03/08, 2010

Steelers End Vikings Undefeated Run

Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings are undefeated no more. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ used a couple of big plays from their defense in the fourth quarter to break open a close game and defeat the Vikings by a final score of 27-17. Favre put up decent yardage in the loss, throwing for 334 yards but had no touchdowns and an interception.

NFL pointspread players who backed the Steelers as -6 home favorites were rewarded with the cover. Pittsburgh had only covered one of their first six games heading into the contest, and the win improved their record against the number to 2-5. Minnesota dropped to 4-3 against the spread with the setback. The 44 points scored went UNDER the posted total of 46′. It was only the Vikings’ second UNDER of the season against five OVERS, while the Steelers have gone OVER in four of their seven games.

The Steelers largely shut down Minnesota’s rushing game, holding Adrian Peterson to 69 yards. Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark underscored his team’s dominance against the run:

“That’s the biggest point of the game. You have the best running back in the world and you don’t give it to him. They’re saying they can’t beat us running, and that’s a major statement when you have the guy they have back there.”

Favre gave a mealy mouthed justification for the loss in his postgame interview:

“There were a lot of what ifs, a lot of reasons we didn’t win. The red zone was one of them. They’re physical, and they were as good as we thought they’d be. … When I came here and looked at our schedule and saw the Steelers game, I went, ‘Oh-h-h.’ ”

Favre has only thrown three interceptions in a Vikings’ uniform, but #3 was a costly one as it was returned by Steelers’ Keyaron Fox for a touchdown to put the game out of reach as Minnesota was driving for a potential game tying field goal. Afterwards, Fox recalled the play:

“Brett tried to force it in there and the running back bobbled it and slipped out of his hands and it fell into my lap. I had just run across the field after Peterson and I was winded, so it felt like it was 100-plus yards.”

The Vikings now face another big game next week as they head to Favre’s old stomping grounds in Green Bay for a battle with the Packers. It’ll be Favre’s first appearance at his old home in an enemy uniform. The Vikings are a +3 road underdog with the total set at 48. The Vikings will then have a bye weekend before hosting the lowly Detroit Lions on November 15. Pittsburgh will enjoy a bye week this week before returning to action on Monday, November 9th facing the Denver Broncos on the road.

Ross Everett is a freelance writer and noted authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and World Cup betting sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

02/09, 2010

Bengals Make Short Work of Bears

Former Chicago Bears running back Cedric Benson got revenge on the team that let him go in the best possible way. Benson amassed 189 yards rushing and led his new team, the Cincinnati Bengals, to a 45-10 rout over the visiting Bears on Sunday. Carson Palmer threw for five touchdowns with no interceptions in the blowout victory. Cincinnati improved to 5-2 with the win while Chicago dropped to 3-3 on the NFL season.

The Bengals also made short work of the NFL pointspread, easily covering as +1′ home underdogs. Cincinnati improved to 4-3 against the number while Chicago evened their ATS mark at 3-3. The 55 combined points sailed OVER the posted total of 42′. The Bengals have gone OVER in four of seven games this year while the Bears evened their NFL totals mark at 3-3.

A smug Benson described his feelings after the win:

“Everybody knew it was going to be an emotional day. Everybody knew. What a wonderful day and a wonderful thing, to go out there and strut your stuff.”

Despite the evidence to the contrary, Benson downplayed the motive of revenge:

“I continue to be as graceful as I can be. I’m not shoving anything in anybody’s face. Like I say, it wasn’t a revenge day for me. I just wanted to take advantage of the opportunities.”

He said his biggest problem was trying to keep his emotions in check and play under control:

“There were a few times where I may have gotten a little too hyped up, a little too antsy. A couple of drives, I found myself having to calm myself down and gather my emotions to stay poised. Once I got past that, we were good to go. Keep it rolling.”

Bengals’ receiver Chad Ochocinco had 10 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. He shared his thoughts postgame:

“I don’t understand why it went this way today and why it didn’t go that way last week or the week before that. The offensive line played unbelievable. For Ced to run the way he did today and for us to be able to throw, we could have done what we wanted to do.”

Chicago gave up more points than in any game all season, a fact that left defensive end Alex Brown looking for answers:

“That was pretty embarrassing. It’s embarrassing to come out and play like that. I tip my hat to their whole team. Cedric ran the ball like crazy. They did whatever they wanted to do.”

