Recreation Football

Between youth football, high school football, college football, and professional football, millions of Americans take the field every year to sport their teams' colors. Football is America's game, but is also a physically demanding, high-impact, collision sport that can take a toll on the body. No matter what level you're playing at, it's important to make sure you take care of your body and address any injuries that arise as soon as they happen to prevent problems later on in life.

Here's a list of the top 15 most common sports injuries in football:

1. Broken Bone
Any bone can be broken when playing football- from small bones like fingers and toes to large bones like legs and even spines. Broken bones should be splinted immediately by a trainer if possible and x-rays should be done to determine the location and type of break so that they can be properly set.

2. Pinched Brachial Plexus
Commonly referred to as a "Stinger" or "Burner." A stinger is an incredibly painful nerve injury that results when the nerves in the neck are stretched, causing nerves in the shoulder to pinch or bruise. The result is a sharp pain (like that of an electric shock or lightning strike) and arm numbness and weakness. Effects are usually temporary and subside quickly. If effects linger consult a doctor.

3. Concussion
Concussions are graded 1-3 based on severity and can vary greatly in terms of recovery time. If a player is suspected to have a concussion they need to be evaluated by a medical professional immediately. Certain tests may be run to determine if a player has a concussion and a doctor may order that a player wait days, weeks, or even months before returning to the field.

4. Shoulder Dislocation
An upward and backward wrenching of the shoulder can cause a shoulder dislocation. Once a shoulder is dislocated from the socket it should be popped back in right away to avoid unnecessary pain and additional injury to the area. Depending on the situation x-rays may be needed to determine if any damage has been done to the area.

5. AC Separation
Commonly referred to as a "Separated Shoulder". Many people believe a dislocated shoulder and separated shoulder are the same thing, but they are actually different injuries. A separated shoulder is often the result of a fall, and involves a tear of the ligaments between the clavicle (collar bone) and acromion bone (the highest point of the shoulder blade). The result is that the clavicle will actually stick up. Depending on the severity of the injury cold packs and a shoulder immobilizer may lessen the pain and allow the shoulder to heal. In other cases surgery may be needed.

6. Back Sprain
Back sprains can come in all shapes and sizes but with ice and the right lumbar back support back sprains can usually be corrected. It's always a good idea though to consult a physician, sports therapist, or chiropractor to make sure that they injury isn't severe, requiring more extensive treatment.

7. Herniated Disc
Commonly referred to as a "Slipped Disc" or "Ruptured Disc." Small spongy discs cushion the vertebrate in your back and act as shock absorbers while you engage in activities like running and tackling. When a disc is overly strained it can bulge or rupture, causing the disc to become herniated. To avoid serious back injuries later in life it's important to consult a doctor to determine the best course of action.

8. Quadriceps Contusion
Contusions to quadriceps can result from impact to the front of the thigh from something like a helmet. Compression and ice are important in the recovery process with quadriceps contusions, and often early motion can also aid in preventing stiffness from developing.

9. Hamstring Sprain
Commonly referred to as a "Hamstring Pull". Hamstring pulls are actually a tear in the hamstring muscle fibers and can result from sudden acceleration or a blow to the body. Hamstring pulls can vary greatly in severity but often plague sufferers with repeat problems throughout an athletic career. Ice, compression therapy and rest are important to properly heal a hamstring pull.

10. Iliac Crest Contusion
Commonly referred to as a "Hip Pointer." An iliac crest contusion is a bruise or a fracture to the iliac crest region of the hip that is treated with ice and padding.

11. Ankle Sprain
Ankle sprains are the most common sport injury and result when damage is done to the soft tissue and ligaments surrounding the ankle because of excessive twisting. The "RICE" method (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) are used to reduce swelling after an ankle sprain. Ankle braces and wraps can help speed up recovery as well.

12. Syndesmotic Sprain
Commonly referred to as a "High Ankle Sprain." A high ankle sprain is caused when the leg and foot twist outward and can be much more serious than a regular ankle sprain. In addition to using rest, ice, compression, and elevation to treat a high ankle sprain, a hinged ankle brace or cast maybe necessary in more severe cases.

13. Turf Toe
Turf toe is an injury to the base of the big toe from running or jumping on hard surfaces. This makes basketball players and football players on artificial turf more likely to sustain this kind of injury.

14. ACL/MCL/PCL Tear
ACL, MCL and PCL injuries most frequently result when landing from a jump or changing directions suddenly. When the ACL, MCL or PCL tears often a "pop" will be heard and the knee will give out. These type of injuries are incredibly painful and require highly specialized hinged knee braces, extensive physical therapy, and surgery to recover. Amongst athletes these are some of the most feared injuries due to the long recovery times associated with them.

15. Meniscus Tear
The meniscus is two pieces of cartilage that cushion and support the knee joint. Meniscus tears often accompany ACL and MCL injuries and are very easy to reinjure if not given the proper time to heal fully. Ice, compression, elevation, and physical therapy are essential in healing properly after a meniscus tear. Surgery may even be required depending on the individual circumstance.

When is a youth football coach being over the top and when is someone simply being enthusiastic? When it comes to games and scrimmaging, where is the line in the sand?

While there may be a fine line with some of this, there are a few simple guidelines:

When people start paying attention and noticing you more than your players, you may have a problem. When you are playing a team you obviously are much better than, keep the celebrations to an absolute bare minimum. When you have a game clearly in hand, keep the celebrations to a bare minimum. Act like you expect your kids to execute, not like you've just hit a 1 in 20,000,000 lottery.

