Small Business Startup - Discover The Secrets Of No Money Marketing And Managing For Success

One of my role models and mentors passed away two weeks before this last Christmas. She was my Mom. And during her life, she taught me more about managing and dealing with people than any textbook I have read. You see, she simply practiced what I call the Golden Rule of Management - "Do unto others what you would have them do unto you"-- each and every day. By her teachings and example, she taught me how to lead, persuade, manage and motivate others. Yet, one of the most talked about, and least understood or practiced, skills in business today is how to effectively manage and motivate people. Correct people management techniques are the keys to the success of any organization or business. Let's take a look at some of these.

In formulating a business plan, one certainly develops a strategy for motivating customers to buy. Understanding their buying behaviors, how they like to receive information, where they are located, what keeps them up at night, how to make them successful - are just a few of the many questions to answer in developing strategies to motivate them to purchase products, services and information from your business. The same discipline must go into dealing with an even more important audience - your employees.

Employees #1 key to success

Many think that the customer is king; and ultimately it is the customer who delivers revenue to your business. But some interesting things are taking place in management today. A few years ago a book was written touting that the customer is #2. Employees, the book said, were #1 in any business or organization. The rationale was that if employees are happy, empowered to make decisions and embrace the vision, values and brand promise of the company, they will be more passionate about their jobs and better able to go the extra mile in keeping customers happy. In essence, they become your best brand ambassadors for your company or organization. .

Think about those those companies with which you like to do business. You are treated friendly, fairly, and with respect.. You see that the employees are happy and that they sincerely enjoy their jobs. They greet you by name. They are there to answer your questions. They make you feel like royalty. You enjoy the experience of dealing with them. Even if you do not like the solution, they find a way to make your experience pleasurable. It's simply the Golden Rule of Management....in action.

For these employees, management has found the key to motivating and helping them feel a part of an empowered organization that is focused on the customer.

Performance is pressure-packed. And today's companies and organizations need to produce results for impatient owners. In stressful times, managers can either employ harsh tactics or yelling and cursing, or they can practice reasonable Golden Rule of Management-type of tactics. Let me explain.

Golden Rule of Management ...in Action

The world of sports is filled with examples on both sides of this management equation. When I played football, "back in the day," coaches were screamers and hollerers. Every little mistake was scrutinized, criticized and put up to public ridicule. I remember on once occasion a teammate had missed a blocking assignment during a game and the coach addressed him in front of the whole team at half time. He asked the player what he was supposed to do on a particular play. The teammate gave the right answer to his question, not once, but three times. The coach then hurled an obscenity-laced tirade toward the player, something like "blankety- blank, blank, then why didn't you do it? Needless to say, this teammates self confidence was shattered. No one likes to be belittled in public. Another tenant of the Golden Rule of Management is to praise publicly, correct privately. Perhaps that's why that style of coaching "by fear and intimidation" did not win us any championships. Although some, screamers and hollerers do win games and achieve results - ask, but at what cost?

One of the greatest miracles is the lifting of others to reach their full potential and performance level. This year's two NFL Super Bowl head coaches -- Indianapolis' Tony Dungy and Chicago's Lovie Smith -- are perfect examples of this. Both are class acts and have proven themselves great motivators without demeaning a player (an employee) They have found best the way to get the most out of every individual is to be firm and fair and to make sure they understand that it is the TEAM that wins or loses, not individuals. They have mastered the technique of getting individuals to work together toward a common goal - the success of the team.

It's interesting that neither are hollerers or screamers. They are respectful of their players, their employees. They treat them like the tremendous assets to they are to the organization. They positively motivate players to overcome mistakes to maximize their personal abilities. The players know that every member of the team is a vital cog - a key contributor -- to the overall success of the team. In fact, Coach Dungy does not tolerate profanity by his players. He doesn't like it and doesn't use it, so why should they. That is a rarity in today's world of professional sports. Again - the Golden Rule of Management in play.

Positive always trumps negative

Years ago, I heard a speech by a very successful NBA coach who explained how he changed his coaching style and found more success. He was not a screamer or hollerer, and found success in the regular season, but something was missing in the late stages of crucial games that cost the team victories over lesser opponents, and entry into the post-season playoffs. He said, "We kept drilling the players on game situations and what they should and should not do in those crucial times."

In recapping a season, without a playoff berth, he was talking with his assistants and asked, "Why do our players do the things we tell them not to do?" One of the assistants answered, "Perhaps they are doing what we have have taught them. In the pressure of the game, they are not distinguishing between what they should do and should not do, as a result they do what we put in their minds.: The light went on and the NBA coach changed his teaching style. Only the positive things they should do in game situations were taught.. He said the results were dramatic. Mistakes were not made in tight games. They team performed exactly how they were taught. They made the playoffs each year after that and eventually vied for the NBA title.

Feedback - we all love it

All of us love to receive feedback. Of course we like to hear more compliments than negatives, but it is in how the message is delivered that motivates us. We all want to perform well. A few years ago, an experiment took place at a bowling alley. Two teams of bowlers were videotaped during a match and then a coach visited with them. Team One saw the videotape of the match with all the mistakes removed. The coach focused only on the positive strengths of each player and described and reinforced what they had done right. They did not see their mistakes.

Team Two also saw an edited video of the match, but this one included only the mistakes they had made. The coach of this team offered suggestions on how to improve the team's performance.

After receiving the feedback, there was a rematch in which both teams showed improvement. However, the team that received the positive criticism improved 100 percent more than the team that focused on their mistakes. Building on the positive aspects of performance is far better than focusing on the negative.

The power of positive people management can never be underestimated. Mom had it right. The Golden Rule of Management does work. Employees are #1. Be positive in your feedback (Praise publicly, correct privately because you can attract more bees with honey than with vinegar.) Be firm, but fair. Make sure your employees know and embrace the vision of your organization. And then empower them to act with your customers.

Bob Meldrum is a columnist for CORE Magazine. CORE is the leading online source for small business startup. Visit our free online resource center now to get free access to information on small business finance.

Fuck Buttons - Surf Solar

The Spread Offense - Running Game

When people hear "spread" they think of the passing game. The truth is the spread running game can be lethal. A few years ago I coached at a school that made a run to the Texas high school state championship game. We put the spread in not because we thought we would dominate in the passing game but because we knew the team would be a great running team.

The spread has become the fastest growing offense at the high school level. I wonder how many truly understand all facets of the offense. When done properly it can be similar to a full court press in basketball and it will slowly wear the other team down. The running game is an integral part of becoming a complete offense. Coaches need to rep running as much or more than the passing game and few understand this.

There are three basic schemes for the offense line to learn inside zone, outside zone, and the counter trey. On some level this may seem simple. Unfortunately all three concepts are tremendously different and often offense lines will struggle to be good at all three.

In a typical doubles alignment there are four wide receivers and one running back. The running back usually is set away from playside. So for example if a team is running "2-Base" then the back will be aligned to the quarterback's left and will crossover and attack the 2 hole and is always looking for a cutback lane. The back should be thinking bend or bang and has to read on the run. Often the hole will develop backside and as result no player should think they can take a playoff. Many times a back may end up backside and if the inside receiver is not doing his job his guy will make a touchdown saving tackle!

The foundation of the spread's running game is the zone read. As the back crosses over the quarterback's eyes are on the backside end. If the end closes the quarterback will pull the ball and run out the back door. If the end stays disciplined or slow plays then it is an automatic give. In this article I will focus on the responsibilities of the quarterback and runners and I will talk about line play in a later article.

Again repetition is critical. Many quarterbacks will guess. They have to read on the run and react to what the defense is giving the offense. 2/3 base is the foundation running play for the spread offense. The quarterback counter trey works off of base and should be learned together with 2/3 base.

Quarterback counter trey will look like 2/3 base but there is no read. If the play call was 4 QB counter trey, then the back would align to the right cross over and fake 3 base. The quarterback does not need to ride the ball to back, just let him cross. Backside guard and tackle will pull. The guard will kick the playside end and the tackle will seal on the linebacker. Playside linemen will down block. Let me say here that head up "4" techniques are difficult to counter because it's tough to execute a down block.

One of the most common errors by the quarterback will be for him to try and run wide. This play is tight and will be from backside B gap to play side B gap. I promise this play will not work if the QB is not disciplined. He must trust his offense line and be patient. If 2/3 base have successful the QB counter will be successful too.

Now 4/5 counter can be run by the back as well. The QB can read this like he does 2/3 base. Often when the backside defensive end sees backside linemen pulling he will close and the QB will have an opportunity to pull the ball. If a team wants to be successful in the spread running game they must become efficient at the counter. It is a miss direction play that keeps the backside honest.

Often inside linebackers will cross key. Tendencies for most spread teams show that a majority of time if the back is away the running play is coming to you. One way to keep them honest is to mix up the running back's alignment. Align the back playside on counter some. This takes away the QB's read but break's the crossover tendency. But if your team runs counter well this will hurt them keying crossover tendencies.

The third running scheme is outside zone. There are three outside zone running plays and they involve the wide receiver, running back, and quarterback. Outside zone keeps defensive ends honest. And just as inside zone and counter work together so can counter and outside zone. Some teams won't widen the end but will use an outside linebacker to split the difference between an inside receiver and the tackle. (This is where the bubble is important).

