Man’s build

Believe it or not girls basketball is a team sport. A team may consist of 12-15 players. Within those players, five will start the game and the rest will be on the bench. However, the 5 that start the game are not more important than the others.

The emphasis and the stardom are normally placed on the individual that scores the most points. But understand that person is simply filling a role. Just because you’re not the person always being talked about in the paper, don’t think you are not important. There is a need for someone to pass the ball. There is a need for someone to defend the top offensive threat on the other team. There is a need for someone to rebound the ball. Let us not forget about the motivator on the team that pumps you up. When a team goes into a zone defense, there is a need for someone that can shoot 3 point shots consistent. Or when a team goes man-to-man, you need an effective person to drive to the basket.

In college, I did not lead my team in scoring nor did I lead the team in minutes played in a game. I was actually at the bottom of both stats. However, my role was just as important to help my team to a conference championship and a spot in the NCAA Women’s basketball tournament.

Understand that a girls basketball team is made up of role players. As long as your role contributes to the team being successful is all that matters.

Visit http://www.girlsbasketballtips.com to get your copy of the 6 Girls Basketball Tips that will Explode Your Game!

The Lakers stormed out against the Spurs, never trailing, taking a 2-0 lead in the best of 7 series against the defending NBA Champion, San Antonio Spurs.

The Lakers have stopped Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili from driving to the basket, and with a tight defense, have secured their hold on home court advantage in the series. Your move, Spurs.

The 101-71 pasting puts the pressure squarely on San Antonio, who are 6-0 at home in the NBA Playoffs. That is the good news for the Spurs. The bad news is that the Spurs look worn, perhaps the effect of dueling with the Suns and Hornets for the past few weeks just to get to the Lakers.

The Lakers have now won 13 straight at home, and have not lost in Los Angeles since March. The Spurs will have to go 4-1 to advance to the NBA Finals, and have less than a 10% chance to do so given the stats of teams down 0-2 in the NBA Playoffs. Still, if anyone can do it, it is the battle-tested, but also battle-weary Spurs.

The Lakers outscored the Spurs 55-34 in the second-half, while the big hitters for the Spurs were awful. Tony Parker shooting 6-15, Manu Ginobili 2-8, and Tim Duncan 6-14. That will get the Spurs swept and wept out of the playoffs, should that unsettling trend continue.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 22 points, 5 boards, and 5 assists. Lamar Odom had a well-rounded 20 points, and 12 rebounds. The Spurs are in must-win territory now, having to have a game three victory to hold any hopes of keeping their season alive.

http://www.fastbreakblog.com

BRITISH people have learned the lessons of summer safety. New research from a leading UK firm shows that Brits are taking care to avoid potential accidents when driving, holding a barbecue or playing on the beach.

The evidence, says National Accident Helpline, shows the true nature of Britain’s culture.

National Accident Helpline legal director John Campbell said that most Britons realised that they couldn’t and shouldn’t make spurious compensation claims.

The findings stand in sharp contrast to some of the crazier claims heard in America - where for example Roy L Pearson Jr filed asked for $67m in compensation from a dry cleaner he claimed lost his trousers.

He later reduced his demand to $54m - but was accused of ‘frivolous litigation’.

Mr Campbell said: “If Mr Pearson had called National Accident Helpline, we could have advised him at no cost to the taxpayer that his accident claim did not stand a chance.

“Many of the myths of ‘compensation culture’ come from this kind of story crossing the Atlantic and finding their way into British folklore.

“Like everyone else, we have a laugh at the sheer absurdity of some of the claims - but we don’t feel this should put people genuinely hurt in an accident that was not their fault from receiving appropriate compensation.

“Most Britons, as our research shows, are careful and sensible with what they do - and they deserve their employers, government and private firms to take the same care.”

National Accident Helpline asked more than 100 people their attitudes to activities traditionally associated with risky behaviour.

But they found that in summer 2008, 89 per cent of people decided against using lighter fluid or petrol to light their barbecue.

Around 99 per cent stopped swimming at the beach if they had anything to drink at all - while 96 per cent of people would change out of their flip flops and into sensible shoes before getting behind the wheel of a car to make sure they didn’t risk an accident.

Five stupid compensation claims…..only in America

1. Roy L Pearson Jr - in 2007 Pearson Jr filed for $67m compensation after claiming a dry cleaner lost his trousers.

2. In 2006, Allen Ray Heckard, then 51, filed for compensation on the basis that he had been told he looked a lot like basketball star Michael Jordan, which he claimed was distressing. His demands? A mere $52 million “for defamation and permanent injury” $364 million in “punitive damage for emotional pain and suffering”, plus the SAME amount from Nike co-founder Phil Knight, equalling a grand total of $832 million. He dropped the case after discussions with Nike’s lawyers.