The guys that score their first and maybe only touchdown of their lives seem to lose their minds when they score, we kind of almost expect that type of behavior from them. However guys like Barry Sanders and Walter Payton didn't make a big deal out of when they scored, they fully expected to score again later in the game or at least the season. As a leader of young men, lead by example. There is nothing wrong with encouraging your kids, but making a spectacle out of yourself and making a big deal out of things you expect the player to be doing can be counterproductive. Fist bumps and high fives do not have to be accompanied by trash talk or bellowing accolades, many times that is for the coach, not the players.

Once your team is up by a couple of scores, it's not sportsmanlike to be getting all pumped up when your team does well or even worse, when he other team does poorly. Use some discretion based on the point spread and where you are in the game.

One way to determine where you stand with this, compare your actions with the coaches that have had consistent success in your league and those coaches you respect and admire. In Omaha that guy was Monte O'Hara, his team lost something like 2-3 games in the 8 years I coached in that League. When Monte's teams won, he had a little smile on his face at the end of the game, it didn't vary much from game to game, championship to championship. No raised arms, screaming, yelling or running around the field in jubilant celebration. In the league I'm coaching in now, there is another guy just like that who unfortunately is in administration and no longer coaching. The best ones don't have to draw attention to themselves, because it isn't about them and they know that.

Since the 1960's, Nebraska has kept a very consistent football helmet design. They have always had a very conservative design; they have never had a flashy or unusual design, even for a special occasion like a Bowl Game. In 1960, Nebraska had a red helmet with a white stripe and the player's number on the side (e.g. 22). In 1961, apparently the powers that be felt that even that design was too colorful and action-packed and instead opted for a white helmet with black numbers on the side. This Nebraska football helmet design is about as plain as you can get for a football helmet. In 1966, the numbers changed to red and a red vertical stripe appeared on the helmet for the first time. The white background and red stripe have never left the helmet since then.

The red numbers lasted just one regular season before they were dropped altogether. Rather than have the player's number on the side of the helmet, the letters "NU", made their way to the helmet for the Sugar Bowl game in 1967 and remained for 2 full seasons. During the third season with this helmet design (1969), a "100" decal appeared on the front of the football helmet. It was football-shaped in blue with white numbers outlined in red. The "100" marked the 100 year anniversary of the chartering of University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

From 1970 to 1981, the Cornhuskers kept the exact same design. The helmet had a white background, a red vertical stripe, and the letter "N" replaced "NU". This football helmet looks very much like today's design with one exception. In 1982, the team switched from the basic gray facemask to the red facemask. For almost 30 years, that same exact design has remained. The "N" is about as plain as you can get. It has no serifs and looks like your basic Arial font uppercase "N" that you could type on any word processing program. It probably fits well into the image of the program as a hard-working, Midwestern school, where they like to run the ball up the middle. In many ways it is the antithesis of some of the flashier designs out there at schools like Oregon, Maryland, and Boise State. There is not even a catchy logo like the Texas Longhorn or the Florida State spear. Looking at this football helmet, you can start to see why the cold weather, Rust Belt schools of the Big Ten were quick to admit the Cornhuskers for full conference membership in 2010.

Football has become the iconic American past time that brings family and friends of all ages together for weekends of victories or losses. The team we cheer on becomes a part of who we are. We wear the team's emblem on tee shirts and the names of the players we love on our backs. Football marks the time of season for draft picks, rookie players, player ranks, team statistics, and of course, your own fantasy football league. The top 4 NFL running backs have played their way into history and have contributed to many victories. These men command the attention of NFL enthusiasts and have made many amazing plays that come to life as we relive them in stories.

The first of the top 4 NFL running backs is Arian Foster of the Houston Texans. Standing at 6'1" and over 200lbs Arian has an impressive profile. For the last three years Arian has rushed for over 1,900 yards, with 391 attempts, and 105 first downs.

Next we have Adrian Peterson #28 for the pride of Minnesota who deserves to be called one of the top 4 NFL running backs. The Minnesota Vikings running back has had an impressive season since his 7th round draft in 2007. His total rushing yards for his career is over 6,000 with over 1,200 attempts, and receiving yards equaling 1,216. The "Purple Jesus" lead his college team in rushing yards with 1,925, setting the college record.

Chris Johnson is not only one of the top 4 NFL running backs in the league but he also is a pro bowler. This 24th round draft pick for the Tennessee Titans has proved himself strong by running a 4.24 second 40 yard dash and also claimed the NFL rushing title achieving a rushing total of over 2000 yards. He also claimed the Offensive Player Of The Year in 2009. No doubt this player is the one to watch as one of the top 4 NFL running backs.

The last of the top 4 NFL running backs to make a name for himself is Maurice Jones Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars. With his five years of experience on the field his rushing yards are well over 5,000 yards, not too bad for this 26 year old second round draft from UCLA who shows no signs of slowing down. No matter what colors you bleed, you have to show respect for these top athletes who have been honored as the top 4 NFL running backs in the NFL.

Now that the first quarter of the National Football League's season is over, it is time to find out what to look for as the season goes until the Super Bowl takes place in February 2012.

