Tag: hockey

Is Golf A Sport?

For some reason, many people think of golf as being a boring sport. Actually some even feel that it isn’t a sport at all, at least not comparable to basketball, football, baseball or even hockey. Why could this be? Well, first of all, golf is such a quiet, low-key type of activity that is doesn’t quite seem like a sport. When most people think about sports, they think about a stadium filled with fans whopping and hollering as their favorite teams strives to win the game. Golf is more laid-back, calm. It can actually be considered more of an activity than a sport. A person definitely doesn’t have to be in shape to play it. Unlike physical sports that require players to be in shape, you can be four hundred pounds and play the game of golf without expecting any serious problems. There is really nothing physical about it. All you do is stand there and guide a ball in a hole. And golf carts don’t even require you to walk—you ride to the designated area.

Another reason why people don’t consider golf a sport is because actually, it isn’t. There is no such thing National Golf League, so why would it even be considered a sport in the first place? It shouldn’t be. Golf is a very relaxing recreational activity. It can promote relaxation in stressed-out individuals, and can even be lots of fun. And not only old people play the sport like some people may think. People of all ages, and races play it and think that it is a great hobby or leisure activity. Just because lots of people play golf after retirement doesn’t make it an ‘old timers’ activity. No matter what age you are, if you enjoy playing golf, then you shouldn’t be embarrassed about it.

There are many places for a golfer to buy all of their gear. Local sporting goods stores, malls, and even the internet.

So, even though golf isn’t a sport like football or baseball, with a professional league, players, coaches, etc, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be a very fun, very relaxing activity. Just give it a try, and you may discover that it’s one of the most enjoyable things you’ve ever done in your life.

What You Didn’t Know About ESPN Magazine

ESPN Magazine formerly an abbreviation of Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is published bi-weekly and owned by an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting mostly sports-related programming twenty-four hours a day. The company was founded by Scott Rasmussen and his father Bill Rasmussen, along with Donny Stanley and his son Cardell and was first launched on September 7, 1979 with the show SportsCenter (which aired its 25,000th episode on August 25, 2002).
ESPN was originally owned by a prestigious joint venture between the Getty Oil Company (which was purchased by Texaco later on) and Nabisco. As of 1984, the entire family of ESPN networks and franchises are owned by ABC and the Hearst Corporation. ESPN was started as an alternative to standard television news broadcasts and the information that is usually found in the “Sports” sections of newspapers. It was begun as a fairly small-fry operation at first and they had to broadcast unorthodox sporting events such as the World’s Strongest Man Competition, the short-lived United States Football League (USFL) before ESPN landed a contract to show National Football league games on Sunday evenings in 1987.
ESPN the Magazine, like the industry leader in sports television that created it, is big, bold and brash like most of the athletes that it portrays and it uses its oversize format to show off very striking full page images and splashy sidebars. Contributors to the magazines include familiar on-air talent such as Dan Patrick, Chris Berman, Stuart Scott, Rich Eisen, Linda Cohn, Peter Gammons, John Clayton and many others (including the athletes themselves).
In comparison to other sports magazines ESPN gives you broader features such as playoff previews, personality profiles, photo spreads with a major emphasis on basketball, football, baseball, hockey, soccer and some newer extreme sports. ESPN mainly targets young, active men whose lifestyles include watching sports, attending games and participating in different types of athletics. The editorial focus of ESPN Magazine plays off the news and includes what happens in sports and which match-ups and young players to look out for. Also, ESPN emphasizes both the humor and fun of both mainstream and off-beat sports.

ESPN Magazine The History

ESPN (the magazine), formerly an abbreviation of Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is published bi-weekly and owned by an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting mostly sports-related programming twenty-four hours a day. The company was founded by Scott Rasmussen and his father Bill Rasmussen, along with Donny Stanley and his son Cardell and was first launched on September 7, 1979 with the show SportsCenter (which aired its 25,000th episode on August 25, 2002).
ESPN was originally owned by a prestigious joint venture between the Getty Oil Company (which was purchased by Texaco later on) and Nabisco. As of 1984, the entire family of ESPN networks and franchises are owned by ABC and the Hearst Corporation. ESPN was started as an alternative to standard television news broadcasts and the information that is usually found in the “Sports” sections of newspapers. It was begun as a fairly small-fry operation at first and they had to broadcast unorthodox sporting events such as the World’s Strongest Man Competition, the short-lived United States Football League (USFL) before ESPN landed a contract to show National Football league games on Sunday evenings in 1987.
ESPN the Magazine, like the industry leader in sports television that created it, is big, bold and brash like most of the athletes that it portrays and it uses its oversize format to show off very striking full page images and splashy sidebars. Contributors to the magazines include familiar on-air talent such as Dan Patrick, Chris Berman, Stuart Scott, Rich Eisen, Linda Cohn, Peter Gammons, John Clayton and many others (including the athletes themselves).
In comparison to other sports magazines, ESPN gives you broader features such as playoff previews, personality profiles, photo spreads with a major emphasis on basketball, football, baseball, hockey, soccer and some newer extreme sports. ESPN mainly targets young, active men whose lifestyles include watching sports, attending games and participating in different types of athletics. The editorial focus of ESPN Magazine plays off the news and includes what happens in sports and which match-ups and young players to look out for. Also, ESPN emphasizes both the humor and fun of both mainstream and off-beat sports.

