The NFL Bad Boys and the Good Things They Do

The media loves to slam the bad boys of the NFL. Players such as Terrell Owens and Randy Moss are made to look like spoiled and obnoxious jerks by the media. As sports fans, you hear about their huge multi-million dollar contracts and their problems on and off the field.

As a recently retired NFL player, I know what goes on behind the scenes in the lives of NFL players. I know about both the good and the bad. I decided to write this article to let you know about the side of players that is rarely covered by the media because it is not considered exciting and newsworthy. I want to talk about the many wonderful things the “bad boys” of the NFL do to make this world a better place.

Randy Moss and Terrell Owen have both have worked extremely hard to make their dreams come true. There are 1800 players in the NFL and out of those 1800 players, the media seems to only care about the bad things players do. As they say in news, “if it bleeds it leads.” When was the last time you saw a major story on ESPN about a wonderful thing a player did to help a child or help their community? My guess is you probably cannot remember. But you certainly remember hearing about Terrell Owens not getting along with a player or a coach or Randy Moss doing a fake moon to the fans of the Green Bay Packers.

So for those of you that think Randy Moss and Terrell Owens are horrible people, please take a moment to read about the good things they have done.

Randy Moss:

* Spends time visiting local schools and meeting children

* Donates time and money to the Make a Wish Foundation to help terminally ill children

* Donates to the St. Joseph’s Home for Children in Minneapolis and an orphanage/clinic in Mexico

* Sponsors a celebrity fishing tournament to raise money for Smile Network International, which provides free reconstructive surgeries to impoverished children in developing countries

Terrell Owens:

* Runs the Terrell Owens Foundation and holds many events to raise money for The Alzheimer’s Association

* Holds youth football camps and is personally involved in teaching young players

* Auctioned his 2004 Philadelphia Eagles NFC Championship ring to raise money for hurricane Katrina relief

Now that you know more about the good these players are doing, I hope you will see them in a different light and not be so quick to judge them negatively.

The NFL Playoffs

The NFL playoffs
This weekend eight NFL teams will start a quest for the ultimate prize, the Lombardy Trophy. The Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Trophy was first named to honor the former Green Bay Packers Coach/General Manager in 1971, when the game was still known as the AFL-NFL World Championship. It is considered to be the National Football League’s most prestigious award. Traditionally, the NFL Commissioner presents the Trophy to the owner of the winning team on Super Bowl Sunday at a field ceremony in their honor.

The Wild-card weekend starts Saturday Jan. 6th as the Indianapolis Colts host the Kansas City Chiefs at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on NBC television.

The second game with a start time of 8:00 p.m. Eastern time and will showcase the Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys.

The second part of this Wild-card weekend will start Sunday Jan. 7th as the New York Jets visit The New England Patriots with a game start time of 1:00 p.m. on CBS sports.

The second game will have the NY Giants who will play at the Philadelphia Eagles starting time will be 4:30 p.m. on Fox sports television.

Predictions:
Indianapolis over Kansas City by 7
The Colts have too much offense with Manning at the helm, and I don’t think the Chiefs can outscore the Colts. Final score Colts - 28 Chiefs -21.

Seattle over Dallas by 3
The Seattle running game will be the story in this game, Tony Romo doesn’t have the experience it takes to win in the playoffs, and in the last two games the pressure got to him. Final score Seattle - 24 Dallas -21.

New England over NY Jets by 7
One word Tom Brady, the Pats experience and home field advantage will be too much for the Jets who will know in this game who is the better team. Final Pats- 21 Jets -14.

Philadelphia over the NY Giants by 7

The Eagles have caught fire under Jeff Garcia who replaced the injured Donovan McNabb and are on a roll. The Giants have too many problems on the field and in the locker room. Final Eagles -24 Giants- 17.

http://www.zonadesporto.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Orlando_Morais

How to Get Autographs From Pro Football Players

When the New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady was eight years old, he found himself in the San Francisco Giants’ locker room, where he asked Chili Davis, a star for the team at the time, for an autograph. Davis refused, but said, “Maybe later, kid, maybe if you come by after the game.”

So the young Brandy stuck around, and after the game he re-approached his favorite player, only to be refused again with a “No, I’m not signing autographs after the game.”

The effect stuck with Brady, both in terms of the disappointment it brought him and in Brady’s future outlook on autographs when he found himself in similar situations.

“I certainly was hurt,” Brady told Tuff Stuff magazine. “But at the same time, I was in the guy’s clubhouse and now I look at it from a different perspective than I did when I was that age. At the time, though, it seemed like such a little request.”