What to look for:

1. Indianapolis Colts

For Colts fans, this was the year that Indy is supposed to contend for another Super Bowl, instead this campaign might be a total wash with 4-time MVP Peyton Manning on the sidelines after undergoing neck surgery a few weeks ago. He is supposed to miss 2-3 months, so in the meantime, The Colts signed veteran QB Kerry Collins. But the results so far has not been good because the Colts are 0-3. They have Curtis Painter as the backup quarterback, but they might as well sign another veteran QB such as Carson Palmer (see below) or David Gerrard (see below.) Then again, Indy could say "forget it" about this season and wait in April 2012 for the Andrew Luck sweepstakes in the NFL Draft.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

This is going to be interesting to see how the Cincinnati Bengals are going to do this season. The team has made some major changes on its roster:The Triplets are gone. Earlier this year, the team decided not to renew the contract of Wide Receiver Terrell Owens, making him a free agent; In July, the team traded All-Pro Wide Receiver Chad Ochocinco to the New England Patriots; and starting quarterback Carson Palmer have requested that he wanted to get traded from the Bengals (the team refused the request) because they are not committed to winning (since appearing in the AFC Championship Game vs. Pittsburgh, the team has been going downhill), plus he said that he would rather retire than play for the Bengals this season. Their number one pick in the NFL Draft Andy Dalton has taken over the quarterback duties this season. Despite the ongoing drama, Coach Marvin Lewis was able to keep his job and actually signed a new contract during the off-season.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

Right before the season began, the Jags have decided to release David Gerrard, their starting quarterback for the last 4 years, in favor of Luke McCown. Ironically, the Jaguars did the same thing in 2006, where the team dumped starting quarterback Byron Leftwich for Gerrard. Currently, the Jaguars are 1-2 but they have changed quarterbacks: McCown is out and the team first round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft Blaine Gabbert is in. We will see how the change at quarterback will pan out this season.

4. Denver Broncos

During training camp, the Broncos had a quarterback controversy on its hands. The incumbent QB Kyle Orton was competing for the starting job against 2nd year backup Tim Tebow and third-stringer Brady Quinn. For a while, the buzz was that Tebow was the odds on favor to take over the job, however there were reported that the team wanted to trade Tebow or even turn him into a wide receiver. New coach John Fox decided to stick with Orton, but the team right now is 1-2. We have to see if this controversy spills over into the regular season.

Teams to look for this season

1. Detroit Lions

After finishing the 2008 season with a 0-16 record, the Lions began to make smarter picks in the NFL Draft and right now it is pay off. The team is 3-0 with both the offense and defense playing great. Now, it would be great that the Lions can make it to the playoffs and win the Super Bowl, but that all depends on keep Matthew Stafford injury free. The last two season, Stafford lost significant playing time due to shoulder injuries. The Lions resurgence coincide with the Tigers winning the American League Central and the possible odds on favorite to win the pennant in the American League in this year's baseball postseason is showing that the city of Detroit is coming back. Side Note: the story would be even better once jobs come back to the Motor city.

2. St. Louis Rams

The Rams lost in the NFC West Division Championship game in January against Seattle and the thinking was that St. Louis has quarterback Sam Bradford, Running Back Stephen Jackson and an improving defense that the team can get better despite the 7-9 record. Well, right now it doesn't look good with a 0-3 record. Look for the team to change course and start winning again.

3. Atlanta Falcons

Despite being taken apart at home by the eventual Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers, the Falcons are a team that people should pay attention to right now. It has been a slow build, but ever year since 2007, the team has turn itself into a title contender. Currently, Atlanta is 1-2, but it's like the old saying in football "No one wins the championship in September," so we will see if the team can turn it around by December.

Head Coaches on the Hot Seat

1. Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins

In 2007, the Dolphins made it the NFL Playoffs and even though they lost the game against Baltimore, the feeling was they the had both the offense and defense to become an up and coming team they no wanted to play. Since then, the team went 7-9 the last two seasons. So far the Dolphins are 0-3 and there is talk that the team might replace Sparano sometime during the season. Hopefully he can turn it around or another coach will take his talents to South Beach and revive the Dolphin franchise.

2. Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars

Once a upon of time, the Jaguars were a playoff contending team, now they have gone backwards and missed the playoff three seasons in a row. This year, the jags have a new starting quarterback and drafted another one last April. It hasn't worked out yet because the team is 1-2 so far. The Jaguars has to turn in around this year or else Coach Del Rio might be out of a job.

3. Gary Kubiak, Houston Texans

From their inception in 2002 until 2008, the Texans were an easy win for any team that played against them. Since then, Houston has built a strong defense led by Mario Williams and a really good offense with quarterback Matt Schuab, running back Arian Foster and wide receiver Andre Williams. The problem the team has is that Coach Kubiak has led Houston to an 8-8 record for two years in a row and a 9-7 mark last season but no playoff appearances. The Texans has crossed one hurdle last year and finally beat Indianapolis in Houston two years in a row and the team could possibly beat the Colts in Indy (there's a really good chance that can happen) when the two teams meet again later on this year. In order for Kubiak to keep his job, Houston must make the playoffs or else someone will take over as head coach and make the Texans a serious contender in the NFL.

I suppose you could say that the modern day canopy is a prehistoric design. If you go back as far as you can in history and look into the shape and design of the cavemen you will probably find a form of shelter similar to the modern day canopy. It may of been constructed of grass, leaves, fronds or leather, but still pretty much like the current day design. Now granted, they probably would have had side curtains on these shelters, but we can provide those today also.

A canopy is usually considered a "tent" without the side curtains all the way around. They come in many shapes and sizes, for many purposes. There are canopies that are attached to buildings that fold in and out to provide shade and protection from the elements. There are canopies that serve as small shelters over hot dog vendors on the city streets or by the sea shore. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts use canopies when they are at events and camp outs. Weddings, graduations, barbeques, birthday parties, and the list goes on and on. You don't realize how much the simple canopy is needed and used in our daily lives.