A Sports Collectible Could Be Basketball Jersey

Those searching for the perfect sports collectible have a variety of different sports collectible options to choose from. Baseball, football, soccer −− all of those sports have a range of memorabilia that are sure to satisfy a devoted fan. However, basketball, with its famous players and amazing history, has the ultimate sports collectible to offer: basketball jerseys.

Why Basketball Jerseys are Such a Desirable Sports Collectible

The history of basketball is filled with talented players who stood out from the rest: Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Shaquille O’Neal, even Dennis Rodman. Each of these players brought either immense talent, or, in the case of Dennis Rodman, flashy personality to the game of basketball.

With such notoriety being generated by these basketball players, of course the sports industry had to manufacture copies of each player’s basketball jersey in the hopes of it becoming valuable sports collectibles. The fans did not disappoint, and after every basketball game stadium vendors were met with long lines of fans wanting to get basketball jerseys as a sports collectible.

Of course, the basketball jerseys that a fan could get at a game or at a local sports shop were great ways to show their devotion to a particular player. However, for those sports memorabilia collectors, simply owning a copy of their favorite player’s jersey was not enough.

Extremely devoted fans would wait outside locker rooms in the days when security was less strict, in the hops of getting their favorite player to sign a jersey. Many players obliged, thus increasing the value of the jersey by potentially hundreds of dollars.

Nowadays, outside of fan events, it has gotten considerably harder to obtain that much-wanted autographed basketball jersey. Thus, avid sports collectors are flocking to specialty shops and to online sites such as eBay, looking for the perfect basketball jersey as a sports collectible.

Of course, it would be ideal to have the actual basketball jersey of one’s favorite player, but one truly needs thousands of dollars to fulfill such a wish, if such a wish is even obtainable. Prices of basketball jersey skyrocket when they were actually owned by the player, and even more so if the player’s number was retired.

Basketball jerseys are the ultimate sports collectible because they are a way to pay homage to players of a truly exciting sport, a sport that has merged with the entertainment industry to be both a sport and a veritable who’s who of both celebrity fans and players.

So, for those who want a true piece of fascinating sports history, buy a basketball jersey. Whether original and signed, or just bought at a game or sports shop, it is guaranteed to be the ultimate symbol of fan devotion to this great game.

Watch Sports On Your Computer

People living in American society have taken sports to greater popularity it’s becoming the way of life for Americans. All you have to do is look at the newspapers which devote a whole section of daily sport coverage to such sports as baseball, basketball, golf, football, soccer and much more. If you are involved as a spectator or participant the thrill you get watching your team or playing for your team is like a emotional roller coaster and you would not have it any other way.

I love the idea of watching live sports be it on my computer, television or live in person. Nothing beats being there but that can not always be the case especially if your favorite team is playing overseas such as my soccer team I follow Liverpool in the English Premier League. There are software programs out there that let you watch live sports on your computer for a one off lifetime fee. It does not matter if the game is played in America or whichever countries you can get to see the game live if you have the correct software.

I can not wait to see Liverpool play Chelsea in the Championship League semi final on my computer. Be it watching my favorite basketball team Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA, World Series Baseball, NFL, NHL they can all be seen live on any computer that has Internet access. To be able to watch sports on your computer is a great way to follow your team when you cannot be there in person.

Why is sport so popular is it the anticipation of what is going to happen next, is it the competitive nature or is it the euphoria of winning. What ever it is it can bring people closer together. For me when I support a team I always believe my team is going to win no matter what and once the game is over no matter the result I accept it win lose or draw. Watching sport with family and friends be it on my computer, television or live in person for me it’s a enjoyable experience as we go through a roller caster ride during the contest.