One would expect that walking into the Patriot’s locker room and asking for autographs might be a fast way to get your butt kicked, but there are certain ways you can position yourself in the autograph-giver’s radar.

First, you must have something to sign. Having a player sign you arm may seem like a fun idea at the time–and they may well oblige–but it’s largely a pointless act since you’re going to eventually wash it off. Here’s a good rule of thumb: if you’re not going straight to the tattoo parlor to have a tattoo artist trace the autograph, don’t bother with body signing. Always carry a good-quality pen. What’s the point of handing a player something to sign if you don’t give him the means to do so?

Next, know who the heck you’re talking to. If you can call him by name, or say something that shows you have taken an interest in him, he’s going to look at you more sympathetically than some fan with a Giant “P” painted on his beer gut.

The next important thing to remember is location, location, location. It is far easier to get a player to sign something from a front row seat than from a seat in the second balcony. If you do get a good seat and also get to the game early, you can try to talk to the players as they walk by. If you can get a guy in conversation for a while, you might just end up with a few players stopping by to chat.

Sometimes a player will star signing autographs and a crowd will quickly form. This is another reason to get there early. Fighting a crowd for signatures–or worse–being in your seat as dozens of people start crowding around you, is likely to get you more than annoyed.

If you can learn where the players enter into and out of the stadium, that’s another great place to find them ready to sign, pose for photos, and shake hands. If they’re not in a hurry, they’re far more likely to stick around for a while.

There’s also always the traditional way of getting an autograph: write away for it. Most team clubs will accept mail and forward it on to the player. When writing an athlete for an autograph, the same rules apply for any mailed autograph request:

* Always include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).
* Enclose a photo and/or an index cards for the player to sign.
* Do not send food, money, or gifts.
* Always include a letter acknowledging the player and his accomplishments.
* Be patient.

Sending Fan Mail:

To send fan mail to a football player, simply write him at his team’s address.

How To Profit From Football Betting

Football betting has become very popular with football lovers. This is because betting can be a major money maker without the pain. There are several types of football betting and it seems each has their own appeal to the football masses. Football betting gives bettors an exciting and easy way to double or triple up their money.

Football betting doubles the fun and excitement of football leagues, championship cups and conferences. It has lured many sports betting lovers since there several options for betting now. Unlike the previous years, today, bettors need not to wait for phone lines to be active or go personally to a local bookie to place a bet. The introduction of online football betting makes it a whole lot easier and cheaper to bet for your favourite football team. This makes football betting a universal fun time.

How To Get The Most Out Of Football Betting

Many people bet on different kinds of sports to make it more exciting – and football is not an exception. Betting on a football game is a common thing for friends and families. It adds to the thrill of watching the game. It makes you cheer for the team you placed your bets on. But how do you know who to bet your money on?

Unlike other forms of betting or gambling (as the case may suggest), football betting is not a mere product of luck alone. It requires game analysis, players and team scrutiny and examination of the betting odds. There could even be a little computation for it. However, there is still no guarantee. Bet is still a bet – the exciting part is looking forward to winning and fear of losing.

To add to your game analysis method, here are some techniques and tips that you should use in deciding which football team or player to bet on:

• Analyze the physical and mental state of the players. These will have effects in the overall performance of the player, as an individual, and the whole team as a group. Some players will still play even when injured. This means they won’t be able to play well, and of course, there could be a higher chance of losing.
• Analyze the strength and weakness of each team. Some team may be good in passing while others may be expert in running. These are important to help you come up with a betting decision.
• Believe it or not, the location of the game also affects the actual performance of each team. If the game is played on real grass, the advantage is on the team whose home stadium is a real grass. This could affect other teams playing on an Astroturf home stadium.

The tips and techniques in football betting are endless. But at least these are some of the most basic. Before you set your bet, make sure you are betting on a team that has a higher chance of winning. Don’t waste your money by betting without analyzing the game, teams and players.

Donovan Up Next?

Donovan McNabb is now the best quarterback never to have won a Super Bowl.

As if the guy needed any more pressure on him.

Until the Colts beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI on Sunday, Peyton Manning held that distinction, and seemed destined to retire into the “Dan Marino/Dan Fouts” Wing of the Hall of Fame in Canton.

But now, Peyton is off the schneid. He’s won the big one. He is a world champion.

And as a result, he is no longer the best quarterback currently playing in the NFL to have never won a championship.