Years ago, at the turn of the century, a gentleman named W.C. Coleman was out selling office equipment door to door and happened across a type of kerosene lantern that had been converted to use gasoline. The gasoline burned a lot cleaner than the kerosine and provided a much whiter looking flame. The rest is history. As you know the Coleman company went on to make lanterns, coolers, gas stoves, sleeping bags, tents and of course canopies.

The current day canopies are no longer made of left over animal skins or grass, but high tech fabrics that fight the elements extremely well, and last many years. Coleman, just like the other manufacturers make several different sizes and colors of these canopies and most them can be set up in as little as three minutes. The mechanics of the canopies are quite easy to use. You simply pull the canopy out of the bag and stand it up on its legs. At this time it is compacted to about one square foot and has the fabric attached to the frame. It is a lot easier with four people to open it, with one at each corner, but one person can open it by just pulling one corner at a time out from the center. In just a few seconds you have all the legs out to their open position and are pushing the top up from the four corners to raise it up. They usually have convenient little buttons that pop out in preset holes on the legs to secure the proper positions.

Coleman has gone one step further with their smaller 10 x 10 canopies and is making canopies under a special license from the NFL (National Football League) that carry your individual teams colors and logos on the fabric of the canopy. Now, you can have your tail gate party out in the parking lot or where wherever you want and show off your team spirit.

I was encouraged to read in yesterday's newspaper that Rick Neuheisel decided to take responsibility for failing to communicate that he wanted his punter to kick the ball out of bounds, resulting in an 85-yard return for a "Momentum-swinging touchdown" right before halftime. This is the first public act of humility any of us have seen from him during his career. As recently as a few weeks ago he was quoted as saying if he gets fired he'll be fine and just get another job; not exactly the type of comment that endears you to people.

Perhaps the positive reaction he received from his team for his taking responsibility will help him learn the facets of leadership he never embodied before. One of the worst things that can happen to a young upstart in any vocation is having too much success before you are ready. I still remember what a successful college and NFL head coach told me at the time when I him asked about Rick Neuheisel's great success in his first year as a head coach at the University of Colorado: "Too much, too soon, too easily."

I was enamored with Neuheisel back then, and too young and inexperienced to fully comprehend what he meant by that. I even remember thinking he was crazy, and that Neuheisel's future was brighter than any other coach in the game. I must admit now that his analysis was spot on and mine was wrong. Now I fully understand the wisdom in his words and have seen it play out repeatedly in all areas of life since that day.

The problem is that when things come to people too soon they miss out on learning a lot of the important steps necessary to get and stay where they have ascended so quickly. This creates the illusion (in their minds) of having knowledge of things they are often completely ignorant of. The early struggles are often what teach you the most important lessons going forward.

For example, I have been both impressed and encouraged by the amazing start to Cam Newton's pro football career. He's the first rookie ever to throw for over 400-yards in his first two games and he led his team to victory in near hurricane conditions yesterday. No one knows what the future holds for Cam Newton, but there's a part of me that wonders whether it would have been better for him to have struggled more initially? Time will tell.

I have no doubt that Rick Neuheisel has more than enough football knowledge to be a great coach or strategist. The problem in my estimation is that he had success so quickly that he attributed his success (in his mind) to the very characteristics that are now bringing him down; specifically his charm and craftiness. The consensus of the people I know who have been associated with Neuheisel has always been that his biggest problem is that, like most teenagers, he thinks he's the smartest person in any room he walks into. So like most teenagers he fails to realize that there are a lot more important ingredients in success than intelligence.

I've personally met and even spent some time with Neuheisel on several occasions and he is an expert at coming across as though he's genuinely interested in you and making a great first impression. The problem is that long before the tenth or eleventh time he excitedly introduces himself to you, even an idiot can tell that it's not about you, it's about him and the impression he is making. He's a classic example of a person who has everything in the world going for him, but can't get out of his own way.

His showing of humility this past weekend is encouraging, but sadly probably too little too late. Regrettably, Rick never took the time to objectively look at himself to see how other people view him, and take it as an opportunity to better himself. Had he done this before taking the UCLA job he may very well have achieved what he dearly hoped to at his Alma mater.

Let me start this off by saying that I've been a Green Bay Packers fan since the mid 1980's. For those of you that DON'T know, getting tickets to Lambeau Field is very difficult, to say the least. Of course, back then, they weren't much worth watching, but I stayed loyal!! From Randy Wright to Don Majkowski to Brett Favre, and now, the Aaron Rodgers era. It's been a wild ride thus far, two Super Bowls in my lifetime, and hopefully a few more!!

August 19th, 2011 was my day. My dad got tickets to the preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. I currently live in Virginia, and had to travel back to Wisconsin. The only reason I mention that is because the journey itself was noteworthy. Wearing my #52 Clay Matthews jersey, I headed to the airport around 10:30 am, for a 12:30 pm flight. I had a layover in Detroit. My flight ends up delayed due to a sick flight attendant. The game is at 7:30 at night, and my original flight was scheduled to land in Green Bay at 4:15 or so. Anyway, the first leg of my trip is delayed so much that I have to be bumped from my flight out of Detroit to the next one, putting me in Green Bay around 6:30. I end up landing in Detroit, LANDING in Detroit, 15 minutes prior to the scheduled takeoff of my connection! Of course the plane is slow to pull up to the airport, then people are slow getting off the plane. I finally get off the plane with about 5 minutes to spare, look up at the monitors and realize I have to cross darn near the ENTIRE airport. So here I am, sprinting across Detroit airport. I barely made it, I was literally the last person on the plane.