The Bengals will enjoy a bye week before hosting the Baltimore Ravens on November 8. They’ll then play two games on the road at Pittsburgh and Oakland. Chicago will try to get back on track this Sunday as they host the Cleveland Browns. The Bears are -13′ home favorites with the total set at 40. They’ll host the Arizona Cardinals the following Sunday before heading west for a Thursday night game against the San Francisco 49ers on November 12.

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and noted authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

01/15, 2010

Seattle Slew’s Legacy Of Horse Racing Greatness

Seattle Slew, horse racing’s lone remaining living Triple Crown winner, passed away on May 7, 2002 at the age of 28. Already ranked among the all time greats by virtue of this accomplishment alone, Slew is even more notable as the only Triple Crown winner to go undefeated as a three year hold. He came from humble beginnings, bought at public auction–the only Triple Crown winner to be acquired in this manner. After retiring to stud in’78 he remained a very profitable horse based on a stud fee of $300,000. His offspring earned over $76 million dollars at the race track and include over 100 stakes race winners including’84 Kentucky Derby champion Swale.

The Seattle Slew story began very modestly at a public auction in Lexington, Kentucky. The Keeneland Summer Yearling sale wasn’t supposed to be the marketplace of champions, and the idea that this particular horse would ever amount to anything other than a farmhand was downright laughable. He was somewhat clumsy looking due to a front right forefoot splay and had a shuffling gait at trot. Slew wasn’t a beautifully majestic creature like his Triple Crown winning predecessor, Secretariat. Slew was borderline ugly. So ungainly a creature was he that he was given the less than inspiring nickname “Baby Huey” by the Keeneland staff. He was purchased by two couples (Karen and Mickey Taylor and Jim and Sally Hill) for $17,500. What wasn’t apparent at the yearling sale was the intangibles that make up a championship thoroughbred–poise under pressure, love of competition, toughness, heart and desire. His owners had unwittingly stumbled onto an equine Muhammad Ali, and his competitive fire quickly became apparent to his trainers and jockeys. His first race came at Belmont Park in’76, and he entered–and won–three races as a two year old giving a glimpse as to what like ahead.

As a three year old, he quickly gained notice by winning his three Derby prep races, including the prestigious Wood Memorial. In the Derby, Slew got off to a terrible start as he stumbled from the gate much like War Emblem did in the 2002 Belmont. Unlike 2002’s Triple Crown contender, however, Slew was able to recover from that miscue and basically force his way through a pack of other horses to position himself at the front of the field at the quarter mile pole. He went on to win the Derby by a length and 3 quarters. Another tough victory in the Preakness set up his Triple Crown winning run at the Belmont, which he won by 4 lengths.

Slew continued to campaign as a four year old, but in the days before the Breeder’s Cup there weren’t many opportunities for an older horse. He retired to stud in’78, where he sired champions such as the aforementioned Swale and’92 Belmont Champ AP Indy. Slew stood at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky from’85 until early 2002 when he was moved to Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Lexington, KY following a spinal operation.

Slew may not have earned the appreciation he deserved in his prime, coming so closely on the heels of the charismatic’73 Triple Crown winner Secretariat–arguably the greatest thoroughbred race horse in history. The jockeys that rode him, however, understood fully what a special animal they were dealing with. Jockey Angel Cordero gave Seattle Slew this lofty praise: “If I had a chance to take any horse in the world, if someone said your life is depending on riding one horse to win, I would take (Slew). I rode 44,000 horses, but he was special, he was different. He was muscled, like a wrestler. He ran different than any other horse. It was like he came from another planet.”

After his death in 2002, Slew was buried at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Lexington, Kentucky under a statue in his image.

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

01/05, 2010

How to Fly to Europe on a Budget

There are so many sights to see and experience in Europe that when you go,you will want to experience it all. However, it can be very expensive to get from country to country, so it’s smart to plan ahead. By planning ahead, you can make the trip more affordable. Thanks to competition among airlines, it is possible to get low cost airlines and with the advent of technology, travelers can now search the Internet to easily find the best rates.

In the past the only way to obtain cheap flights to Europe was through a travel agent. The travel agents had access to information that you did not such as which airlines were offering discount tickets and which days were the cheapest to fly. These days the internet has brought many great ways to get this information all with a simple click of the mouse.

The internet has brought a slow halt to the travel agencies business for brick and mortar locations and many have started websites to offer the discounts. This process makes it easy for the traveler to search all their deals and compare them with others that are online. Besides the travel agencies online travelers can go directly to the airlines and request the best fare online to avoid any booking fees.