Watch Sports On Your Computer

Women in Hockey

Ice hockey has increased in popularity in women’s sports with the number of participants increasing by 400% in the last decade. It wasn’t until 1998 when women’s hockey was added as a medal event at the winter games in Nagano, Japan. The United States won gold that year with Canada winning silver and Finland coming in last with bronze. The minor difference in women’s hockey and men’s hockey is that there’s no body checking in women’s hockey. After a 1990 hockey match body checking was eliminated all together in women’s hockey due to the fact that female players in some countries don’t have the body mass and size that many North American players.

With the rising number of females who are almost half the size and shape of their male counterparts it’s making them just as equal as their male counterparts. In some matches body checking is a minor penalty, which is enforceable at the referee’s discretion. Full-face guards are required in female hockey matches. The first women’s team was formed in 1921, but since then women have only played in small independent leagues since there’s no professional league for women like they do for basketball. In time there will be a chance for women to go professional in the United States in hockey, yet that’s a long ways away.

Women have made their mark in the sporting world by taking on a sport that’s been predominantly male since it was invented in the 18th century and has since carried an audience that spreads to many parts of the world. Women are moving up the ranks quickly in terms of their participation and the formation of teams, and it’s just a matter of time and acceptance of women entering this sport. If women could enter the world of professional basketball and play domestically instead of going overseas then it’s just a matter of introducing hockey into this country in the same fashion.

It hasn’t been an easy journey for women to enter this sport because of the constant scrutiny of women playing sports that were mostly reserved for men to participate in. Women still deal with the inequality in this sport because people still view women differently than they do for men. Males dominated this sport since the sport was invented more than 100 years ago, but recently with the 100-year anniversary since the foundation of the National Hockey League (NHL). It would sound strange if they had a professional league called the WNHL since they managed to establish the WNBA for women’s basketball.

It would be pretty cool to see women have a leg in the professional world of hockey since women can play just as hard as a man and be just as good as her male counterparts, if given a chance to prove herself. Unfortunately, the world hasn’t really accepted women in professional sports since it was a long journey to get basketball on the map, now it’s just getting the world to be open to professional hockey league for women. A woman can play just has hard as the guys if not better, but the world still don’t agree that women shouldn’t play sports that has been dominated by males for more than 100 years and women should have the opportunity to play hockey professionally like males do. Females had to break the glass ceiling to even push for the opportunity to play professional sports in America, but it started with basketball and now hopefully hockey will establish itself one day as a professional sport that’s played the same way in the NHL.

Let Kissing Liven Up Your Meetings (and More Kissing Tips)