So, fast forwarding... I was so excited! Walking through the same place as so many greats had been and played. So much football history!! I was like a kid in a candy store. Living in Virginia, when I wear my Packers jerseys, I'm usually the only one, or at best one of only a few. It was a nice sight to see EVERYONE in Packers jerseys or hats or t-shirts.

We made our way to our seats. I sat down and just looked around in amazement. First time in Lambeau Field, a MECCA of pro football, for a football fanatic like me, was truly amazing. I'd never even been to a pro football game before. As all the fans filed in, I was looking around, realizing that the stadium was if not completely, almost SOLD OUT! For a preseason game. That type of fan loyalty is incredible to me. I loved being a part of it.

The game was a great one. Green Bay came out on top, 28-20. Matt Flynn threw a 97 yard touchdown pass to Chastin West, Aaron Rodgers had a touchdown to Greg Jennings, and Graham Harrell had one to Kerry Taylor. It's always nice to see your team win, and all three quarterbacks scored, with the highlight being the 97 yard TD. It electrified the crowd!

On a side note, we had some delicious bratwurst (a must have in Wisconsin!) with sauerkraut. All in all, it was an incredible experience, to be remembered for a lifetime.

With the recent premiership victory for the Geelong Football Club, a closer look into the history behind this championship team is desired. What are its origins, who have the key players been in the history of the Geelong Football Club, and how did it get its name?

Geelong is one of the oldest football clubs not only in Australia, but in the world. Founded in 1859, it is the third oldest in Australia, being preceded only by the Melbourne Football Club and the Castlemaine Football club. During this time, Geelong has cleaned up nine premierships, the first one being part of the VFL in 1925. Their most recent 2011 premiership was the third premiership to win in five years.

An article about Geelong would not be complete without mention of some of the team's "greats", one of them being Gary Ablett. Having won multiple awards, including the Bronlow Medal and the Leigh Matthews Trophy. He has also been a two-time premiership player and was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2009. It was with much controversy and disappointment that Ablett signed a contract in 2010 with the Gold Coast Suns, but he will live on in Geelong Cats fame.

Everybody knows about the Bronlow medal, but have you ever stopped to consider its origins? Named in honour of Charles Bronlow, a VFL administrator and also a player on the Geelong Football Club, the Bronlow Medal came about the season following his death. Fittingly, it went to a player on the Geelong football team, and, as is the case today, was awarded to the best and fairest player.

How did this team become known as the Cats? It wasn't just a nice little name for a football team - there was significance to the name, that began as a nickname. For the record, other nicknames included the "Pivotonians" (due to the city of Geelong being a pivotal point) and the "Seagulls" (referring to the proximity of their location to the bay). Why the switch to the Cats? In 1923 they'd had a run of losses, and a black cat wandered onto the Collingwood side of the field during a match which Geelong went on to win. It was decided that the cat brought good luck to Geelong, and ever after the Geelong Football Club has been known as the Cats.

With odds against them with aging players and a new coach at the beginning of 2011, Geelong did not look set to go places that season. The only team to beat Collingwood, the reigning premiers, the Cats managed to dig their claws in and make a remarkable premiership victory at the 2011 Grand Final. It was a stunning finish to the end of a season.

So while out celebrating the Cats victory and adding to your collection of Geelong premiership merchandise, consider the history behind this great team. Go dig out the history books and discover the names and matches that made this team great. Curl up with the AFL history book and a hot drink in your new favourite coffee mug from the selection of Geelong 2011 premiership merchandise to celebrate your team.

The first four weeks of the National Football League's regular season have been completed. Before some teams head to bye weeks and others play their fifth games, a look back at the first quarter of the season is worthwhile. I have organized my comments according to divisions.

American Football Conference

AFC East: Buffalo's first loss in a nail-biter at Cincinnati on last Sunday should not detract from the Bills' incredible start. The Patriots remain on the heels of Buffalo should the Bills' fast start begin to fade. The Jets must end their two game skid in the next two weeks in divisional games. Otherwise, they will be scrambling for a wildcard spot for the third straight year. In Miami, fans are hoping for a resolution the NBA's labor dispute for the Heat to provide a distraction from Dolphins' woes.

AFC North: This perennially two-team division appears to have been widened. The Steelers, the most successful franchise of the four during the past twelve years, technically find themselves in last place based on tiebreakers used to determine playoff positions. A consolation for Pittsburgh is that the first place Ravens only have a one game lead for the divisional title. Both Cincinnati and Cleveland will have opportunities to prove their credibility with three of their next four games on the road.

AFC South: Houston has opened its quest for the first playoff berth in franchise history by winning all three conference games so far. Four more of those follow, including two within the division, to build toward that goal. Despite Jacksonville's inexplicable win over Tennessee, the Jaguars??? anemic offense will eventually cost Jack Del Rio his job. Colts??? fans are experiencing the foreshadowing of life after Peyton Manning's inevitable retirement.

AFC West: San Diego appears on its way to claiming yet another AFC West title. The question is whether the Raiders can continue their success within the division from last season to end the Chargers' dominance. Of course, Oakland would have to include some wins outside of the division in order for that winning streak to matter. The Chiefs' surprising playoff appearance last season seems like the distant past. The only interest left in the Broncos' season lies in seeing when will Tim Tebow start under center.

National Football Conference

NFC East: The Redskins might actually be headed toward the level of success which Daniel Snyder has been demanding since he purchased the franchise. The Giants have the next three games at home with a bye week mixed in to leap over the Redskins or at least stay within a game of them. If the Cowboys' string of games decided by four points or less continues, they appear to be on pace for an 8-8 season. The moniker???Dream Team??? for Philadelphia seems like hilarious irony for the Eagles based on the first four weeks.