For example, if you want to go from London to Paris, it’s a simple task to look through the online sites and find out which airline is offering the cheapest fare. You can also search by different requirements, such as who offers the best routing or non-stop flights. Additionally, online functionality also allows the traveler to choose their own seats or request special meals like vegetarian meals. You can get confirmation instantly and use a credit card to pay for your travel. You can even check-in and print out your tickets without ever having to go to the ticket counter at an airport.

With the widespread use of the Internet to find airline tickets and hotels and other trip necessities, one might develop the belief that travel agencies have become completely obsolete. This is not the case. They live on as trip planner websites and agencies that offer special deals on flights and hotels and tours to those who use their services. And there are people who are too busy to spend a lot of time scouring the Internet for the best deals on plane tickets and hotel reservations, so they turn to trip planner sites.

Bidding sites offer trips to Europe now and you are able to bid for the best price. Whoever has the highest bid will win the trip for the amount they placed their bid at, and any additional booking fees or taxes. This is a great way to get cheap flights but you are limited to the dates offered and you have no guarantee that you will win the bid. Sometimes the ticket prices can go up more than the other sites offer taxes. This is a great way to get cheap flights but you are limited to the dates offered and you have no guarantee that you will win the bid. Sometimes the ticket prices can go up more than the other sites offer .

Lastly, you can also purchase a ticket directly through an airline. Some customers like to do this directly through the airline but because there are so many more airlines now, it may take some time to research all of the different airlines, sites to find the lowest fares. Also remember that some airlines do not offer the same packages of discounts that travel planning sites offer.

Graham McKenzie is webmaster for South Africa’s leading Flights comparison portal, to book a flight, simply visit our website at: http://www.saflights.co.za

01/04, 2010

Overview of UK Flights to South America

South America covers the largest part of the South USA. The main countries of this continent are Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Lima, Uruguay, Ecuador, Cayenne, Peru and many more. Spanish and Portuguese are the two languages which are mainly spoken in South America, though Dutch, French, and English are other languages which also spoken.

South America is rich in culture and there are influences from Spain and Portugal due to the regions connections with Europe. South America is a great place to go to enjoy the hot weather and meet friendly people; South American food is normally tasty and there are plenty of historical sights to see.

There are plenty of flights to Latin America although in general, they are not cheap from the UK. Ways that you can make the flights cheaper is by avoiding the weekends especially Saturday for flying out, and try to take an indirect route (your operator will normally look these up for you). Airlines that fly to Latin America include Iberia Airlines. British Airways, Continental and Virgin Atlantic. Major locations to fly to include Mexico, Havana, San Jose, Quito, Rio, Sao Paolo and Santiago. There should be no problems entering the country with a valid UK passport. Some areas of Latin America are known to have problems especially for tourists so check before you go that the place you are visiting is safe.

South America’s climate greatly varies; there are a series of dry desert regions in Chile and Peru, but the weather conditions of the Amazon are humid and tropical. The hottest climate of the region can be experienced at Argentina’s Gran Chacowere; the climate can soar up to 44 degrees centigrade. While tourists the major parts of Latin America, you can anticipate sunny weather, so remember to carry sunscreen and other protections with you.

You can do a lot of energetic things in South America. You can visit Angel Falls in Venezuela. It is the world highest waterfall, with recorded height of 321 feet; which is 15 times more in height than Niagara Falls. To get a view from the bottom, take a raft up the river or enjoy more alterative views by going on an expedition. The Rio Carnival in Brazil is famed as being among the biggest, and liveliest carnivals in the world.

This takes place every February but make early bookings as the flights are much sought after during this time. Various attractions like Corcovado Mountain and the excursions Sugar Loa Mountain Day Tour can be enjoy while you are in Rio. The excursion will let you explore the rain forest, and you can enjoy visiting the Christ the Redeemer statue, situated atop the mountain.

If you come to Chile, try trekking to an exciting wonder of the world, called the Machu Picchu, an Inca Ruin. The discovery of Incas was done in’00s but is now visited by people worldwide. Bring your camera along. South America is really charming, both its landscape and people.

Graham McKenzie is the content coordinator for Bestukflights.co.uk the UK’s premier flight and travel comparison portal which includes a detailed section on Travel and Flights to Venice

11/18, 2009

Choose A Wonderful Film With Just One Click

Discovering yourself a movie download is one of the simplest things you can do at present. The movie explosion due to the easiness of the Internet has taken the country by storm. A movie download is merely a way of transferring movie files from services right onto your computer, from where you can load them onto a PSP or even an iPod. You can also burn them onto DVDs if you would like. Some of the more popular services like Limewire, Amazon, Rhapsody, and iTunes have music, however you are looking for movie downloads so where do you go.