Every now and then a quarrel breaks out down at the barber shop, lines are drawn, challenges leveled and, with any luck, somebody walks out with very few blood stains. All over a seemingly innocent discussion: What is the greatest sport ever?
Some say “football”. Some say “baseball”. Canadians say “hockey”. The rest of the world says “soccer”. (Actually, they say “football”, too…but they mean “soccer”.
I say: “kissing”. Yes, kissing is the greatest sport ever. Allow me to recount just a few of the reasons.
Kissing is a very versatile sport. There are so many kisses – at least one for each occasion. There is the peck on the cheek kiss, the peck on each cheek kiss, the peck on your nephew’s cheek kiss while grabbing the other cheek flab with your hand, the madly passionate kiss, the kiss on the hand, the kiss of death, the “Hey you! Kiss this!”, and even the town of Kissimmee (founded by early Italian pioneer kissers) in Florida.
Kissing is easy to transport. It really doesn’t matter where you are. You can kiss: at the gym, in the boardroom, in the space shuttle, even in Alaska from June through September.
Kissing requires very little equipment, meaning you can do it even when unprepared, and even when you have to travel light. This makes it the ideal participation sport for businessmen, world travelers and hang gliders
Kissing always livens things up. Try this: the next time you are in a booooring meeting that seems to last foreeeeever, why not just kiss somebody. See how it livens things up?
Kissing is legal in all 50 states and most countries. Rumors are circulating that kissing will even be legalized soon on Mars, Jupiter and in Afghanistan.
Kissing is 100% biodegradable, so when you kiss somebody, you help the environment.
Kissing is safe to do in a moving vehicle, as long as you are not driving.
Kissing is non toxic…unless you kiss somebody who has just swallowed a bottle of Drano. Even so, kissing is still safe, as long as you avoid the mouth area.
Kissing is non-fattening. This is perhaps the best news of all, because now dieters have something to keep their mouths busy while not eating, and smokers can quit smoking without having to chew candies until they a) need to diet or b) induce diabetes. (Read the headline: “Kissing prevents diabetes”)
Kissing is organic, low in sodium, preservative-free, low in saturated fats and does not contain dozens of delicious ingredients that cannot be pronounced, like javelchromopntheoremicherbicidic acid.
Most kisses are not tested on animals, but who am I to stifle your sense of adventure.
You can kiss just about everyone: your boyfriend, your aunt, your wife, your veterinarian, the Prime Minister of the Duchy of Grand Fenwick and your pet aardvark. Don’t try kissing them all at the same time, though…especially not your boyfriend and your wife.
Kissing meets the toughest safety regulations of any national or international sporting organization. Kissing has a tremendous safety record, except for the occasional locked braces. But a quick call for a AAA tow truck fixes that problem (CAA in Canada, AA in the UK, the local plumber in France)
The only recorded deaths involving kissing are by third parties, usually wives, husbands, spurned lovers and other spectators who somehow get past security and storm onto the playing field.
There are a few kisses we recommend you avoid. These are often referred to as “extreme kissing”. Don’t kiss an on-duty sumo wrestler; it is considered dangerous. Don’t kiss a metal fence-post in sub-zero weather; readers in northern climates know exactly what I mean. Don’t kiss any electrical outlets. Don’t kiss the vacuum cleaner if you want to retain all your vital organs. It’s OK to kiss sandpaper, just don’t use your tongue. Don’t kiss a chainsaw; we feel this one is self-explanatory. And don’t kiss your office manager while on duty…unless you happen to be a work-from-home hermit like me.
But overall, kissing is so great that it makes baseball, hockey, football and soccer seem like bush league sports. Next time you hear a brawl at your local barbershop, just go in and give everyone a kiss. I guarantee that you will win the argument hands down. And if not, at least you will make some new friends to argue with.

Hockey At The International Level

Since the conception and foundation of Hockey, this sport has crossed from Canada-the birthplace of the sport and across the pond to Europe and back to the United States. As far as competition at the international level. The international men’s ice hockey world championships are highly regarded by Europeans and less regarded by Americans because it coincides at the same time the Stanley cup playoffs happen. Unfortunately, Canada, United States, and other countries with a large concentration of NHL players have not always been able to round up their best because many top players are playing for the Stanley cup trophy.

For many years professionals were barred from playing at the international level, and now that many Europeans are playing for the NHL, the world championships no longer represent the world’s top players. Hockey was an event that’s been a part of the Olympic games since 1924 with Canada winning 6 out of 7 gold medals, United States won the gold medal in 1960, Russia won all, but 2 gold medals between 1956 and 1988, but it was professional Americans, Swedish, Finnish, and Canadians that were banned from Olympic competition. U.S. non-pro college students went on to beat the Russians and win the gold medal in 1980 in Lake Placid, New York.

It was then that a new surge in the popularity of the game that most Americans weren’t paying too much attention to. The 1972 and 1974 Summit series had solidified Canada and Russia as hockey rivals. The Canadian Cup where the best of the best nations were able to play later followed it. The Canadian cup later became the World Cup of Hockey with the United States winning in 1996 and Canada winning in 2004. Since 1998 NHL professionals have played in the Olympics giving the top players more opportunity to compete and face off with other professional players from different countries. There have been 9 women’s competitions and women’s hockey has been in the Olympics since 1998 and in the winter of 2006 marked the world championship or Olympic face with Canada and Sweden not Canada and the United States.

Women are coming into the fold on own in this sport and are competing just as hard as males. Females still have a long way to go in terms of really being there with males at the domestic and international levels. Hockey was always that sport dominated by males and yet women still have long way before they’re really taken seriously in the hockey world. Hockey is still enjoyed by millions of people in Canada and the United States and still to this day still breaking attendance records by the throngs of loyal fans who still love this sport and has made it a family tradition to go to games and for it becoming a pastime like Americans treat baseball, football and basketball.

Hockey to some people is like poetry on ice it’s got its own set of rules and it’s a separate world altogether from any other sport whether its professional or not. Hockey to some people is like the air they breathe and people really can get into this sport like it’s a soap opera. The whole concept of hockey is just what it is people playing a pretty heavy game that can very physically demanding since you have so many different personalities you’re going up against.

Some people will spend hours playing hockey well into the late hours since some rinks will stay open to accommodate those hockey buffs who want to spend 2-3 hours thrashing around a cold rink slapping a hard rubber circle around.