3. The same year, a woman called Marcy Meckler tried to sue a shopping centre for $50,000 after she was ‘attacked’ in its grounds by a squirrel. She claimed that the owners of the shopping centre should have warned her that squirrels live outside.

4. Christopher Roller filed a claim for 10 per cent of the earnings of magicians David Blaine and David Copperfield unless they reveal their secrets to him. He thought that would add up to around $52m. He claimed the magicians stole his ‘Godly powers’ for themselves.

5. In 2005 Rhonda Nicholls said that a ‘wild bird’ attacked her as she walked outside a Home Depot store. She demanded ‘at least’ $100,000 from the store. The court threw out her claim.

The National Accident Helpline are specialists in no win no fee. Helping victims of accidents make accident claims, and getting them the maximum reward following their compensation claims.

Did you know that learning football can teach literacy?

Fantasy sports, particularly fantasy football, are a booming hobby/obsession. People get together and “draft” real professional players onto their mock team. These people’s mock teams then compete against other mock teams within a league. The mock team scores points based on the actual player’s performance in the real game. According to Wikipedia, a 2003 survey found 15 million people played fantasy football and spend an average of $150 a year, making it a $1.5 billion industry. There is even a Fantasy Football Librarian.

There is a lot of research that goes into drafting and then starting your players. “Owners” must know if a player is injured, plays well on grass (or doesn’t run well on grass), whether the opposing team’s defense might thwart specific offensive players, and whether the game will be played indoors or outdoors (bad weather can kill a passing game and cause problems for a kicker). In many leagues there is a “buy in” to play and the winning team at the end of the season usually wins the pot of money.

Now why on earth would a librarian want to use fantasy football as method to teach information literacy? Well, it is something that most of your medical students and residents can relate to. If you doubt me, look at your computers from mid August to December. Most likely you will see somebody checking their fantasy football stats and checking injury reports, waiver wires, and start/sit suggestions sites. Librarians are always looking for good teaching examples which are relevant and easily understood by students. The same skills that people use to evaluate information on players are some of the same type of skills that can be used to identify academic information.

According to the article the University of Dubuque taught fantasy football research to incoming student athletes. “Through the lesson, students engaged in discussions of creditability, validity, timeliness, and search strategies to find and evaluate fantasy football information. The assessment of these instruction sessions showed incoming students successfully identifying evaluation criteria and reporting positive changes in how they viewed research and libraries.” Skeptical? Paul also states, “the successful fantasy sport player consistently applies four of the five ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards (2000).”

Not into sports, let alone fantasy sports? Don’t worry, the librarians who taught the classes had varying experience with fantasy football, including one who had no previous experience. The process was more about research than football, football was just the catalyst for learning. It appears that it was successful endeavor, 80% of the students were able to describe two of three appropriate source evaluation criteria. More than 60% were able to describe all three.

Not only did students learn but it also helped change their perception of the library and research. Prior to taking the class students described what research meant to them as, “headaches,” “work I didn’t want to do,” and “school work.” After the taking the class students responded to the same question with phrases like, “making sure one is getting accurate information,” “comparing and knowing where I’m getting my information,” and “fun work.”

Fore more football information and products visit:
http://www.footballgearusa.com

Sports often require a variety of skills and techniques that one must master in order to perform competitively. Basketball, in particular, tests one’s skills in dribbling, passing, shooting, and defending. Each of these tasks demands that a player use the proper technique, otherwise he or she is sure to be charged with a violation or simply, will not succeed at the sport. By using fundamental techniques and practicing regularly, you can excel at the sport of basketball.

Before actually picking up a basketball, you must first understand the rules of the game. There are two teams with five players on each team. The object of the game is to put the ball through the basket for points and the team with the most points at the end of the time regulation wins the game. The game is played indoors on a hardwood court with 10-foot hoops on each end. The players must bring the ball up the court for each possession without stepping out of bounds. In advancing the ball, it is necessary to constantly dribble the basketball in order to avoid a traveling violation. Furthermore, once the dribble is stopped, you cannot dribble again since it would be considered a double-dribble violation. At that point, you must either decide to pass or shoot the ball. Basketball is a contact sport; however, any extensive contact that prevents another player from doing something will result in a foul. Once you have six personal fouls, you are ejected from the game. It is important to keep all the rules and regulations in mind while playing basketball since it is a game that is meticulously refereed.

