ease the pain. His agent, Ricky Simms, informed the public that he is “good to go,” and will be going to London to defend his world records.

Dwight Howard: London 2012

Even though Dwight has not received an Olympic medal, he was on the road to the London Games until he learned that he must undergo back surgery. After experiencing back pain since last March, Dwight’s back doctors stated that he suffers from a herniated disc. He initially received an epidural to relieve the pain, but surgery is necessary to correct the problem. In addition to undergoing surgery, he will attend rehab and can get back into the game within a couple of months.

As you can see, treating an Olympian’s injury is not much different from others who seek medical help with their injuries and discomfort with their body. On top of their strength and motivation, they share something else in common – receiving treatment for their pain and discomfort as soon as they noticed it. So, while watching the game in London this year, remember when faced with an injury or discomfort, you should seek help and treatment as soon as it arises in order to have the best recovery possible.

Citations:

For more information on back pain doctors in NJ contact Nick Walz or connect with him on Twitter @Nick_Walz.

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The Sports Archives – 5 Great Motocross Circuits In The UK!

The sport of Motocross is surprisingly over 100 years old. It was a sport enjoyed by owners of early auto-cycles, which also became known as scrambling. It would involve a ‘scramble’ across country to give these motorized bone shakers a decent run in the great outdoors.

Motocross

Now Motocross is immensely popular in the UK with several Motocross circuits all over the country. Here are five established British Motocross courses that are great fun to try out.

Hawkstone Park

Above Shrewsbury in the Midlands, Hawkstone Park is one of the most famous Motocross parks in the UK. Since the 1950s, Hawkstone hosts several international and British competitions, although its origins were very humble. Back in 1938 the site was a low-key hill climb for the Crewe and Nantwich Light Car Club. The competition winner was the driver who made it the highest up the hill. Since then, the course has seen thousands of spectators and hundreds of riders.

Churchill MX

Offering excellent practice circuits, Churchill MX course can be found near East Grinstead in Sussex. There’s a wide variety of features, with new jumps added from time to time. The course is great for lighter trail bikes and EVO bicycles.

Leisure Lakes

Lancashire’s Leisure Lakes offers a lot of variety as a location, which serves a lot of different interests. Not only does Leisure Lakes have a Motocross course, but also has facilities for quad biking, paintball, woodland laser tag, watersports and facilities for less energetic past times. It;s an ideal destination for a mix of interests for the whole family.

Wildmoor

While the course is situated near greenery, Worcestershire’s Wildmoor MX is not exactly lush with natural beauty. This practice track is made up of many different up and down hill features, with table tops, step ups and more to make life interesting. Be warned, it’s set on a working sand-quarry, so conditions on the track can be very changeable very quickly.

Moto Land UK

Based in Suffolk, Moto Land offers full training facilities and inductions, with good facilities for beginners. The site is popular with novices as well as more experienced competition riders, thanks to its variety of tunnel, step up and banked turns, jumps plenty more to keep even the seasoned enthusiasts entertained. This black sand course is incredibly well maintained, with rigorous safety standards and good facilities, such as a purpose-built power wash.

Citations:

You’ll find excellent Motocross accessories at VisionMX.

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