NFC North: The chances that the only two undefeated teams remaining in the league would be situated in the same division seem improbable. The likelihood of the defending Super Bowl champion Packers being 4-0 at this point seems plausible. The chances of the list of unbeaten teams including the Lions would have seemed laughably impossible before Labor Day. With three straight home games followed by a trip to woeful Denver, an 8-0 start is not outside the realm of possibility for Detroit. Green Bay's slate of three of its next four on the road is not as daunting as Cheeseheads might fear. One game is at currently winless Minnesota then a week off before travelling to San Diego. Chicago has divisional games in the next two weeks so the Bears can jump into serious contention for the divisional title by sweeping those. As for Vikings' fans, hockey season starts in less than a month!

NFC South: Tampa Bay and New Orleans are currently tied for first place with Atlanta one game behind both. The Saints have two consecutive games within the NFC South, which would put them in the driver's seat by winning both. Atlanta faces the daunting task of playing the last two undefeated teams in the next three weeks. The Falcons are in jeopardy of falling too far behind the divisional leaders to compete for the title. Cam Newton has given Panthers' fans a reason to hope for the future. However, one player cannot will an entire team to the playoffs, no matter how talented he is.

NFC West: Are the Forty-Niners on the verge of returning to the glory years of the Eighties and Nineties? Is their success fools' gold made of three wins over teams with losing records and a loss to a 2-2 team? Since the next two opponents are a combined 7-1, we will see which possibility is closer to the truth. The rest of the division is living down to the moniker "NFC Worst" with only one win among the three teams versus someone outside the division.

Tailgating is fun, but we can all agree that sometimes there is nothing like real stadium food. Of course there is the traditional hot dogs and nachos, but what's better than visiting a stadium and finding something really unique, like their local specialties. These stadiums have truly outdone themselves on classic game day fare, cuisine variety, or their city's must-have eats. Here is a list of our top ten favorite stadiums to dine at, in no particular order.

1. Cowboys Stadium - Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys Stadium has more than 150 concessions to feast from. Their stadium menu features mouth-watering items like a Green Chile Kobe Burger and a Texas Catfish Po' Boy. If that's not enough, add on an order of their Sweet Potato Fries.

2. FedEx Field - Washington Redskins

Thanks to Redskins Owner Dan Snyder, FedEx Field has around 50 concessions, one featuring some of their best local BBQ-Famous Dave's. Their stadium also has a few Johnny Rockets and Hooters, for classic burgers and finger-linking wings. However, their real claim to fame is their "Redskin Rita," the team's signature margarita, which goes for only $6. If you're not in the mood for a "Rita" the Daniel Snyders' Redskins' stadium also offers a wide selection of beers-24 on draft, 26 in bottles, and the 175-seat-glass-enclosed brew house.

3. Lambeau Field - Green Bay Packers

Lambeau has more grilled brats and steaks than any Midwesterner could ever dream of. Their stadium also houses five sit-down restaurants like "Curly's Pub" and "Brett Favre's Two-Minute Grill." At Curly's, prepare yourself for the whopping 40-ounce O'Line Burger and garlic parmesan fries. If you're thirsty, have a Leinenkugel, they only have every kind on tap.

4. Heinz Field - Pittsburgh Steelers

When you go to Pittsburgh there is one foodie consensus-you must have a Primanti Brothers sandwich. Good news for traveling football fans, Heinz field has your fix. Two thick slices of Italian bread, stacked with meat, cheese, and of course the signature items, fries and coleslaw. If you're not full after that, concessions have some local Pittsburgh favorites including kielbasa, kraut and pierogies.

5. Qwest Field - Seattle Seahawks

The best part about eating at Qwest Field is that the vendors are mostly local restaurants. If you want to try some West Coast seafood, there's nothing better than Ivars. What better way to enjoy fall weather and a football game than with their homemade clam chowder bowl. If you're looking for a Coke, you won't find one. Instead, Qwest Field sells locally made and bottled Jones Soda. And of course, in typical Seattle fashion, you can find espresso stands all over the stadium.

6. Arrowhead Stadium - Kansas City Chiefs

When you're in Kansas City, you have to try the BBQ. Arrowhead Stadium features one of Kansas City's best, and most famous, BBQ restaurants-Gates. In classic Kansas City BBQ fashion, make sure to slather down some of their beef brisket with one of their unbeatable sauces. While you're there, make sure to pair your Kansas City BBQ, with one of their locally brewed Boulevard beers.

7. Louisiana Superdome - New Orleans Saints

The Superdome truly showcases local, New Orleans cuisine. With more than 150 concessions, you can try traditional, local foods like gumbo, jambalaya, Cajun sausage, crawfish pies and even alligator sausage. There is also a plethora of cocktail bars for a mid-Sunday drink, we suggest the Bloody Marys.

8. Reliant Stadium - Houston Texans

Reliant Stadium upholds that everything is bigger and better in Texas. The variety of food at the Texans' Stadium is almost unparalleled. Try some fresh fajitas at Cuervo Cantina on the south field level concourse, or some of Prince's hamburgers and French fried shrimp. If you have trouble deciding on what to eat, what to drink is even harder. The stadium has a selection of traditional lite beers, as well as microbrews, our favorite is Shiner.

9. Jacksonville Municipal Stadium - Jacksonville Jaguars

Although Municipal Stadium features a lot of the typical stadium food, they also house a variety of local restaurants. If you're looking for a large, juicy burger (not the usual stadium drivel) try Bubba Burger-the food is always hot and made fresh. If you're looking for something a little different, try some southern BBQ at Andrew Jackson's BBQ, we recommend the brisket.