Before you can learn how to shoot, you must learn how to bring the ball up the court. Dribbling the basketball is an art. Players often use techniques such as dribbling the ball between their legs or behind their back to protect the ball from the defender. However, the basic dribble must be mastered before moving on to advanced moves. Dribble the ball using your fingertips, not your palm, as it allows you more maneuverability with the ball. Be sure to maintain your dribble even if the defender is nearby until you are ready to pass or shoot. Stopping the dribble will allow the defender to trap you and force you into a tough situation.

Being unselfish on a team is essential to success. On many days, you will not be able to make a shot, making passing just as important a skill. Passing requires you to put yourself in the perspective of the player on the receiving end of the pass. The pass must be chest-high so that the receiving player can easily catch the ball. Deciding between a direct pass and a bounce pass is a choice you must make depending on the situation. If a defender is in the way of your teammate, a bounce pass is your best bet since the defender will have to bend over to steal the ball. A direct pass should be used if your teammate is undefended since it will get to him faster.

The main objective of the game is to score points; therefore, shooting the basketball is the most important part of the game. There are many different types of shots including the jump shot, dunk, lay-up, hook shot, and the fade away. The jump shot and the lay-up are the fundamental types of shots, whereas the others are alterations based upon the situation of the offensive player. In order to shoot a jump shot, you must first line up your hands along the seam of the basketball and hold the ball firmly with both hands. As you go up to shoot, your knees must be bent at a 45 degree angle in order to propel the shot. Use your judgment to determine the arc and the direction of the shot. As you release the shot, be sure to roll your fingertips across the ball as you release it so that the rotation is perfect. Follow your shot by making a “goose-neck” out of your wrist. This will help in maintaining the accuracy of the shot. Once the ball has made the “swoosh” sound through the net, cheer along with your teammates. A lay-up is a shot that is used if you are close to the basket. Use the box on the backboard as a reference for your shot. As you go up to lay the ball in, use your shooting hand to release the ball while jumping off the opposite foot. Obviously, during a game, you will have to alter you shot according to the defense, but these basic techniques can be used as a guide.

Now that all of the offensive techniques of basketball have been covered, it is time to focus on the defensive aspect. The basic rule in defending another player is to stay in front of him at all times, which will prevent him from making his move. Also, constantly moving your arms up and down will distract the offensive player and there will be a higher chance of him making a mistake. Be aggressive in your defense but do not foul the other player. If the offensive player is about to take a shot, keep your arms up and try to keep your feet on the ground. Good shot blockers block the shot right when it is about to be released from the hand. If you wait too long after the shot is released, you will be relying on your athletic ability rather than technique to block the shot.

One of the most underappreciated skills in basketball is rebounding. Believe it or not, rebounding requires great technique, but most of all, it requires passion. It is important to “box-out” the other team’s player for the rebound. This means keeping him away from a position to get the rebound. When positioning yourself for the rebound, get on the opposite side of the direction of the shot since the rebound is more likely to go on the opposite side. Grab the rebound firmly once the ball gets close and if you cannot grab it, try to tap it to one of your teammates. A defensive stop is not complete until you have rebounded the ball, therefore rebounding is critical in basketball.

The game of basketball can be learned by following techniques, however, the best way to excel at the game is to practice. Being aware of the rules and using proper techniques on both ends of the court will result in fundamental play. Although your success is largely dependent on your ability and skill, using the right methods will greatly reduce mistakes.

Yash Vazirani, High School Senior

March madness is here yet again! Time for another exciting run for the national championship. This is where Cinderellas are born. Let me start off by saying, if you don’t know what a Cinderella team is you will know after this 2008 march + madness tournament. Cinderella teams are basically a team that’s a HUGE underdog that comes out of know where to make it to the final four and you would not expect in your final four bracket in a million years. The march madness bracket is the most exciting thing to watch out of all sports, hands down.

You can look at the NCAA tournament bracket history to help you decide on your 64 teams. Winning your local office pool because of expert basketball bracket picks is amazing and considering the history of the NCAA tournament bracket. It has been since 2001, that 3 out of 4 number one seeds made it to the final four bracket. It usually a wild ride and a number 2-6 seed takes it down the majority of the time. Remember Syracuse back in 2002? Of coarse you do…number 6 seed out of no where and a huge Cinderella sensation taking down the national championship. Gotta love it!