That distinction now belongs to #5.

Now, I don’t say that to put any added pressure upon the already-burdened shoulder pads of Donnie Mac. Heaven knows he’s got enough Philadelphians breathing down his neck for things that are out of his control.

When he’s bad, he’s criticized. When he’s good, he’s criticized. When he’s somewhere in between, he’s criticized.

Heck, the guy gets criticized when he goes to the bathroom.

Despite all that, Donovan McNabb is a five-time Pro Bowler, was NFC Offensive Player of the Year in 2004, and led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl in 24 years that same season.

No matter what he does from here on out, Donovan McNabb is one of the greatest players in Philadelphia Eagles history. He does not need a Super Bowl win to validate that.

However, now that Manning has shed the “choker” label and won the big one, the mantle of “best active quarterback never to have won a Super Bowl” falls to Donovan McNabb.

It is a mantle no athlete wants.

And make no mistake; #5 enters the 2007 season at a crossroads. He has missed major portions of each of the last two years with season-ending injuries, and three out of the last five, with the latest being the most severe. No one knows how Donovan’s knee will respond to his rehabilitation or whether he’ll even be ready to go by the start of the ’07 season.

At 30 years old, he most likely has more years behind him than ahead.

Time is running out.

Still, when healthy, he is one of the five best QBs in the game. The window of opportunity for him to win a Super Bowl is still wide open. And ironically, the only way that’s going to happen is if Andy Reid and the rest of the coaching staff realize that winning can’t be all about Donovan McNabb.

For far too long, this franchise has relied too heavily on McNabb to win football games. It took his catastrophic injury last season for the brain trust to realize that a balanced attack and a stout defense are just as important as an incredibly talented QB throwing the football all over the field.

The only way Donovan McNabb will finally be able to break through and pull off what Peyton Manning did on Sunday, and what John Elway accomplished before him, is for the rest of the Philadelphia Eagles; coaches, players and front office, to step up and realize that Donovan McNabb can’t do it alone.

So Mr. Reid, Mr. Banner and Mr. Lurie… hear my cry.

Re-sign Donte Stallworth. Revamp the linebacking corps. Draft a bigger complimentary back to Brian Westbrook. Stay with the balanced offense. Get tougher and bigger on defense. Adapt. React.

Relieve the pressure that squeezes itself around Donovan McNabb’s neck like an anaconda and give him what he needs to finally deliver this town the championship it so desperately craves.

Do whatever needs to be done to aid Donovan McNabb in his quest to win a Super Bowl.

Because perhaps more than any other quarterback in the NFL, he deserves it.

The Saints Destroy Cowboys

The Saints are on a wild trip this NFL season. Many expected them to cool off after their impressive start, but they keep on rolling. The New Orleans saints are now 9-4 on the season and the playoffs look imminent for them.

There’s just three games left on the schedule and it looks like 9-7 will get you a ticket into the NFC playoff dance. Even if the Saints lose their last three games, it looks like they will be in the playoffs. Their next game is against the Washington Redskins, so they have a super shot at being at least 10-6 this season.

I don’t think anyone predicted the blowout that we all witnessed on Sunday. Are the Cowbows too confident? Are there real problems just now starting to surface? Romo didn’t look all that impressive yesterday. But, the problem was the Dallas Defense. They just couldn’t stop anyone.

The game sure didn’t turn out to be a great NFC playoff preview—if it was, the Cowboys are in serious trouble. The Saints destroyed them 42-17. The 2nd and 3rd quarters were crucial to the game. In those two quarters, the Saints put up all 42 points—21 per quarter. The Cowboys defense was lifeless.

Reggie Bush, who should have been the #1 draft pick by Houston, rushed for 125 yards and a TD. He added 37 yards receiving. While he didn’t score 4 TDs this game, he did factor into it.

Speaking of good games, Drew Brees had a whale of a game. He tossed the ball around for 384 yards and racked up 5 TD passes. It looks like the New Orleans offense has quite a package built up. They are fun to watch this season.

As mentioned, the Saints battle the Redskins next week. Meanwhile, the Cowboys face another team in the Falcons who are looking to keep their NFC playoff hopes alive. They better work that defense hard this week in practice.

Colts Super Bowl Win Closes the Final Chapter of Several Great Stories

As the scoreboard clock ran down Sunday night, and the Chicago Bears ran of their last few plays as an exercise in formality, the great stories that have surrounded the Indianapolis Colts for the last few years came to a conclusion with a mental exclamation point.