Stay tuned for more recommendations and information on plenty of wonderful movies that you can download right away! Enjoy!

Red Sun – East meets West in this bizarre account of a samurai fighter chasing a expensive Japanese sword stolen from a train crossing the American West. Cast includes Charles Bronson, Ursula Andress, Toshiro Mifune, Alain Delon, and Capucine. (112 minutes,’72)

The Sea Hawk – Top of the line combination with Flynn at his streaking best in venture on the high oceans. The film has a enthusiastic balance of piracy, romance, and swordplay, handsomely shot, and orchestrated with exciting Erich Wolfgang Komgold score. Cast includes Errol Flynn, Brenda Marshall, Claude Pours, Donald Crisp, Flora Robson, Alan Hale, Henry Daniell, Una O’Connor, Gilbert Roland, and Edgar Buchanan. (127 minutes,’40)

Live Free Or Die Hard – The U. S. is under attack. A criminal mind is attacking the system with modern secrets. It is now up to Detective John McClane and talented computer hacker Matt Farrell to locate and stop whoever is doing the attacking.

Jerry Maguire – Jerry is an agent for a top Sports Management group. When he is terminated, he expects his client to come along with him as he sets out on his own. All of a sudden Jerry finds out that he has no sincere friends in this competitive, dog eat dog, business. Down to one client and one assistant, Jerry fights to build himself a business.

Strange Interlude – A Eugene O’Neill play that displays the twisted web of the variation between our thoughts and our words. Norma Shearer plays a woman who lost the love of her life when he was shot down in WWI. The movie speaks of romances and marriages between Nina and three men, only one of whom she loves. It is about growing old without settling their complications. This is a preoccupying film, with Shearer at her shining best. The company includes Norma Shearer, Clark Gable, Might Robson, Maureen O’Sullivan, Robert Youthful, Ralph Morgan, Henry B. Walthall, and Alexander Kirkland. (110 minutes,’32)

The General – One of Keaton’s finest silent motion pictures, setting comedy different to real Civil Battle tale of a stolen train, and Union spies. Not as fantastic as other Keaton films, though delightfully complete. Cast includes Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley, and Joseph Keaton. (100 minutes,’84)

The way it functions today, you are much more in control of what you listen to and what you see when it comes to your motion pictures and videos. The alternatives are all yours. All the top movies and even some that haven’t been heard of by very many persons, can be located on the Internet.

While there are many free sites for obtaining a movie download, there are also sites that charge so much per film. Amazon features some of these but for more information about how to download movies your at the right site. Also there are many people who download movies illegally, which is never suggested, but it happens. Be sure that the site you download your movie from is one where you’re doing it lawfully.

11/08, 2009

Buying The Right Wide Angle Binoculars

If you are a sports fan or a hunting enthusiast, you may be in the market for a new set of binoculars. Determining what type of binoculars you need will mostly be determined by why you want them. They are definitely a much-needed piece of equipment when you are at a football game or while hunting. There are several varieties of binoculars and each one is good for the purpose for which they are intended. Sporting events and hunting trips require wide angle binoculars.

Before you invest in a pair of new binoculars you may want to consider a few things first. Just as with any in other product, the quality of the glasses will differ with different manufacturers. If you choose a set which is built with quality in mind, it will save you from having to purchase another pair in the future, thus saving money in the long run.

Standard issue you binoculars and the wide angle variety have a big difference in the way you perceive what you are viewing. The wide angle set will allow you to see more terrain and catch more action without having to move the glasses from side to side.

You will also find the wide-angle variety to be better for watching activities which have a lot of movement. Since they have a wider angle of view, they will be able to pick up more action as it happens. That is why it is very important for people who enjoy hunting or watching sports like football to have a nice wide angle pair of binoculars.

Before you make your choice, be certain you inspect the lens pieces. These will be in contact with your face the entire time you use them. If they are not well constructed, or do not fit comfortably, you will not be satisfied with your purchase. A sure sign of poor quality will be poor optical quality.

Wide angle binoculars are available in several price ranges. The prizes will be different according to the manufacturer and quality. The good thing is that the people who actually need the wide angle variety, do not care to spend the extra money to get the best equipment for their needs.

To get the current information on the top wide angle binoculars available, visit our site at www.zoombinocularsreview.com now