Having success running outside zone will cause defensive ends to widen which makes them prime targets to be kicked by pulling guards when running counter. The most difficult type of outside zone play and the hardest to time is the jet sweep.

The QB will start the inside receiver in motion and just before he arrives at the QB ball will be snapped and handed to him running full speed. Once this play is perfected it opens up many other possibilities in both running game and passing game. Offensive linemen will cut backside and stretch playside. It is easy for offensive line coaches to over coach this. Teach your linemen to work to the playside arm pit and stay engaged! It is a fast play and penetration is about the only thing that can cause problems. Playside receivers play a large role in the success of this play.

If a team is running man coverage I would crack both playside receivers. As they attack the crack path they will block their men by running them out of the play. A cover 2 squat corner can difficult but the receiver must learn to occupy. Receivers need to learn the same concept as playside linemen, stay engaged. Let your back be a back!

The final outside zones are 8/9 zone and 8/9 QB zone. Offensive line has the same responsibility as jet sweep. 8/9 zone the back will cross over the QB will zone read. 8/9 zone the back will cross over and the QB will attack the perimeter.

I have talked about three schemes with many different looks out of one formation. That is the tremendous advantage of the spread. Good coaches will mix it up and stay away from tendencies. There are several pass plays that work off these run plays to keep defenses honest.

A good offensive coach puts himself on the defensive side and asks the question, "What would give me problems then implements it." The beauty of the spread is that once you have run it a while you understand its simplicity.

It's my belief in high school football a coach could run five or six running plays out of the spread and five or six pass plays and be successful. That is dependent on play calling but most importantly on execution. Limit the number of plays and formations so you rep the core plays and become proficient! Often you will find out adding plays and formations to fool the defense will likely just fool your offense!

Daniel Shipman is a high school football coach and writer. http://www.texasfootballguide.com and http://www.danielcshipman.com

2010 UNLV Football Predictions

It has been a struggle for the UNLV Rebels since finishing 6-6 in 2003, as they not finished .500 or better since that season. The Rebels are starting to show some signs off life, as they have been pretty close to getting back to bowl eligibility the last two season. Last year the Rebels finished up the year at 6-6 overall and 3-5 in the Mountain West conference. The Rebels enter the 2010 season under a new head coach, as Bobby Hauck was brought in to replace Mike Sanford. The Rebels have 15 starters back for the upcoming season, but it's likely that this team will struggle this season with having to learn new schemes and they have a tougher schedule than they did a year ago. Here is a quick breakdown of what the Rebels will send to the field this season, plus my thoughts on where they finish the year in the MWC.

Offense:

The Rebels will more than likely go with senior quarterback Omar Clayton, as Clayton has a ton of experience under his belt with 23 starts in his time with the Rebels. Last year Clayton completed 60% of his attempts for 2,230 yards with 13 touchdowns, but he did turn the ball over a little too much than you would like to see with 12 interceptions.

The Rebels return two running backs who are capable of getting the job done in senior Channing Trottoer and junior CJ Cox. Last year Trotter led the Rebels with 541 yards and nine touchdowns, while Cox contributed just 173 and one score, but to his credit he was banged up for most of the season. The Rebels also get some help with the ground attack from the quarterback position, as Clayton and backup Mike Clausen combined for 526 yards and 10 touchdowns.

At wide receiver the Rebels will have to replace their top threat from last season in Ryan Wolfe, who led the way with 74 catches for 760 yards, but they do have some talent back this season, as they return two starters in juniors Phillip Payne and Michael Johnson. Payne actually led the Rebels in touchdown receptions with seven last year. Sophomore Mark Barefield is the likely candidate to step in for Wolfe at receiver, while sophomore Jordan Barret is expected to take over at tight end.

The Rebels figure to be strong up front, as they return four starters from the 2009 season. Senior tackles Evan Marchal and Matt Murphy are both solid on the outside, and senior center John Gianninoto is pretty good in the interior. The only change for this unit will come at right guard, where red-shirt freshman Sean Tesoro looks to be the man to step in and start. Overall this unit is one of the top units in the MWC.

Defense:

The Rebels have not been very good on this side of the ball over the years. In 2009 the Rebels gave up nearly 34 points a game, but they have seven starters back this season so there is some hope that they can improve on this side of the ball.

The Rebels return both starters at defensive tackle this season in seniors Ramsey Feagai and Isaako Aaitui. It will be key that they improve this season, as the Rebels were absolutely horrible against the run last season, giving up 221 yards a game. The Rebels will need to find two new starters at defensive end for the 2010 season, and heading into the fall it looks like it will be junior BJ Bell and senior Preston Brooks.

The Rebels also bring backs some experience at the linebacker position this season, as they return senior middle linebacker Ronnie Paulo and senior weak-side linebacker Starr Fuimaono. The change for this unit will come at the strong-side linebacker spot, where junior Chris Jonesis expected to step in after starting eight games over the last two years.

The Rebels have four starters back in the secondary this season, including both starting corners in senior Quinton Pointer and junior Will Chandler. Pointer is the leading tackler back for the Rebels, as he finished the season with 72 tackles and two sacks. Senior Mike Grant returns at strong safety for the Rebels, and it looks as though senior Alex De Giacomo will start at free safety.

MWC Prediction - 7th: While the Rebels figure and should be more competitive this season, it is going to be hard for this team to show big improvements in the win loss column with the schedule they have this season, as they have to play Wisconsin and West Virginia in non-conference play. When it is all said and done I think the Rebels finish the 2010 season at 6-6.

For a complete look at how the MWC will finish up this season, check out our 2010 MWC predictions.

If you plan on betting the college football odds this season, be sure to stop back each week for our expert college football picks.

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NFL 2010 - Week One - The Houston Texans Beat Peyton Manning And The Indianapolis Colts

Year in and year out, the Indianapolis Colts are one of the best teams in the National Football League. This is due in large part to the personnel that is there, including Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne, Bob Sanders, and an awesome offensive line. In the past, they have started off on fire and even flirted with an undefeated season late into December.

2010 is not going to be one of those years though as the Colts fell victim to a Houston Texans team that had something to prove. Indianapolis is sure to still have a great year and be a playoff team, but thanks to Houston they won't be starting the year off up at the top.

The Texans had beaten the Colts just one time out of the 16 times the two teams have met. The Texans feature quarterback Matt Schaub who in 2009 led the entire NFL in passing. That is not how they beat the Colts though as the offensive star of the game was unheralded running back Arian Foster. Foster gained 231 yards in the game all by himself as the Texans wore down the Colts defense over the course of the Sunday morning game.

The Colts will rebound, Peyton Manning will see to that. They will once again rise to the top of the division, conference, and maybe even the top of the whole league. The Texans though have served notice that though they may still be the new team on the block, they have come to play in 2010.

More Houston Texans trivia can be found at IQFB.com! Use the knowledge found there to impress your friends, win bets, or even just for general information. Football trivia is popular with a lot of people whether they are fans of the NFL, USFL, Arena Football, Canadian Football, College Football, or any other level of the game. IQFB... Get Football Smart.

Ness Notes (Mar 13)

Gonzaga celebrated its highest ranking of the season (No. 4) last Monday by edging Loyola-Marymount 68-67 in the WCC championship game that night. It was the school's 18th straight win this year and its 40th consecutive home win. Gonzaga's fellow top-15 schools did not fare as well this past week, as only No. 3 Duke, No. 5 Memphis and No. 13 UCLA made it through the week unscathed.

It's a very short card on Monday and I do not have a free selection today. However, I am following my 20* NBA Western Conf GOY winner on the Kings last night with a 15* NBA winner tonight (67% on NBA 15* plays since Feb 3!).

Duke won its seventh ACC tourney in eight years by beating Boston College 78-76 on Sunday and its 16th all-time (most of any ACC school). Memphis won its first-ever C-USA championship by avenging a March 2 loss at UAB, in a 57-46 win over the Blazers early Saturday afternoon. UCLA followed its first regular season Pac-10 title since 1997 by winning its first Pac-10 tourney since 1987 on Saturday, beating Cal 71-52.

In descending order, U Conn, Villanova, George Washington, Ohio State, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, Boston College, Washington, Tennessee and Pittsburgh all lost. Duke (ACC) and UCLA (PAC-10) were also the only two schools from the six power conferences to win their respective conference tourneys. U Conn and Villanova (Big East co-champs) both lost early, Ohio State lost in the Big-10 title game to Iowa, Texas lost in the Big-12 title game to Kansas and LSU lost to Florida in the SEC semis.

There were really no surprises Sunday, when the selection committee announced the four No. 1 seeds. Duke (the overall No. 1) garnered its 10th No. 1 seed since the seeding process began in 1979 and U Conn was the second No. 1 seed, its fourth all-time. Villanova and Memphis were the third and fourth No. 1 seeds, both schools getting a top-seed for the first time in school history. It should be noted when filling out your brackets, that the four No. 1 seeds have never all made it to the same Final 4 in the 27 years since seeding began. In fact, over the last three years, only four of the 12 No. 1 seeds have made it that far!

As always, there was plenty of controversy to go around, starting with Tennessee getting a No. 2 seed. Gonzaga (a No. 3 seed in the Oakland region) was a big loser. Considering that Memphis is the fourth of the four No. 1 seeds and Gonzaga is in the Tigers' regional, the committee had the Bulldogs ranked 12th. This for a team that finished 30-3, enters the tournament with a nation-best 18-game winning streak and will be ranked no worse than 5th, when the final AP poll of the regular season comes out later today.