10. Soldier Field - Chicago Bears

It doesn't hurt that a lot of Chicago's hometown, food favorites are also game day favorites. For starters, you must try a traditional Chicago dog. If a pickle on your hot dog doesn't suit you, try some of their famous sausage or beef. And nothing says football like draft beer. On tap, you will find a variety of beers including Fat Tire, Blue Moon, Harps, Red Stripe and of course, Miller products.

So whether you're a die-hard football fan following your team around the country, or you're a foodie, who is married to that die-hard fan, these are the stadiums to look out for. Just because you're watching good, old-fashioned football, doesn't mean you have to settle for boring, stale, stadium food.

In the year 2000, the Madden video game franchise underwent an important change that has been talked about in the sports world. The idea to put a football player on the cover of the bestselling sports video game franchise seemed like a good idea initially but has led to numerous injuries, retirements, and drops in statistics the season an athlete graces the cover.

In 2000, the Electronic Arts franchise chose Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders grace its video game cover. Before the game was released, Sanders would retire from the NFL and the team he had played for his entire career, the Detroit Lions. The Madden franchise had enough time to substitute out Sanders from the cover and replace his image with Green Bay Packers Dorsey Levens. Levens would experience a mediocre season playing for the 8-8 Packers and would retire the year after he graced the cover.

Levens and Sanders would represent the first players involved with the Madden cover who would retire shortly after. Marshall Faulk, who graced the cover in 2003, experienced a decrease in statistics and retired in 2005. Brett Favre was the most recent athlete to have a "Madden Curse" involving retirement. Similarly to the initial cover of Barry Sanders, the game replaced Brett Favre on the cover of the game with a new player. The difference on this 2009 cover was the fact that Favre was replaced by himself in a new uniform. Favre had retired in the offseason and was being honored by the Madden franchise with a cover spot in his Green Bay Packers uniform. The new game featured Favre in a New York Jets jersey.

Several football players have experienced strong declines in statistics the year they are on the cover of the Madden video games. Sports writers and analysts have argued that while this is considered part of the Madden Curse, it should be expected since the players who grace the cover are experiencing career years and are likely due for a decline the following year. Eddie George, Daunte Culpepper, and Shaun Alexander all saw their statistics decline the year they were on the cover and were never able to recover.

Injuries suffered by Daunte Culpepper, Michael Vick, Ray Lewis, Donovan McNabb, and Troy Polamalu were experienced during the season they were on their respective covers. The biggest impact of the Madden Curse is the injury bug that seems to plague the athletes on it. These athletes received boost in pride and popularity with the cover of video games but suffered injuries which cost them part or all of a season in the National Football League.

Do you have football swagger?

Ask yourself a few honest questions and you will soon find out.

- Are you a "Playmaker" on your team?
- When in a position to make a "big" play during the game do you do it?
- Do you dominate your opponent during the game?
- Are you confident in your football skills?
- When you suit up to play do you always look your best?

If you answered yes to these questions GREAT! You've got "SWAGGER"
If you answered no to any of these questions then we've got a few things to work on.

What's cool about the idea of having Football Swagger is that there are different levels of swagger. For example, someone may have swagger at the level of one-hundred.....one-thousand....or one-trillion. Of courses we all want to get to one-trillion but it takes place by a process. This process is very simple and I'll go over that it in a second. Before I tell you how to increase your Swagger let me first explain what swagger is all about.

Football Swagger is based on CONFIDENCE! You see, you can be the biggest, the strongest, maybe even the fastest but if you don't possess confidence in your abilities to perform then your talents are simply only what they are. It's when you have confidence in yourself and your talents that you begin to dominate your competition. In the game of football, confidence is what separates the winners from the losers.

So you ask, "Well....how do I gain more confidence?" Are you ready? Sure you ready? It all starts with PREPARATION. Preparation is the key to confidence and confidence is the key to swagger. By preparation I'm referring to training.

As a football player you must properly prepare yourself to play the game you love. This preparation; starts not during the season but in the off-season. You must discipline yourself to train your body to become bigger, stronger and faster. You must also perform position specific drills to master the techniques of your craft. For example, as a receiver you should not only be in the gym and on the track but you should also be catching a lot of footballs and running a lot of pass routes. Cone drills; ladder drills and plyometrics should also be incorporated in your workout regiment. This is only one example, but goes for all football players in how they prepare.

What is the proper way to be able to determine the winning team? It is simply following the five easy steps in order to be able to predict the winning team. Football predictions are all about having the 411. What this simply means is that in order to beat the odds and predict which team is going to win you need that data that provides the answer. There is a rhyme and reason to making winning predictions, and with the proper information you will have a winning season of predictions. What could get better than that?

5 Steps in predicting the football season

There are 5 steps that, when followed, you will be able to predict the football season. When you are placing your bets, make sure you have studied the steps, gathered the data, and place a bet based on an informed decision.

First, and foremost, do your research. What this means is that you need to research the teams and the players and know everything about them that there is to know. When you know things such as the injury reports then you have the advantage when betting.

Ignore past season trends. One mistake many gamblers make is to go with the past season. This is a drastic mistake and ignoring the past season trends should be practiced. While it is nice to know what players performed and what teams had a winning season, and who beat who, rosters change, things happen and going with your research is the most important aspect when placing your bet.

Don't be afraid to take the safe money line bet. The idea is to make money and a sure bet can make you that money.

Jump on spreads early. This is another important aspect in betting. If you do your research properly, and you see a spread early on, then jump on it.

Watch the pregame shows. When there are pregame shows, watch them and learn a little more about the team and how well they are playing on the field.