Top Attendance Records In Hockey And Number Of Registered Players

Thousands of people attend a single hockey match, but there are two matches in hockey that are the top two for a single game. The first match took place on October 6th 2001 for a game commonly known to fans of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University as ‘The Cold War’. This season opener took place at Michigan State’s outdoor Spartan stadium. The university spent $500,000 on a sheet of ice for the rink and the temperature was 30 degrees, and the game drew in a crowd of 74,554 spectators over the 55,000 spectators at the championship game between Sweden and Russia when the game took place in Moscow, but the date is unknown.

The largest single crowd to view an NHL game was during the November 23rd, 2003 Heritage Classic was when 57,163 spectators attended the match between the Montreal Canadians and Edmonton Oilers at Commonwealth stadium in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Montreal defeated Edmonton 4-3. The only thing that makes this match stand out is that it was the only NHL game played outdoors since all NHL matches are played at indoor rinks. The megastars game which is known as the old timer’s match with former players of the Oilers and the only game that Wayne Gretzky has played since his retirement from professional hockey and insists that the game would be his official and last.

Local hockey games usually don’t draw in the number of people that professional hockey teams can draw in during a single game. That’s because more people are apt to want to attend professional events than a minor league or college/university match since there’s more of a bigger interest in professional sports than a local team unless you’re rooting for your hometown, but on the realistic scale most people find the thrill and excitement bigger for those at professional events. The top two countries with registered hockey players are Canada with 543,390 registered players in the country and the United States comes second with 435,737 registered players.

Slovenia comes in last with 980 registered players so that clearly shows the Canada and the United States are the most popular areas to play hockey since they have the most people registered in each country. Hockey is and always will be the most popular sport in Canada and the United States since it draws in the most crowds because of the unique players the get from other countries since not a lot of Americans are playing professional hockey they’re more likely to play baseball, basketball, and football than professional ice hockey

The only reason being is that ice hockey starts in the fall the same time basketball and football begin so there’s some competition for audience participation and television coverage, but hockey gets their share of loyal viewers and audience attendees. The only team so far that’s having a hard time winning a Stanley cup championship is the Chicago Black hawks since they haven’t won a single championship since 1961 over 40 years ago so they could join the ranks of the other local Chicago pro teams that won championships in the last 35 years. Articles past described Chicago has having the worst record in games and attendance until the team was bought and the new owner had made some changes over time that had turned the attendance deal around, but it still doesn’t stop the fact that the Black hawks have not won a championship since 1961 and barely even made it to the playoffs at the end of the season since they were usually out the first round.

A Career in Sports Medicine

Do you want a rewarding career that also lets you work with a lot of people? Do you enjoy sports and physical activity? Do you want to be a doctor? If you answered yes to any of these then you may be interested in a career in sports medicine. A career in sports medicine has many advantages for you. Not only is it an excellent career, but people educated in sports medicine are always needed. You know you will always have a job in the field of sports medicine.
Sports medicine has two fields of expertise. Sports medicine first focuses on injury treatment and injury prevention for athletes. The second focus of sports medicine is to provide an athlete or athletes with performance enhancement. This can be for any type of athlete. In sports medicine you can treat: runners, bicyclists, football players, soccer players, hockey players, baseball players, and many other types of athletes. Sports medicine is open to many fields. The goal of a person who works in sports medicine is to make sure the athletes he or she treats achieve top performance and optimal health at all times.
There are many careers in sports medicine. One is called a sports medicine physician. A sports medicine physician goes through medical school first and then gets educated in sports medicine. This is when they learn to diagnose and treat sport related injuries that athletes have incurred. A second career in sports medicine is called a sports medicine physical therapist. A sports medicine physical therapist works with athletes to rehabilitate them from sports related injuries, muscle problems, joint problems, etc. For A career as a sports medicine physical therapist you will need to get certified as a physical therapist after your initial medical school training.
Many college campuses offer courses in sports medicine. Some even have job placement for people that wish to start a career in the field of sports medicine. One great school to look into is The American College of Sports Medicine. They offer certification in this field and are world renowned. For more information about sports medicine you can check out a book called The American Journal of Sports Medicine. It has details on sports medicine education and articles about sports medicine.
This career is an excellent choice for many of you out there. It’s great to know when you are the one that helps an athlete perform his or her best. If you are really good at it you may even get to treat the athletes that are in the Olympics! Perhaps you will get to treat some of the world famous basketball stars or football players! Then you too can world famous!