While few argued over George Washington getting only a No. 8 seed, there's little denying the Colonials took a big 'hit' this week! GW (ranked No. 6 by the AP) was one of just three Division I schools this year to complete its conference schedule unbeaten (Bucknell and Gonzaga were the others), plus entered the A-10 tourney on an 18-game winning streak and as the nation's lone one-loss team.

However, the Colonials were 'spanked' by Temple in the quarterfinals (68-53) and using the same 'math' as with Gonzaga (are an eight-seed in Memphis' region), it's reasonable to conclude that the committee had the Colonials rated as the 32nd-best team!

When the dust settled and all 34 at-large bids were announced, the arguments began. Bradley and Air Force (both seeded 13th) plus Utah State and Texas A&M (both seeded 12th) were clearly the "last teams in." Left out were in alphabetical order, Cincinnati (19-12), Creighton (19-9), Florida State (19-9), Hofstra (24-6), Maryland (19-12), Michigan (18-10) and Missouri State (20-8). Air Force and Utah State seemed to be the most questionable at-large selections, while most felt Cincinnati got a "raw deal."

Despite Cincinnati not getting in, the Big East placed a record eight schools in this year's tourney, including two No. 1 seeds. Syracuse, which entered the Big East tourney on the proverbial "bubble", actually got a No. 5 seed, after winning the Big East tourney for the second consecutive year. Syracuse is the only at-large selection in the tournament to have posted a losing conference record this season, going 7-9 in the Big East.

Behind the Big East, the Big-10 and SEC each received six bids with the MVC getting as many bids (four), as the ACC, Big-12 and Pac-10. It was really interesting to hear all the complaints from the commentators and analysts as they "cried the blues" over the lack of respect shown the "power" conferences.

This from the same people who over the years, typically complained that the mid-majors and smaller conferences were being underappreciated! Guys, make up your minds!

Hofstra's 24 wins were the most of any school to not get an invite, while 16-15 Hampton (winner of the MEAC tourney), came the closest of any school to enter the tournament with a losing record. Since the tournament expanded to a 64-team field in 1985, there have been 14 schools that have qualified for the Big Dance with losing records by winning their conference tourneys, including at least one school, in each of the previous four years.

As for Hofstra, the Pride's 24 wins may be the most of any team left out this year but they are still short of the all-time record. Howard went 26-5 in 1987 and Southern Illinois went 26-7 in 1990 and neither school got an invite in those years. Seven schools have won 25 games and not gotten an NCAA bid, the most recent of which was Utah State (25-3) in 2004!

There will be much more NCAA tournament coverage over the next three days plus let's not forget the 40-team NIT field, which begins play tomorrow. The four No. 1 seeds for that tournament are Cincinnati, Maryland, Michigan and Louisville.

In a change just this year, schools that won their regular season titles but lost in their respective conference tourneys, were guaranteed bids to this year's NIT. Delaware State (MEAC), Fairleigh Dickinson (NEC), Ga Southern (Southern), Manhattan (MAAC), Northern Arizona (Big Sky) and Western Ky (SBC) were the six schools that benefited this year.

In the NBA over the weekend, the Pistons lost at Washington on Saturday night (now 3-9 ATS their last 12 on the road!) and beat the Bobcats at home on Sunday. Detroit still owns the league's best record (50-12) and is comfortably ahead of the Heat, who at 41-21 have the East's second-best mark. Miami saw its 10-game winning streak snapped on Friday night by Golden State (none of the Heat's wins had come against a team with a better than .500 mark!) but did beat the Cavs on Sunday.

The Cavs also lost at Orlando on Friday night in embarrassing fashion, 102-73! The Cavs own a 36-28 mark but can only get the East's fourth seed, as the winner of the Atlantic Division (likely the Nets) will get the third seed. Behind the Pistons and Heat in the East, the 3rd through 8th seeds are within five games of each other. Chicago is in the 9th spot 2 1/2 games out and Boston is 10th, 3 1/2 games out of the conference's final playoff spot.

Over in the West, San Antonio and Dallas each went 1-1, leaving the two Southwest Division teams still tied at 49-14. The Suns (43-19) got Nash back but after beating the T-wolves on Saturday, lost at Portland Sunday night (111-101), to a Blazer team that won for just the third time in 17 games.

The Kings beat the Mavs in Arco Sunday night (85-80), for their 12th straight home win (9-0 SU and ATS with Artest). Sacramento is over .500 (32-31) for the first time this year and slipped a half-game ahead of the Hornets (losers of six straight) for the final playoff spot in the West.

Monday night's NBA schedule features five games.

Closing note

The announcement that Edgerrin James signed a four-year $30 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals makes a reasonable person wonder. Did his agent, Drew Rosenhaus (who so wonderfully handled the T.O. situation), really explain to James where exactly he was going?

Now we know he'll win the starting job at RB, as the Cardinals ranked last in the NFL in 2005, averaging 71.1 YPG and the team's leading rusher (Marcel Shipp), had just 451 yards. By the way, the Cards have had just three 1,000-yard rushers since 1990 and have averaged finishing 24th in the league in rushing yards the last 16 years.

However, did Drew tell him that the Cardinals have missed the playoffs the last seven years and that the team's 1998 playoff appearance was the club's only one since 1975 (excluding the 1982 strike year when 16 teams made the postseason)? Does he also know that the Cardinals are one of just four pre-1995 NFL franchises, joining the Browns, Lions and Saints, to have never made the Super Bowl? Just wondering?

Ness Notes is available by 1:00 ET Monday through Friday.

Larry Ness is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at [http://www.procappers.com/Larry_Ness.htm].

Oakland Raiders 2010 Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions

The Raiders can't possibly get any worse, right? Oakland finished 5-11 last season for its NFL-record seventh consecutive season with at least 11 losses, and the Raiders are 29-83 since losing to Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII.

But perhaps Oakland will have a little addition by subtraction this season after cutting loose overweight, unmotivated 2007 No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell, who could go down as the biggest draft bust ever. Last season Russell completed only 48.8 percent of his passes and had three touchdowns to go with 11 picks and a 50.0 rating. Oakland pulled the plug following a dismal Week 10 game against the Chiefs, although he did get into a few later games because of injuries to Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye. Overall, Russell earned an obscene $36 million and led the team to a 7-18 record as a starter.

The Raiders should have at least some stability at the position this year with former Redskin Jason Campbell, who came over from Washington for a 2012 fourth-round pick. Campbell started 52 games for Washington since being a first-round pick in 2005. He has thrown for 55 touchdowns, 38 interceptions and has a career passer rating of 82.3. That is absolutely an upgrade over Russell. The Raiders were second to last in the NFL in scoring with 197 points last season and gained the second-fewest yards.

Oakland should have a solid defense, as the Raiders love 2010 first-round NFL Draft pick Rolando McClain, a linebacker from Alabama who should be in the Defensive Rookie of the Year running. Oakland also acquired former first-round pick Kamerion Wimbley from the Browns, and he had four sacks in the preseason win over the Bears. Plus Nnamdi Asomugha remains the best cornerback in the league not named Revis.

But these are, of course, the Raiders, and 2008 first-rounder Darren McFadden hasn't been able to get on the field much in camp or the preseason because of a hamstring issue, pretty much handing the No. 1 running back job to Michael Bush. Last year's first-rounder, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, also has missed time with fatigue (fatigue?). Neither looks like they will live up to where they were picked. And up-and-coming receiver Chaz Schilens may need arthroscopic surgery on his knee that could put his status for opening day in jeopardy. Schilens had 29 catches for 365 yards and two touchdowns last season after missing the first eight games with a broken foot.

At least Oakland has one of the best kicking games in the NFL!

Many oddsmakers have pegged the Raiders as a potential surprise team this year - not playoff-contention surprise but at least able to not lose double-digit games again. Oakland's 'over/under' for NFL season win totals is 6. Let's break down the 2010 Oakland Raiders schedule (all times Eastern):

Week 1: Sunday, Sep. 12, at Tennessee, 1:00 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, St. Louis, 4:05 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, at Arizona, 4:15 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, Houston, 4:05 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, San Diego, 4:15 PM
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, at San Francisco, 4:05 PM
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24, at Denver, 4:15 PM
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31, Seattle, 4:15 PM
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, Kansas City, 4:15 PM
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, at Pittsburgh, 1:00 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, Miami, 4:05 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, at San Diego, 4:05 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, at Jacksonville, 1:00 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, Denver, 4:15 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, Indianapolis, 4:05 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, at Kansas City, 1:00 PM

This schedule is rated right in the middle (T16) among NFL teams in opponents' 2009 winning percentage of.500 (128-128). There are only four games against playoff teams.

This may not rank as the easiest schedule in the league it certainly looks like one of them when it comes to NFL picks. As bad as the Rams and Cardinals have looked in the preseason, it's realistic to think Oakland could actually have a 2-1 September, probably losing at Tennessee (which is a 6.5-point favorite). And travel shouldn't be a problem for this team as after playing at Tennessee, the Raiders don't cross the country until Week 11 when they play at Pittsburgh.