Colts head coach Tony Dungy and future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning had both finally won the big one. The win, for Dungy, also represents the first Super Bowl victory for an African-American head coach.

The game started off with a 92-yard kickoff return for a Bears touchdown by Devin Hester. The Colt’s got going with a 53-yard touchdown connection from Manning to Reggie Wayne just past the halfway point of the first quarter. And, although the missed the extra point attempt, the team from Indy never looked back.

The Colts scored 23 more points to the Bears 10, and the rest was history. And, I do mean history, especially when it came to Dungy’s social barrier win. “”I’m proud to be the first African-American coach to win this,” Dungy said just after the Super Bowl.

In addition, Dungy is a man a great faith who’s resolve was put to the test last year when his son James committed suicide. He acknowledged his religion, also that of his opposing coach, after the game. “”Lovie Smith and I are not only African-American but also Christian coaches, showing you can do it the Lord’s way. We’re more proud of that.”

As for Manning, he’s now gotten the proverbial monkey off his back and will never have to face the ridicule of never winning the big one. But, despite his MVP performance, he was more than willing to spread the credit for this accomplishment that will help solidify his greatness. “It was a great team win. We did it together,” Manning said.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Greiner

Chicago Bears Memorabilia - Beware!

Now that the Chicago Bears are in the Super Bowl — BEWARE! You will see a ton of fake memorabilia surface, especially if they win this weekend.

The Bears are one of the most collectible team in the National Football League. Even when they aren’t winning, they have a very loyal following and Bears fans dish it out when it comes to memorabilia.

On a recent news broadcast, a sports memorabilia company reported that Bears memorabilia was outselling Colts memorabilia by 2 to 1.

The Bears last Super Bowl win was in 1985 under Mike Ditka and Bears fans have been waiting over 21 years to get back to the big game.

If they win on Sunday, you will see a ton of fake Brian Urlacher autographs on the market. Urlacher, by far, is the most popular and most collectible player on the team. Most players raise autograph prices when they go to the Super Bowl simply because their “stock value” increases when they are playing the big game. Most Super Bowl champions are hard to nail down for autograph signings. Bottom line is Urlacher items are scarce right now as it is, if he wins a Super Bowl they will be harder to get, but you will see more on the market — if you do the math you will see what I am talking about.

Unfortunately you will find most fake Urlacher and Bears autographs on eBay.

The best thing to do is buy from established, reputable companies who have a history of selling authentic autographs and contracting direct with athletes. A novice autograph collector normally can’t tell the difference between a real and fake autograph. You have to go with companies who have a track record with authentic autographs.

Like I mentioned above, it is very hard to find authentic autographs, you have to pay these athletes a lot of money to sign, so if you see a guy on eBay making certificates on his home computer, you know something is wrong.

2007 Fiesta Bowl-A Game Never To Be Forgotten-And A Team Still Without A Shot At #1

Who would have ever thought? Who could have ever predicted? Who could have ever imagined? The answer to all of the above is NO ONE! It would have been virtually impossible for any body to envision that the 2007 Fiesta Bowl would unfold the way it did, in an unthinkable fashion!

At the end of a long and gut wrenching night, the Boise State Broncos prevailed. The underdog Broncos upended the Oklahoma Sooners 43-42 in overtime in one of the most dramatic finishes in BCS history. A statue of liberty, a hook and ladder, and last but night least, an engagement capped off the Boise State Broncos season in very impressive fashion.

So, the question remains… How does the BCS fix the problem that the Boise State Broncos created in deciding who should be number one? Or, at least have the shot at playing the best of the best! Yes, the Florida Gators proved to be a worthy national champion considering the way they defeated The Ohio State Buckeyes. But, how can you tell the players and coaches at Boise State that they don’t deserve a shot at playing Ohio State? The only two undefeated teams in the country! I guess we will never know.

The debate and conflict over the BCS will go on and on until it is fixed. Personally, I think it makes for great college football discussion, entertainment, and drama from a fans perspective. I just feel bad for the players and the coaches who put in such a terrible situation after practicing and playing their hearts out for months in hopes of being national champions of college football.

I leave you with this. Everyone has their own opinions, thoughts, and arguments about the BCS. I think that is what the BCS committee wants. They want 100% fan indulgence in college football and in the BCS…regardless of the ultimate end result it has on players and coaches. Don’t ever forget, that to the BCS committee, it is a business, not a game. They will do what sells tickets…and nothing less.

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