Having a winning season is possible. In fact, having the best season of your life is possible when you have the knowledge of how to gather the data. Statistical analysis is the key when doing your research. Get to know the team and the NFL averages in offense, defense and special teams. For the gambler, having the knowledge of how to predict the winning team does make the difference between winning the bet and losing it. Football predictions are a huge business. In fact, there are many businesses on the net that provide members of their sites, with the best picks. These sites study the data and pass the information on to their members. Even for the novice gambler, these sites are a great asset and one that certainly does the work for you. Finding the statistical data and historical data is most of the work when deciding the winning team, and having the experts do it for you is certainly an advantage. Get the information you need to have the winning season that will bring you that extra money you are banking on.

There is a notion among NFL fans that reporters who travel on the road to cover football games have it made. When I worked at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, during the 80s, I traveled with both the Steelers and woe-begotten, one-year wonder, USFL Maulers. I always had people telling me, "Wow, you have the most exciting job, ever. You get to travel with the team, get into the games free and see so many big cities." Yes, all of those observations are true. But, let me tell you, we didn't always fly the friendly skies.

Now, it used to be that NFL owners in some major cities would often foot the airfare for selected local scribes, radio and TV sports guys, videographers and photographers to fly with the team. I don't think it was a totally altruistic gesture on the part of management. They were probably of the mindset that their magnanimity would help ensure favorable reporting.

The flights I took with the Steelers and Maulers were all chartered. What does that have to do with anything? Well, there are only so many players to fill all the seats on a 727 or 737. And, after some of the remaining seats are filled with staffers, high-roller sponsors, and supporters, there are still a number left over for the media. So, if you were a reporter (excepting the team's play-by-play and color announcers who always got seats) you kind of flew "Stand-by Status" - sometimes not knowing if there was space available until a couple of days before the game.

By the way, there is a pecking order for seating. The head coach always gets the first seat in the front. There is no "sandwich seat" for pro football players. The rule - one empty seat shall exist between two football players. Need an extra seat? Find it some place past both the offense and defense. Oh, and the rest of us passengers? Packed in like sardines.

Speaking of sandwich, that reminds me of the tradition started by Steelers' Head Coach Chuck Noll on plane flights. After every game, as the team and the rest of us boarded the plane, we would be handed a hoagie (some people call it a "submarine") sandwich. And, if the team won, we all got a bonus, two cans of beer were dispensed to each of us entering the plane. Everyone was happy, and it was a good flight home. But, if the team lost - Noll's rule - no beers for anybody. Since the team was already feeling down about the loss, this measure was certainly not the picker-upper it needed. Wonder what motivated the Steelers to win all those big games and Super Bowls in the 70s? It was the thought of no beer. It had to be.

Still, you could not feel too sorry for them. The huge hoagie was just an appetizer. A full course meal was also served in flight. Yes, big boys have big appetites. I couldn't even finish the hoagie.

Big boys, it turns out, can also be big babies. Couple of examples. The last game of the Maulers' maiden and only season, June 22, 1984, was in Jacksonville. Several miles outside of Jacksonville, the plane encountered turbulent weather. Turbulent? It was a full blown thunder storm. There was thunder and lightning striking all around us. And every time a thunder boomer got close, the plane experienced a dramatic and sudden drop in altitude. It seemed like about a thousand feet per hit. One moment you were drinking a beverage, then trying to catch it, as the glass literally dropped below the liquid. Things got so bad that 300 pound linemen were crying and yelling out, "God, please don't let us die." Head Coach Ellis Rainsberger's (ironically perfect name considering the circumstances) son, who was only about 12 years old, threw up.

Then, there was the Nov. 17, 1985 game in which the Steelers flew to Houston to take on the Oilers. It was a fantastic day for Mark Malone and Louis Lipps who combined for three passing touchdowns, and the Steelers won easily 30-7. Had the flight home only been as sweet. While we triumphantly taxied down the airstrip, rapidly picking up speed for ascent, the pilot suddenly threw on the brakes in emergency fashion causing us all to lurch violently forward in our seats and then just as violently back against our seats. Again, the wails, shrieks and prayers of those giant gladiators of the gridiron permeated the plane. After the plane came to a complete stop, the pilot got on the microphone to say, "Sorry for the abrupt halt to our takeoff, but a red engine warning light won't go out on our instrument panel. So, we're going to pull over on the tarmac and have our mechanics take a look. If they can't fix it, we may be spending the night in Houston." After more than an hour wait, the pilot came back on to say, "Well, the crew can't figure out why the light came on and can't shut it off. We think it's just a fuse. So buckle up, we're going to take off again."

Remember what I said earlier about Noll and the two beer bonus. Well, it should have been four for that flight. As I recall, huge defensive end Keith Willis reached over my seat and tapped me on the shoulder to say in a shaky and somewhat fearful voice, "Hey man, you got any beers left?" I had one and gladly gave it to him, as we took off for a smooth flight home to Pennsylvania and an uneventful landing in Pittsburgh.

If you are like me, there isn't anything really funny about waiting for a plane to take off or land. Again traveling with the Maulers, after losing a close game to the Denver Gold, the team was kind of down and had to wait a long time on the ground in their seats because the guys driving the Maulers' equipment truck got lost on the way to the airport. At long last, everything was loaded on board, when the captain pops out of the cockpit to proclaim, "Sorry about the loss, guys, but don't worry. I'm Captain Budweiser, and I'll be flying you home to Pittsburgh." It was all I could do to restrain myself from jumping up and running out the door. Only the fear of losing my job, kept me buckled to my seat.