The Raiders don't play a divisional rival until Week 5 against the Chargers. And they don't play any back-to-back games against AFC West opponents. Is this the year Oakland finally beats San Diego? The Bolts have won 13 in a row in the series, the longest active NFL winning streak by one team over another.

That Oct. 3 game against Houston likely starts three in a row against 2010 playoff teams, but then the Raiders - believe it or not - could go on a three-game winning streak. The NFL handicapping indicates they should actually be home favorites against the Seahawks and Chiefs and have won in Denver the past two years.

Probably the only legitimate road chance Oakland has after the bye comes in what should be the team's lone cold-weather game, in K.C. But the Raiders have won there the past three years.

I love the 'over' 6 here because I don't think there's a chance that the Raiders do worse than a push. But I expect a 7-9 record and maybe even a second-place finish in the AFC West. Better things may finally be ahead for this team.

Doc Moseman is one of the pioneers of college football and the NFL Handicapping industry. Check out his Web site for up-to-the-minute NFL Odds and his famous winning college football and NFL picks.

The World Cup 2010 South Africa Predictions

The World Cup 2010 is some time off yet, the qualifying campaigns have not started, but is now as good a time as any to get the ball rolling and start predicting the eventual winner in South Africa?

For the first time ever, the worlds premier sporting event will be hosted on the African continent. This will bring a different culture to the forefront of everyone's consciousness even though the tournament itself will take place in Africa's richest economy.

Is there a home advantage? Does this mean that the emerging African nations will fair better than in recent World Cups having been tipped for greatness but always seeming to fall short? Or will it be one from the usual gang of five nations that lifts the Trophy again? Amongst the usual suspects, it will be no surprise to see Brazil or Argentina - the giants of South American football.

From Europe we need look no further than the current champions Italy, the perennial tournament experts Germany, and the flair of France. Or do we? Will England eventually break free from it's overly haranguing press? And, under the stewardship of Italian Fabio Capello, will they finally achieve their country's dreams, after 44 years, of it's one and only World Cup success? Can fellow underachiever Spain put together a concerted run and for once fulfill the talent they generally bring to any world cup?

Following on from these teams, there are also a number of possible winners. If given a run of luck, which any country will need during the tournament, dark horses Croatia are always technically gifted. Sweden, Norway and Russia are solid. Holland will be full of talent. Greece and Turkey have also come a long way, respectively. In truth it is difficult to assess the outcome but my head still tells me it will be one from the usual five. My heart on the other hand hopes it will be England.

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See Why Expert NFL Predictions Pick the NY Jets As the Team to Watch This Season

In the NFL, defense wins Super Bowls which is why the NY Jets are one of our top NFL picks to win the 2011 Super Bowl. The NY Jets who have the NFL's best defense which led the league in fewest points, yards, and passing yards allowed added defenses players to their rooster in the offseason that cement that claim even further.

The NFL's #1 rated defense last season led by arguably the NFL'S best shut down cornerback in Darrelle Revis added cornerback Antonio Cromartie and drafted Kyle Wilson to their secondary, a cornerback out of Boise St. Revis had 14 interceptions over the past three NFL seasons and now the Jets will make it more difficult for any team to pass against their dominate secondary with Cromartie on the other side who has had 15 interceptions himself the last 3 seasons.

This Rex Ryan influenced defense was already aggressive last year as they knew Revis could lock down any opposing team's best receiver. Now with the addition of Jason Taylor from the Miami Dolphins and a front seven lead by linemen Shaun Ellis and Kris Jenkins plus linebackers Bart Scott and David Harris, look for all out pandemonium from the Jets pass rush.

The Jets played a conservative offense last season with Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez averaging only 148.8 passing yards per game which was second to last in the league although they had good pass protection. The Jets added another piece to their passing game adding former Pittsburgh Steeler receiver Santonio Holmes and with a year of NFL experience behind him and more time their #1 option Braylon Edwards, the Jets will open up their conservative offense that showed signs of big play potential in last year's playoff run.

The Jets may made a questionable move in their running game by releasing their leading rusher Thomas Jones who was a durable back that produced 1,402 yards. This year the Jets will turn the reins over to second year running back Shonn Greene and future hall of famer LaDainian Tomlinson from the Chargers to replace Jones. The Jets have a great offensive line so this shouldn't be much of a risk if Greene can stay healthy and with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer calling the plays, this could be the final piece in the Jets winning the Super Bowl.

Go to http://www.jrtips.com/ to get your winning NFL picks, sports picks and NFL odds for the 2011 NFL season.

Pistons -Magic First Round Predictions

Despite Darko Milicic and Grant Hill heading back to Detroit for a crack at their former team, I don't expect this series to generate too much buzz. The Pistons took all four regular season meetings and this playoff series will read the same way.

How are we even supposed to muster up any kind of excitement for this series when it is one of the biggest first round mismatches I've seen in quite some time. The Pistons have better guards, better wings, and better posts on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. I especially expect Chauncey Billups to have a field day with Orlando's smaller guards. Jameer Nelson has had trouble defending point guards all season long, even points nowhere near Billups' ability. Chauncey will be able to shoot over the 6-foot-on-a-sun-shiny day Nelson any time he wants.

If the Magic had any angle to do something against the Pistons, it was with their twin towers approach playing Milicic and Dwight Howard together in the front court. But Darko's injury could get the Magic thoroughly embarrassed on the interior as it forces Hedo Turkoglu and Trevor Ariza to play beyond their size. Neither one of these guys has a chance trying to stick C-Web, Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, or Nazr Mohammed. This superior front line very well could get the Pistons back to the NBA Finals.

Orlando's best chance for a win in this series will be if the Pistons come out flat after a couple easy wins because they are disinterested. That's how Milwaukee took a game from Detroit last season in the first round of the playoffs. However, that Bucks team was clearly better than this Magic team and this Pistons team is on a mission after missing out on the NBA Finals last season after making the trip the previous two years.

I wish I had better news for you Magic fans, but I'm sure you're all more pessimistic than I am about this first round series, especially with the way the season unfolded after a positive start.

If there's any out there who think Dwight Howard can carry the Magic on his back, watch these Pistons' vets frustrate the hell out of him with their intelligent and physical play. This young kid is quite the talent, the only true bright spot for the Magic really, but he needs a better supporting cast and some more time to develop his offensive game before he can dethrone some of the NBA's elite bigs.

Did I mention it already? Pistons in four.

Jimmy Boyd is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at www.procappers.com/Jimmy_Boyd.htm [http://www.procappers.com/Jimmy_Boyd.htm]

2010 NFL Predictions - Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens have rebounded from a disappointing 2007 season with back-to-back playoff appearances. A strong running game and a dominant defense have helped them achieve their recent success. However, the organization has acknowledged that the passing game must improve in order to take the next step, and it has brought in Anquan Boldin to help make that happen. In this article, we'll take a quick look at the offense and the defense. Then, I'll make my prediction on Baltimore's finishing position in the AFC North.

Offense: Third-year quarterback Joe Flacco has impressed through his first two seasons. He threw for 3,613 yards and 21 touchdowns with 12 interceptions last season. He was on pace for even better numbers before leg and hip injuries limited him down the stretch. With his size and great arm strength, Flacco has the potential to become an elite passer. He has already shown that he is a winner, leading the Ravens to three playoff victories in five career playoff games. More wins will most certainly follow as he continues to mature. We could see him take a huge stride in 2010 with the addition of Boldin, who finally gives the Ravens a true No. 1 receiver.

Despite dealing with injuries, Boldin hauled in 84 passes for 1,024 yards last season. He and Derrick Mason, who is coming off a 73-catch, 1,028-yard season, should help the offense improve on the 213.7 yards per game it averaged through the air in 2009.

Boldin and Mason will certainly get their opportunities to star as defenses stack the box in hopes of limiting Ray Rice. Rice is coming off a Pro Bowl season, during which he amassed 2,041 total yards from scrimmage. 1,339 of those yards came on the ground.

Tackles Michael Oher and Jared Gaither lead a formidable offensive line.

Defense: Baltimore ranked No. 3 in the NFL in scoring defense last season, giving up only 16.3 points per game. Baltimore also ranked No. 3 ranked in terms of total defense, giving up just 300.5 yards per game.

Middle linebacker Ray Lewis continues to be the emotional leader of this unit. He teams with fellow linebackers Terrell Suggs and Jarret Johnson, and defensive lineman Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg, to anchor one of the best front sevens in football. Draft picks Sergio Kindle and Terrence Cody add additional depth.

Safety Ed Reed was contemplating retirement while dealing with a painful nerve impingement. But that talk has subsided, and it appears the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year will be back to lead Baltimore's secondary.

Prediction: 1st AFC North - Bringing in Boldin should instantly improve a passing attack that was lacking playmakers. Since Baltimore already has a strong running game, and one of the NFL's best defenses, I don't see anyone standing in their way of an AFC North title. Pittsburgh must deal with the suspension of Ben Roethlisberger, and it is hard to imagine Cincinnati not dealing with chemistry issues after signing Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens.

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College Football 2007 - Week 9 - Two Game Scores With Some Hidden Meanings Are 57-43 & 6-0

As if the 2007 college football season has not been confusing enough, along comes week 9 with some hidden game scores that reveal much: 57-43 and 6-0. Both of the scores involve the AP Top 25 Poll teams.