The other thing you can do is find a great professional handicapper that will deliver you expert NCAA basketball picks for a low cost. There are many professional handicappers out there but they will charge you a huge rate, some even $100.00 a pick which is outrageous. What you need to look for in a professional handicapper is a one time monthly charge, guaranteed wins or your money back, and willing to answer any questions 24/7. If you can find this you will be rolling in the dough and for sure to win your local NCAA bracket office pool.

There is no better feeling to walk into your office the day after the national championship and winning your office pool. No matter how much money you win, it is more of pride. There is no better feeling than predicting the winner and it being right! With a lot of research such as analyzing the conference strengths, taking a look at the team’s records, past bracket history, you could very well do the impossible…pick all 64 teams correctly!

This is definitely one of the most impossible feats and many online sports sites will even offer you over a million dollars if you do. It is called the million dollar bracket challenge all free of charge. Another tip when choosing your NCAA basketball picks is to look for key injuries to players on high seeded teams and also look for teams that are playing horrible going into the march + madness tournament. If a key player goes down on a high seeded team, more times than not they will drop in the first few rounds.

Taking into consideration a lot of factors will put you over the top. Especially finding a professional handicapper for an affordable price.

Chris Grisham is a professional sports bettor living in the USA. For the past decade he has been consistently winning any sports he wagers on using his proven system based on his NCAA Tournament Bracket History and college sports picks systems. Find about his system for FREE at http://www.SportsbookInvesting.com

There are many different shots a player can take in a basketball game. These four are the most common and the ones that coaches prefer you to use. These four good shots help to ensure you will actually make the basket and limit on court antics.

Understanding how to make each of the four shots will help you to be able to play from anywhere on the court. You will improve your ability to make shots and your overall average of baskets. Knowing these shots allow to you to be the best player possible.

Shot #1: Set shot

The set shot is made from a standing position with both feet on the ground. It is used the most often and is usually the first shot a player will be taught when learning the game. It is also the shot that is used for free throws.

Shot #2: Jump shot

The jump shot is made in the air while jumping. The ball must be shot while you are in the air. If the ball is not shot before your feet touch the ground, then it is a foul. This type of shot is good for getting over a defender because it allows elevation. It gives a shot more power and range then a typical set shot.

Shot #3: Layup

The lay up is a motion shot. It is made while the player runs and jumps towards the basket. Most often in a lay up the backboard is used to guide the ball into the hoop. The player will come from the side of the hoop to make a lay up.

Shot #4: Slam dunk

The slam dunk is one of the most exciting shots in the game. People love to watch a slam dunk. It is a power shot and requires the ability for a player to reach the basketball hoop in order to actually put the ball into the basket. It can be done from almost any angle, but is usually a straight on shot at the basket.

It requires a player be able to completely avoid the guard and get good access to the hoop. The player will get height so he is over the hoop and the ball is thrown down instead of up as with most other types of shots.

These four shots are not the only shots that can be made in the game. There are other shots that are commonly used, but coaches will try to get players to use these four shots as much as possible. That is because these four shots allow the player more control and accuracy. Most of the time these shots will result in scoring when used by players who have practiced them regularly.

Other shots can be less accurate and more of time wasters than an actual game move. Coaches are always thinking about doing what will result in a score. Some players, though, are more interested in showing off and they will take the risky shots instead of the tried and true shots. Your choice.

For more information on basketball goal and basketball hoops. Also see adjustable basketball goal.

So you want to learn how to watch the NCAA basketball tournament online? There are several things you should know first, and in this article I will tell you about them.

First and for starters, you cannot watch the NCAA tournament you you know how to connect to an online stream of the game you want. Don’t worry we’ll get to this later. You should first know that a stream is just when a person shares a file on their PC with many users over the internet. For us this means this file is a NCAA game we can watch on our laptop or PC.

The simple way to connect to a steam is to use a piece of software. There are several different types of products out there that will assist you in doing this. Some more quality than others of course. The program I use is known by the name of TV on PC Elite. That program not only shows you all the games for one price but they also have a boatload of movies and other TV like ABC and Fox (Family Guy!).

The software is simple as pie to use and the streams aren’t hard to figure out. You simply go to the site, purchase the software and go into the members area. Once inside, download the software and put it all inside a folder. Now install the sucker and load it up. When you load it there will be a long list on your left. This is where the magic happens. The games are in there (its all posted by title and genre) and you can connect a half hour before the game officially starts if you really want to.

There really is not anything else to it. That’s how I watch NCAA basketball online. Its a easy process which I hope you will have no trouble getting down. Good luck!

The software mentioned in this article TV for PC Elite, which allows you to watch any sporting event online can be found at this link