First the 57-43. The only 5 teams still unbeaten remained perfect, 7 others won while 4 more were upset by unranked teams and 3 did not play. To wit:

No. 1 Ohio State (9-0) dominated No. 22 Penn State 37-17, No. 2 Boston College (8-0) came from behind to upend No. 8 Virginia Tech 14-10, No. 7 Arizona State (8-0) beat No. 18 California 31-20, No. 12 Kansas (8-0) moved by Texas A&M 19-11, and No. 16 Hawaii (7-0) ripped New Mexico State 50-13.

Seven other leaders recorded victories, including No. 5 Oregon over No. 9 USC 24-17, No. 6 West Virginia over No. 25 Rutgers 31-3, No.13 Missouri over Iowa State 42-28, No. 17 Texas over Nebraska 28-25, No. 19 Michigan over Minnesota 34-10, No. 20 Georgia over No. 9 Florida 42-30, and No. 23 Auburn over Mississippi 17-3.

Four teams were upset by unranked teams, including No. 11 South Florida falling to Connecticut 22-15, No. 14 Kentucky falling to Mississippi State 31-14, No. 15 South Carolina falling to Tennessee 27-24 in overtime, and No. 21 Virginia falling to North Carolina State 29-24.

The 3 teams that did not play were No. 3 LSU, No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 22 Alabama.

Then the 6-0. The 6 ranked losers which were beaten by other ranked teams-Virginia Tech, Florida, USC, California, Penn State and Rutgers-now have zero chance at playing in the BCS national championship game.

Some important notes from the sidelines:

1) Points, and lots of them, seem to be a common theme this season. Scores have become ridiculous, as witnessed over the weekend when Weber State beat Portland State 73-68 in the highest-scoring game in NCAA history. The score could have been a basketball game.

2) Three unbeaten teams are serious about scoring and defending. Ohio State averages 34 points scoring and gives up only 9 points per game. Kansas scores 42 and gives up 10. Arizona State scores 36 and gives up 15.

3) Ohio State is No. 1 in total defense (yards allowed), Kansas is No. 5 and Arizona State is No. 19.

4) The once bright future of the California Bears and Coach Jeff Tedford just suffered their 3rd straight loss.

5) The Florida Gators and 43-year-old Coach Urban Meyer just dropped their 3rd loss in 4 games to Georgia 42-30. You remember Urban. Prior to this season his career record was 61-12 (83%).

He led Bowling Green to 8-3 and 9-3 seasons, led Utah to 10-2 and 12-0 records and two Mountain West Conference titles, and led Florida to 9-3 and 13-1 seasons during his first two years, winning the BCS national championship last year.

This year he is now 5-3. Southeast Conference opponents have seen Florida for two years under Meyer and have begun to figure out how to stop his Gators. Welcome to the always nasty SEC Urban and break a leg on the way to practice.

6) You can pretty much forget the USC supremacy trip. Pete Carroll's reign as the toast of the nation and Hollywood is all but over. USC is about to join the great unwashed at 6-2.

There are now at least 25 Division I schools with better records than 6-2. The road ahead for USC includes Oregon State (The Civil War), California, still unbeaten Arizona State and UCLA, all salivating at a chance to humble the Trojans.

7) Coach Steve Spurrier's great comeback at South Carolina has hit a brick wall with its overtime loss to Tennessee, handing the Gamecocks their 3rd loss.

8) Expect a Northwest earthquake Saturday when No. 7 Arizona State invades No. 5 Oregon. Expect road kill in the South as No. 3 LSU invades No. 22 Alabama. First year Coaches Dennis Erickson at Arizona State and Nick Saban at Alabama will have their hands full.

9) My poor alma mater Michigan State is now officially sucking pond water and folding faster than a K-Mart deck chair, losing 3 of its last 4 after starting the season at 4-0. The Spartans have folded almost every year for the last too many years.

I believe Mark Dantonio will turn things around at MSU, just not this year. The Spartans lost to Wisconsin by a field goal and then lost in overtime to Northwestern and Iowa.

Dantonio apparently inherited more slugs than a Northwest garden. For the uninitiated, a native Northwest slug is a tough-skinned, slow-witted terrestrial (as in ground crawling) mollusk that lacks a shell and secretes a film of mucus.

In football, speed kills. Dantonio needs more speed everywhere, and he needs some players who, if they do not want to win badly enough, refuse to lose until they learn how to win. Culture might be an academic subject, but on the football field it is all about environment, a winning environment.

10) The Washington Huskies did the unthinkable Saturday, they lost at home to Arizona, 48-41, and are now 2-6. Ty Willingham's charges must now win their last 5 games to finish 7-6 and earn a bowl bid.

Is it possible? Anything is possible with parity, but do not ask the Huskies, ask their next 5 opponents: Stanford, Oregon State, California, Washington State and Hawaii.

The Huskies are short on wins, full of mistakes and flat out of excuses. They are exciting to watch, full of explosive offense, a crappy defense and have started to develop a stench from losing.

A word to the wise: If the Huskies cannot get a victory, they need to get angry, very angry, legally violent and start hitting players and hurting players. Hurt your opponent enough and they will not be able to run over you, around you and by you.

If you cannot tackle or will not tackle, sit on the bench and write letters home to your mother about how tough it is to be a Husky at Washington.

I do not know about you, but I am not going to get kicked in the face 45 times before I get up and hurt somebody. I do not care if they are bigger or more talented, they are going to get hurt, and hurt bad.

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley

Ed Bagley's Blog Publishes Original Articles with Analysis and Commentary on 5 Subjects: Sports, Movie Reviews, Lessons in Life, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing. My intention is to inform, educate, delight and motivate you the reader.

Read my articles on "How to Predict When Teams Are Overrated and Due for an Unexpected Loss", "The Sagarin Ratings: What They Are, How to Read Them and What to Do With Them" and my 14 consecutive weekly wrap-up articles on the 2007 College Football Season.

Find my Blog at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
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NFL Weekly Picks Expert Reveals a Useful Trend for Your 2010 Fantasy Draft Picks

It appears that the fantasy trend of high-drafting running backs will extend into 2010. Where quarterbacks were once highly coveted among the fantasy draft crowd, the emergence of the stud, all-purpose RB who can carry his team to the playoffs is now the norm.

When one examines the top NFL weekly picks for fantasy drafts this year throughout the preseason, this trend is undeniable. Atop the list-at least according to NFL.com-are Tennessee's Chris Johnson-the leading rusher in the league last year with 2,006 yards, Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, Jacksonville's pocket Hercules himself Maurice Jones-Drew, Baltimore's Ray Rice (running from Rutgers, according to NFL Network's Chris Berman), and San Francisco's Frank Gore. Interestingly, the top NFL weekly pick among quarterbacks is Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers. Perennial favorites Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are ranked 10th and 22nd, respectively. Even the top QB from 2009 and Super Bowl winner Drew Brees is 8th.

Looking back a year, of the top ten fantasy NFL weekly picks eight were RBs: Adrian Peterson, Atlanta's Michael Turner, Chicago's Matt Forte, Maurice Jones-Drew, St. Louis' Stephen Jackson, San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson, Chris Johnson, and Carolina's DeAngelo Hall. Drew Brees was the highest-ranked QB at 14th, Tom Brady at 20th, and Peyton Manning at 24th.

So why the recent draft frenzy over running backs? It is my opinion that the position has become infinitely more specialized as of late. Take, for example, former San Diego Charger LaDainian Tomlinson-now a Jet-who, in 2006, broke a number of long-standing records and essentially guaranteed himself a spot in Canton one day. Among these records-all-time single season TDs (31), all-time single season rushing TDs (28), and all-time most points scored in a single season (186); not to mention a slue of other accolades making him perhaps the most prolific running back in recent NFL history.

Accordingly, the running back position has undergone a considerable degree of evolution and contemporary players have embraced the all-purpose mentality which has contributed to their increased popularity among the fantasy crowd and bucking the former trend of a franchise QB leading one's team. Only time will tell whether this trend is simply a temporary fad or one to persist as the position continues to become more specialized.

Get your winning NFL Weekly Picks and College Football Predictions this 2010 season at http://www.jrtips.com/

NFL Picks and Football Predictions - Chicago Bears Preview For the 2010 Season

This will be a make or break year for the Chicago Bears and head coach Lovie Smith's last chance to put a solid product on the field to make the Bears a playoff team. The Bears have spent the big money this off season as they now have marquee players on their team that should make an impact. Last season the Bears acquired quarterback Jake Cutler who is supposed to be one of the elite up and coming quarterbacks in this league although he did not perform as expected and this year they signed Julius Peppers to a whopping 91.5 million dollar contract.

Jake Cutler and the Bears offensive struggled last year with no consistency making too many mistakes as Cutler lead the league with 26 interceptions and 35 sacks. Cutler is a quarterback with big time arm who can make plays witnessed by his 3,666 yards and 27 touchdowns so the addition of the new offensive coordinator Mike Martz should put him in a better position to succeed in 2010. Martz is a known as an offensive genius amongst NFL experts bringing a resume that lead the league in offense for three years while finishing in the top ten in points six times from 1999-2005 with Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger.

Martz is the right coach to orchestrate this Bear offensive as they do not have a true go to player. The receiving core consists of Devin Hester, Earl Bennet and Johnny Knox while they will have a running back combination in Matt Forte and Chester Taylor who was brought over form the Minnesota Vikings. The Bears success on offense will have to come by a controlled distribution of the ball and Martz will put Cutler in good situation to do so.

The defense which will be solid with the addition of Julius Peppers and big play defenders in Lance Briggs, Hunter Hillenmeyer, Brian Urlacher and tackle Tommie Harris. The Bears laid it on the line this off season spending fifty-five million dollars in guaranteed money while changing both their offensive and defensive coordinators. Our NFL experts for NFL picks predict that if Peppers can bring his 10 ½ sacks or better this year, the Bears investment will pay off and they will get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

Get all your winning NFL picks and football predictions at http://www.jrtips.com/ for the 2010 NFL season.

Top Ten NFL Head Coaches

Here is my list of the ten most crafty, genius, and fiery, head coaches. Oh yeah and winning helps their rank too.

10. Jon Gruden: "Chucky" as he's known around the league for his hot headed temper and wild antics. Keyshawn Johnson actually thought he could chew out Gruden once, he didn't make that mistake twice. I thought Gruden was gonna kill him, literally. But despite that, Gruden knows how to craft high powered offenses with little talent. Look what he did with the Raiders the year before they won the Super Bowl. Know look what he's doing with the Buccaneers. Making Jeff Garcia look good at what he does, shockingly.

9. John Fox: Yeah I know, your like enough with the Johns, but it was just coincidence. Next John Madden right? Well for current coaches, John Fox has taken the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2003 and the NFC Championship in 2005. He lost both, but he has helped get the Panthers some well needed recognition. They are not viewed like the Houston Texans or Cleveland Browns, people actually respect them.

8. Lovie Smith: Hard to respect a football coach named Lovie. But he has probably dealt with that his whole life, and earned some respect. Bears fans love him now because he turned around their team in a short amount of time. He had them in the playoffs in 2005 and in the Super Bowl in 2006. They lost to an amazing Indianapolis Colts team with a man named Peyton Mannning, who has wanted a ring his whole career, but kept coming up short against the Patriots. Who knows how the Bears will fare this year as they are 5-3 and Kyle Orton will be out for a week or more. Coaching will make the difference during this critical second half of the football season.

7. Mike Shanahan: Hasn't won a Super Bowl in nine years, but still a great coach that gets his team to the playoffs and AFC championships quite frequently. More of a conservative coach than most, but it got him where he is today.

6. Jim Zorn: After taking over for Joe Gibbs (those are big shoes to fill) has done an admirable job fielding a good team this year. They are likely to find a playoff spot and may be a sleep pick to win it all this year.

5. Andy Reid: A very great coach that has taken his team to the Super Bowl but came up short against the New England Patriots. His Eagles have a lot of talent this year they just are capitalizing. They will be in a battle with the Cowboys for a possible third playoff spot in the NFC.

4. Tom Coughlin: Won the Super Bowl last year and has fielded an almost better team this year some have said. Hard to believe considering they lost Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora on defense.

3. Bill Belichick: As hard as it is for me to want to put him on this list, I kinda half to. Considering all his Super Bowl rings and manage to win without Tom Brady. Belichick is considered to be one of the shadier coaches thanks to the Spy Gate controversy. Now we'll see if he can win a ring without Tom Brady.

2. Tony Dungy: Yes they are 4-4 at the moment. But they have a great coach who can turn any team around and won a Super Bowl two years ago. Don't forget he's got one of the greatest quarterback and wide receiver combos to play the game.

1. Jeff Fischer: I am putting him at number one because he is undefeated right now and that is without Vince Young. Kerry Collins is winning games for him! He doesn't have a team of superstars, they all just play well as a team. It will be interesting to see if they can stay undefeated the whole year.

Clarke Baldwin is a journalist who has worked for Dallas Morning News and other publications. You can find his site at International News Blog and a related story in Sports.

NFL Week Two Part Four

In part four of our NFL week two preview, we will look at two NFL games. I'll review the following games: the Patriots and the Jets and the Titans at the Chargers. Both of these games have potential playoff implications. The Patriots possibly get their second easy game in a row, while the Chargers will face an increased task this week. Let's take a look.

New England Patriots at New York Jets

The New England Patriots received a gift last week when Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman danced around in his own end zone and got tackled. The Safety by the Patriots gave them a 19-17 lead as time was running out of the game. The end result was a Patriots win. The New York Jets looked a bit resurgent as quarterback Chad Pennington passed for 319 yards and two TDs. The Jets went into Tennessee and surprised the Titans team by beating them 23-16.

The Patriots have owned the Jets over the past three seasons. This Sunday they will go into New York looking to expand their winning streak against the Jets. Could this be the week that the Jets surprise the Patriots? While Tom Brady played poorly in the Patriots opener, Maroney looked great on the ground. The Jets did have 91 rushing yards last week, but they lacked a go to guy. 71 of those 91 yards were split between running backs Blaylock and Barlow.

Pick: Jets Why? I like upsets. If Pennington passes for 300+ yards again, it could be a long day for the New England defense.

Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers

Tennessee was surprised last week when the Jets came to town and beat them. The difference in the game was the play of Kerry Collins who once again showed that he's not a great QB. Collins was 17 of 38 for 223--not a great completion percentage. He did complete two passes to the defense. It wasn't his entire fault. Titans receivers were dropping passes. The offense looks like it's lacking continuity. Vince young made his NFL debut by going 3 for 4 for 27 yards, but he threw an interception. How long before Titans fans start pushing for Young to start?

The Chargers had a cakewalk on Monday night as they beat the Raiders 27-0 in Oakland. The Raiders couldn't even score in garbage time. Tomlinson had 131 yards, but 58 of those came on one run. He had 31 touches. Rivers only threw 11 passes for the Chargers and that's probably what he will have this week as well. The Chargers want to ease him into the game. The most important thing for them is that he not make mistakes. They are not counting on him for big games yet. He had 108 yards passing last week and could get more of the same this week.

Pick: Chargers Why? They are at home and have won the last 3 meetings against the Titans. The Chargers defense could win up with a couple interceptions as well.

The author is an online sports betting at Sports Betting Football. He also writes a daily blog on football Betting with up to the minute odds, news and NFL picks.

Transition From Youth Football To High School Football

Youth organizational football - Grammar school level, a coaches view. Kids ages from 7 years to 14 years old, broken down into 3 divisions:

- Pee-Wee - 7-10 years under 85 lbs. And under

- Widgets - 12 and under 105 lbs. And under

- Juniors - 14 and under 135 lbs. And under

Now a days a child going into High School is to a great disadvantage if he wishes to play football for his High School with no previous organized knowledge of the game.

High Schools of course recruit from grammar schools. Not only 8th grade athletes, but they ask the 8th graders who the best 7th grade athletes are. That way they not only know who to watch but they will also flood his mailbox with school news letters and once in a while a ticket or 2 to the next game. The promotion part of High School football could make for another article but for now I will use the information for a basic knowledge of what a child is up against just entering High School.

If a kid starts at 7 years old and plays football until he enters High School, he has at least 6 years of experience and training at whatever position he is best suited for. Some kids will change positions every couple of years depending on how his body grows. Which brings up another point about High School. High schools like the bigger kids. If a kid was playing the line or linebacker for a junior team at 13 years of age and weighed say 110 pounds and had a good year, in High School if he didn't gain but 10 lbs. He could be on the 3rd team or not make the team because of his weight. That to me is a waste of talent and sometimes a lack of foresight by the coaching staff. That is why many youth organizations take kids that are 14 but 135 lbs. And under. Sometimes there is a different weight bracket for 14 year olds. They might be restricted ti 110 lbs. Or so, depending on the league. At least this way the kid could play kids his own age and weight. He also has a chance, instead of warming the bench, to sharpen his skills and have some fun. In that year his body might start to grow and his Sophomore year might be a good one.

I am a youth football coach. dedicated to teaching the game of football. The passion for youth sports has inspired my family and I to create a web site for helping youth coaches of all youth sports. My family has coached football, baseball, wrestling, and cheerleading for over 30 years. You can check out our web site at http://www.wecoachyouthsports.com

DVD Recorders - Tips and Secrets to Save You Time and Money

DVD Recorders are in my opinion one of the most falsely advertised and promoted Consumer products of all time because while most people know the good stuff, very few people are aware of the bad stuff until after they've purchased them. Having said that, you can still get good DVD Recorders for between $50-$100, the key is knowing what you're planning to use them for. You're now saying "Duh, to record DVDs". Well there are limitations on recording which is the "Bad Stuff" and this article will give you general pointers on how to save money when buying a DVD recorder and DVD recordable media (DVD%2BR, DVD-R, DVD%2BRW and DVD-RW).

There are 3 types of DVD recorders: Internal computer DVD recorders aka DVD burners, external computer DVD Recorders aka external DVD burners and Stand Alone DVD Recorders (Some DVR's have a DVD recording drive as well). You can record TV Shows on stand alone DVD recorders as well as computer DVD recorders if your computer has a card installed that will let you receive broadcasts from Cable TV provided there is a "hub" to connect your cable too. The main difference between the stand alone DVD recorders and the computer Internal and external recorders are that the stand alone DVD Recorders can not as far as I know record in 5.1 sound while internal and external computer DVD recorders can. This is one of the things they don't tell you about Stand Alone DVD recorders. One thing however I found the Stand Alone DVD Recorder to do better/easier than a computer DVD recorder is to transfer old Video tapes to DVD.

The Major Thing they don't tell you about DVD recorders is it's almost impossible to make a DVD recording of a commercially sold DVD as most of them are encrypted, as well as being illegal. I believe that making recordings of non-encrypted commercial DVDs is also illegal. There are no commercially sold retail software or devices as far as I know that will let you record copies of commercial DVDs that have been encrypted. So if you are planning to buy a DVD recorder to make recordings of commercially sold DVDS, you are wasting your time. Note, if you do a search on the internet there probably is software that will allow you to make these recordings, however doing so is illegal.

The other thing they don't really tell you about DVD Recorders is that they are built to self destruct as the lasers eventually wear down, While stand alone and external computer DVD recorders are relatively cheap, they usually don't last more than a couple of years before their lasers break down. The good news is, they're relatively cheap and just consider them a disposable product. My internal computer DVD Recorders have never broken down. You do need software to record DVD's on your computer and a lot of these players come with software. I use Nero Software which I love and which is also good for burning CDs as well.

I recommend if you are buying a stand alone DVD recorder for basic recording of TV shows, to buy any Lite-On DVD Recorder with a built in TV Tuner, that you can get under $100. Lite-On is incredibly easy to use as they have a really good easy remote control program that guides you step by step. The picture and sound are good as well. I say its better to spend under $100 on something that you know will eventually break down then spend $250 or more for a fancier recorder that will also eventually break down. Whatever you do, do not buy a used or refurbished DVD recorder because its life is even more limited as its laser has already been worn down- to what degree you don't know.

If your computer does not have an internal DVD recorder, you can get a decent small external DVD recorder for between $50-$95 new. I would recommend an HP 20x Super Multi DVD Writer (Recorder) which you can get for under $60 new at discount. Most of these players come with free software and as I mentioned I would go with any one that came with Nero software. The external DVD recorders connect easily to your computer by USB and they record CDs as well. They also play CDs and DVDs besides recording them.

I would recommend if you are using a stand alone DVD Recorder to only use DVD%2BRW or DVD-RW media, as these are re-recordable DVDs and you can play them on any DVD player as soon as you finished recording. If you buy the standard DVD%2BR or DVD-R disc, you can not re-record on them and more importantly you will need to do an extra step on your Stand Alone DVD Recorder called Finalize. If you forget to Finalize, the DVD will not play on anything other then your DVD recorder. You do not need to Finalize a DVD%2BRW or DVD-RW disc, which is why I recommend you buy them for stand alone DVD recorders. For internal or external computer DVD recorders you do not need to manually finalize anything as the software does everything itself so you don't need to spend the extra money on re-recordable discs. Having said that, I would still buy at least 10 re-recordable discs as when you're first recording on the computer as you'll probably make a bunch of mistakes, almost everyone does, and this way you can practice till you make perfect. Personally, I would recommend if you have a friend who has recorded DVDs on the computer to show you how to do everything step by step. It's an easy process but like everything else you learn by trial and error.

I also noticed that when I recorded DVDs, the drop in quality from recording at SP to LP and LP to EP, is a lot more prominent in DVDS then video tape. If quality is a concern, I would record at SP when you can and no lower than EP.

I hope you enjoy using your DVD recorder. If you are planning to do things more advanced then editing, then of course I would recommend buying a more advanced recorder but for the basic things, you can get a decent DVD recorder between $50-$100.

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Digital Signage Influences Retail Advertising in a Big Way

The presence of digital signage in today's retail environment is testament to its ability of exceeding expectations in retail advertising. Digital signage has grown considerably in usage and is a widely accepted form of advertising thanks to its accessibility. This accessibility comes from everyone's favorite pastime: Television. Displaying commercials between regular programming is one of the ways to drum up business for brand name merchandisers. Displaying digital signage inside the retail store increases this exposure with dynamic content targeting consumers directly surrounded by merchandise. It's a heady concept designed to fulfill the promise of the television commercial while helping to lead consumers directly to the checkout line. Conditioned to this digital media much the same way they are with television, consumers have almost come to expect some sort of digital signage wherever they go.

Dynamic vs. Static

Technological advancement obviously has a hand in this relationship. Traditionally, retail establishments relied on printed, static media for their advertising (and still do to a very large extent). However, digital signage creates an entirely different effect that attracts the eye through movement. It sounds simple, but often the simplest of ideas prove to be the most powerful. When the new LED billboards started appearing on the nation's highways, the State Highway Advertising Act needed to be amended with new brightness standards. The digital billboards were that bright and attractive to the eyes of drivers everywhere. The dynamic quality of digital signage affords retailers with a powerful tool to wield inside their stores. Moreover, digital content can be changed or updated as fast as you can change a TV channel. When compared to the more expensive ritual of printing new posters for every new promotion, the savings in labor, time, and money can be a major factor.

What It Takes

The hardware required for a digital signage program in a retail environment involves three items: The TV screen, the TV mount, and the digital media player. If the screens are to be left on continuously without interruption, then commercial-rated monitors are a necessity. Rated to run 24/7, these flat screens feature special cooling technologies and more rugged housings to protect them from airborne infiltrates. Warranties offer 3 Years Parts & Labor, typical. High Definition, 1080p resolution TVs, however, are not a requirement since actual 1080p content only comes in the form of HD movies such as Blu-Ray. Since most businesses would not be showing movies, flat screen TVs with 720p resolutions are acceptable since cable stations broadcast HD content (shows and sports) at 720p.

With digital signage becoming more popular, the TV mounts industry has stepped up to the plate with a dizzying array of wall mount brackets, articulating arms, and ceiling-hung mounts. Unlike residential TVs, most commercial flat screens are mounted up high with tilt attachments pointing the screens down to the viewers as in the case of bars and restaurants. Another method of display is the floor stand. Whether planted next to this year's new car in the showroom or on the trade show floor at any convention, floor stands provide quick solutions for temporary setups. The nature of floor stands also allows them to be height adjustable for setting up in window displays or alongside merchandise aisles. Locking casters provide easy transportability.

What drives any digital signage program is the media player. Broken down into three types, they offer simple plug & play models, pre-formatted content, and multi-frame advertising networked with Live TV. As the premier method of both informing and entertaining at the same time, digital signage can be something as simple as a slide show. Insert a USB flash drive with your image or video content into a plug & play box and it sends the signal to the flat screen. More advanced media players connect to the internet, providing access to live sign channels featuring pre-formatted content such as weather, sports, stock tickers, and entertainment news that updates on an hourly basis. The added bonus of an internet connection allows the digital signage to be controlled anywhere from any computer. Media players streaming Live TV can also display custom advertising targeting your clientele. As an example, a restaurant bar can display the football game for its customers while food and drink specials run along the side of the game. This content can be rotated to show more offerings over the course of the game, impacting profit on a number of levels.

The use of digital signage can iNFLuence a customer to make a purchase on the spot. The thing to remember is you're not simply providing what the customer expects, you're looking to maximize their experience. Placing a TV in your establishment may or may not increase the probability of more sales. Instead, providing engaging content informing customers about new menu offerings or sales promotions will iNFLuence customer behavior, sometimes instantly.

To view some of the digital signage products discussed in this article be sure to visit Displays2go at http://www.displays2go.com/Digital_Signage_Examples.html, specializing in digital sign components and other helpful information.

The New Orleans Saints Youth Programs

The New Orleans saints' football club has different categories of youth programs in its efforts to promote community development. The first category is that of boys and girls between the ages of 8 to 15. Every year boys and girls take part in the punt, pass and kick skills competition. The competition which attracts million of children yearly has been there for quite sometime now and is free to all. Every year, the saints play host against team championship level. This year's competition will take place at Louisiana Superdome.

Another category is the junior player development category. The New Orleans football league has come up with a developmental youth football program that take boys of between age 12 and 14. The program takes every participant through a step by step progression of skills instruction, position packaged in a way that is easily adaptable and more fun that will make the children get entertained and at the same time be able to learn. The participants are trained by the selected qualified and experienced coaches from local markets, high schools and from the New Orleans football league itself.

Each and every participant receives counseling through a life skill development curriculum to be followed throughout all the field activities that they will undertake. A new different skill message is taught as a theme for that particular week with each theme being addressed through football context.

Instructors train the participants to connect between life skills as they are applied in football as well as in real life experience like at home, school and any other areas including the community at large. This program helps the children and their families enjoy football with the experience that come with it. Coaches do benefit from this in a way that it helps them promote positive experience for all participants. A youthful development program provides hours of practical training.

The last category is the New Orleans flag football. It is the national football league premier youth football program for kids who are aged between 6 to 14 years old. It is found all over the country including all the 32 NFL markets. The NFL flag is a community based club that gives all the youths a chance to play in an organized NFL football league and have that experience. All kids are encouraged to sign up with the youth programs as long as they are 6 to 14 years of age to play. After identifying the category they belong they will be issued with the New jerseys and belts.

Thereafter eligible teams are given a chance to compete in the regions tournaments that are organized each year. The team that emerges the winner from each age bracket in the regional tournament proceeds to the national tournaments of champions. The youth program has helped to realize new talents that might have otherwise not been realized. It helps children discover their talents at an early age and fully utilize them to the maximum for the benefit of the community and a country as a whole.

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Football Betting - America's Favorite Sport

Football is America's favorite sport these days, so it should come as no surprise that wagering on football is the most common sport betting activity on the continent. Games in the National Football League, the minor leagues, college, and even some high school games will attract thousands of bettors each week. In this article, we are going to take a look at some fundamentals when it comes to betting on any football game.

What kind of bet can you make?

The most popular type of sports bet made on football games is the spread bet. Spread bets include an underdog and a favorite, and a certain amount of points a team must win or lose by in order for the bettor to collect. They look like this:

Chicago Bears -10.5 (-150)
New England Patriots (180)

Whether you are betting the money line (which we will get to in a second) or the spread, the team with a negative sign near it is always the favorite. Being the favorite means that the most people are placing bets on this team, which may or may not indicate their chances of winning. So, in the above scenario, the Bears are the favored team (haha!). This spread also indicates the amount of money wagered in order to win. Every bet of $150 on the Bears will collect $100 if the Bears beat the spread. Betting on the Patriots, on the other hand, means that you stand to gain $180 for every $100 that you bet.

The spread is favored in football because it carries an extra element of security. That security is represented by the -10.5 figure. This means that in order for people to collect on wagers placed on the Bears, Chicago must win by at least 11 points. If they only win by 9, those betting on the Patriots will win the bet (which means that underdog bets will still win, even if the underdog team actually loses). That extra .5 of a point is added so that there is no "push", or tie, on the bets.

The second most popular type of sports betting action when it comes to football betting is wagering on the money line. This is your standard bet, where money is placed on one team to win. Money lines are expressed much the same as spreads, but without the points indicator. Generally, money lines cost more money to bet on the favorite in order to win $100 because a victory is easier to predict than a difference in points.

Other types of wagers in football betting:

There are quite a few different types of sports betting wager placed on football games, which can add some spice to your betting life. Over/under bets are placed according to the total amount of points both teams will score in a game. For example, a sports book might place the combined total score of a football game at 55. Bettors would then decide whether they thought the combined score would be over or under that total, and place wagers accordingly.

Futures, totals, squares, and parlays are all also popular in football betting.

How to bet on football games:

Keep in mind, when betting on football, that most sports bettors will win less than 50% of the time. This is because the sports books really know what they are doing, and play with the odds continuously and successfully.

However, a little bit of knowledge can go a long way in helping out one's football betting record. There are services which can be of great assistance to those interested in all manner of sports betting, football betting included. Sports information lines in particular can assist bettors when it comes to finding good value bets and up to date information about the team they might want to bet on.

Hi my name is Shirley Durling and I am a sport betting enthusiast. I write articles and review products and services related to Sports Betting Systems and Sports Book's. Please see my blog at Sport Betting Store for more great information on sports betting.

NFL Picks and NFL Predictions - Could This Be the Year of the Houston Texans?

The Houston Texans play the role the NY Knicks assumed when Michael Jordan dominated the 90's in the NBA as they will have to take a back seat to the Indianapolis Colts as long as Peyton Manning is in the AFC Conference the league.

This team probably has the most talented superstars at key positions that no one knows about except for their opponents and NFL experts. For starters, the Texans have arguably the most dominate receiver in the NFL in Andre Johnson. Johnson has been putting up big numbers every since he's been in the NFL but due to the Texans lack of success, he hasn't gotten the notoriety he deserves except from NFL Experts. Johnson led the NFL in receiving two years in a row with 115 catches for 1575 in 2008 and 101 catches for 1569 last year while becoming the only player in NFL history with at least 10 receptions in 7 games.

The Houston Texas quarterback Matt Shaub has also gone without notice taking a back seat to Peyton Manning as he only led the league in passing last year with a QB rating of 98.6 while passing for 4770 yards averaging 298.1 per game. Johnson and Shaub are the reason why the Texans had the league's best passing offense and with the signing of their number #2 receiver Kevin Walter and a healthy tight end in Owen Daniels, the Texas should improve their offense even more this season.

The area that the Texans struggle is on the defensive side of the ball where they gave up an average of 342.9 yards a game while ranked 20th in the league on 3rd downs. This defense only produced 14 interceptions and 30 sacks last year but a healthy Mario Williams who suffered a shoulder injury last season should help them in that category. The Texas will also have to improve their running game that ranked 30th in the league last season but if Steve Slaton can stay healthy and Ben Tate who was drafted in the second round lives up to expectations, you can look for them to improve in that area as well.

This team has been on the cusp of the playoffs the last few years but lacked big plays on defense to get over the hump. If the Texans can improve in this area, they will be a dangerous team this year as they can score on anyone. The Texans are one of our Top NFL picks in the AFC South this year right behind the Indianapolis Colts and if they can get some breaks and stay healthy, this team has the talent to make a playoff run in the 2010-11 season.

Go to http://www.jrtips.com/ to get all your winning NFL Expert Picks and NFL Predictions.

Free Basketball Betting Picks - 3/24/06

There is a huge slate of games on Friday night. The biggest rivalry of the past couple of years playoffs is on the top of the card today.

Pistons @ Pacers: Last Friday it was Ron Artest, this Friday it's Ben Wallace and the Pistons. Indiana is facing some tough obstacles but have yet to lose their #5 seed. Jeff Foster and Scott Pollard will need 10+ rebounds apiece like the last time they faced Detroit and Peja will have to play better. Predicted Score: Indiana wins 97-92

Magic @ 76ers: Orlando returns to Philadelphia again, keeping in mind their road win there several months ago. Much has changed for Orlando, including an injury to Grant Hill and the debunking and eventual trading of Steve Francis. When they won in Phili, their record was 18-22 and were in the playoffs. Since then they've gone 6-19 and are 7 back of the postseason. Predicted Score: Philadelphia wins 100-96

Sonics @ Nuggets: Earl Watson returns to Denver where the scoring should definitely be up. Kenyon Martin should flourish with the weak bigmen the Sonics are putting out. Luke Ridnour will have issues stopping a much bigger Andre Miller and far faster Earl Boykins. Denver is way better defensively and should hold Rashard Lewis to low production. Predicted Score: Denver wins 107-95

Check out our free football picks and David Pincus articles [http://www.easybaseballbetting.com/David-Pincus-Articles/index.html].

Washington Redskins - The Five Greatest NFL Teams in the History of Football

While a lot of people may contest and debate the five greatest NFL teams in the history of football as listed here, everyone will agree that these were awesome teams that deserve the honor and accolade one way or another.

1985 Chicago Bears

The 1985 Chicago Bears was a phenomenal team composed of a mismatched group with raw and exciting energy and interesting personalities. They were great and they knew it, recording their championship video, "The Super Bowl Shuffle" even before playoffs started. Led by the Mohawk-wearing quarterback Jim "Punky QB" McMahon and an impenetrable running and defense line, chief of them William "The Refrigerator" Perry, Super Bowl MVP defensive end Richard Dent, and NFL Defensive Player of the Year Mike Singletary, the Bears finished the season with a 15-1 record and scored a total of 456 to 198 points. During the playoffs they won 21-0 against the giants and 24-0 against the rams for the NFC title. They won the Super Bowl, scoring 46-10 over the Patriots.

1972 Miami Dolphins

The 1972 Miami Dolphins is the only NFL team that ever had a "perfect season," with a season record of 17-0. This is also the reason why they are considered as the greatest NFL team of all time, particularly by the documentary America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions, produced by the NFL Network. Their undefeated team was led by coach Don Shula and football greats such as Earl Morrall, Bob Griese, and Larry Csonka. They won all three playoff games and finally won the Super Bowl VII against the Redskins. Some argue however that the '72 Dolphins had the advantage of playing one of the easiest schedules in the history of modern NFL, and this when equally matched with the '85 Bears, they were no contender.

1962 Green Bay Packers

A dream team consisting of a list of football hall of famers including Paul Hornung, Max McGee, Jim Taylor, Boyd Dowler, and Vince Lombardi, the 1962 Green Bay Packers set a 13-1 record earning them a first place at the Western Conference. In the NFL Championship Game, they won 16-7 against the New York Giants, marking the Packers' 8th NFL Championship.

1991 Washington Redskins

The 1991 Washington Redskins topped the NFL in two important stats: the yards gained per pass and yards allowed per pass, with star player Mark Rypien averaging a whopping 8.5 yards per attempt, gaining a total of 1,340 yards on 70 receptions. The additional contributions of Redskins' Ricky Ervins and Earnest Byner with a combined 1,708 yards make their stats legendary. Even with a tough schedule, they were able to outscore their opponents 485-224.

1999 St. Louis Rams

One of the most exciting personalities in the 1999 season was then barely-known night-shift grocery-clerk and St. Louis Rams' star quarterback, Kurt Warner who led the Rams to a record of 13-3 in the regular-season. He was both NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP. The Rams defeated the Tennessee Titans in the Super Bowl XXXIV with a score of 23-16, and claimed their 1st NFL World Championship since 1951.

Rick Grantham is an avid sports fan. Most of Rick's articles focus on authentic sports memorabilia. Many articles are related to pro baseball gear and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village.