Sports Then and Now

As a hardcore sports fan, it’s no surprise you dedicate a lot of time, energy and heartache to your teams — and, as such, you deserve a space that reflects your passion.

Creating a sports-themed man (or woman) cave is one of those projects that can be amazing when done right, but can easily veer off the mark into tacky territory. Here are six steps to help create the ultimate sports den.

1. Choose a Theme

Before you break ground on your room, decide on a unifying theme. Whether you want to showcase your love for the Philadelphia Eagles, interest in all things hockey or incredible jersey collection, deciding on a theme will help inform all of your decisions. Going with the Eagles? You now have a green and black color scheme. Is hockey more your jam? Well, hockey sticks make for fun wall art. Showcasing your jerseys? You have your décor covered.

2. Get Comfortable

You can’t call it a proper man cave until you have ample and comfortable seating. Indeed, the focus of any good sports den has got to be watching sports. As such, furnish your room with pieces that will make sports watching the most comfortable for you and your buddies. Whether it’s theater seating with two rows of leather recliners or an L-shaped sectional, choose seating that is sized for your space.

3. Accessorize Your Space

Rather than overwhelming the room with junk, acquire one or two special items and make those your focal points. Beautifully showcased game-used memorabilia is a perfect addition to any sports den. Once you have your centerpiece, accessorize with other items that fit your theme.

Have a signed home run ball? Set it off with lighting and surround it with nicely framed photos of the player or game. Got a basketball jersey worn by your favorite player? Frame it to display it on a wall with a series of mounted basketballs. Read the rest of this entry →

The online sports games have reduced dependency on luck factor to a great extent. Winning a sports game has to do a lot with the performance of the player. In other kinds of games, the risk factor is quite high but in the online sports expertise of the gambler matters a lot. The more a player practices, the more he gets better. He improves his performance in a gradual manner with each game and scores high after passing every level. A player can choose any game for playing and from it, he can know well about his strengths and weaknesses.

The players can master the game through his skills. A player can choose from a huge variety of games such as dice, card, board, word, puzzle, and other sports game. Adults, as well as children, love online sports game because the games have some basic rules and the rules can be understood easily. The gamers get addicted to them. The online sports are not about just playing, the players get rewards too. Many websites offer discounts and cash prizes. In fact, there are casinos that offer both welcome bonus and no deposit bonus. On the internet, players can get many no deposit casino bonuses while playing online. Read the rest of this entry →

Whether you’re a player, coach, groundskeeper, or simply a sports lover, it might be easy to look at the gorgeous greens of artificial turf and think that this surface is always, only the best option. To be sure, artificial turf is a great option for many applications, and if you’re considering a new surface for your playing field from a company like Bourget Bros. Building Materials, this option should certainly be in the running. To allow you to make an informed decision, however, here are a few pros and cons to think about when considering artificial turf.

Pro: Less maintenance

For all the inherent maintenance requirements that accompany a natural turf field, an artificial turf field offers ease-of-use and ease-of-maintenance. Artificial turf doesn’t have to be cut, watered, fertilized, or have weeds removed. It can’t die, it doesn’t have to be restored after the winter, and it will always be the same thickness and consistency, no matter what the weather is. Not to mention, you don’t have to use dyes and paints to keep the turf looking great or draw the lines needed to play the various sports. Read the rest of this entry →

Few things are as eye-catching as a sports stadium. Enormous, radiant, and all-encompassing, these hulking structures are nothing short of miracles begotten by modern architecture. As one might expect, these Goliaths of entertainment and popular culture have a good number of interesting stories and factoids attached to their construction and histories. Listed below are some of the most striking we could find.

1. AT&T Stadium

Familiar to any fan of American Football, the AT&T Stadium is as recognizable as it is gargantuan. The stadium has a carrying capacity of nearly eighty-thousand, an impressive number by any standard. One of the most thought provoking aspects of the stadium is its simple architectural style. While similar structures pride themselves on complex hallways and building styles, the AT&T Stadium stands out because, in reality, it’s just a room. An unbelievably large room, yes, but a room nonetheless. Additionally, the stadium is a master stroke of electrical design as well. Created by hundreds of talented designers, recipients of electrical engineering master degrees, and other such professionals, the stadium is unrivaled in its design and efficiency.

2. National Aquatic Center (China)

The National Aquatic Center is a world-famous stadium for a number of reasons. For one, it housed the legendary records put in place by the world-renowned Olympian Michael Phelps. For another, it’s an unquestionable architectural marvel. Often called the “Water Cube,” the stadium is a modest size. Size is far from a stadium’s only quality, however, and the National Aquatics Center proves this in its fame. The Stadium has spawned a good number of ‘me-too’ stadiums in its native China, making it the countries most renowned Athletics center by a wide margin. Read the rest of this entry →

For many fitness professionals, offering the best possible experience to your clients is a top high priority. This often means guaranteeing clear and quick results, providing an enjoyable and unique workout regimen, and offering great customer service. So how can you gain that competitive edge?

These days, technology is able to create greater efficiencies and effective processes, including in the health and fitness sector. In fact, in a 2017 study, the Fitness Industry Technology Council argued it’s vital for fitness professionals to adopt and embrace technology in their offerings and services.

Looking to better harness technology at your gym? Here’s a look at some devices you can offer your clients to achieve a better overall health and fitness experience.

1. Body Composition Analyzers

As you may be intimately aware, tracking your clients’ weight on a traditional scale doesn’t always provide an accurate reading to promote better health. That’s because it can be difficult to determine whether your clients’ weight and mass is made up primarily of muscle or fat.

But body composition analyzers like the InBody 570 can provide you and your clients with a variety of measurements, including body mass and fat readings as well as hydration and muscle mass levels, through a few simple steps.

Having this technology literally at your fingertips not only provides better transparency to your clients, but also provides more credibility to your work as a fitness professional, as you can make adjustments based on client readings and show a clear return on their investment. Read the rest of this entry →

Technology is part of everyday life now, whether it is the app you access on your smartphone to adjust your thermostat when you are not home or the Bluetooth you use for a business meeting while you are on the road. Professional sports are no exception when it comes to technology as these four innovative products demonstrate.

Blast Resistant Football Fields

A private company that makes automotive materials for the military has applied the technology used to protect soldiers to football fields. Viconic created a mat underlay that would go underneath turf on a professional football field that would help protect players from injury when their body violently hits the ground. The mat is only usable on artificial turf fields which cause the most injuries to players. In a demonstration, a weight the size of a human head was dropped on a patch of turf without the underlay, creating a loud, sickening thud. When the same weight was dropped on an area with the underlay, the sound was softer and seemed to be less brutal. The hope is that the mat will reduce the incidence of concussion and other injuries from players coming in contact with the hard turf field.

Virtual Reality

Many NFL and NCAA teams are using virtual reality to train players. Teams like the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Dartmouth and the University of Arkansas have turned to virtual reality as a training method. Systems include VR goggles, accessories and other applications, an industry that is expected to grow by 142 percent over the next few years. Quarterbacks can watch themselves in prerecorded drills and plays to get a better handle on their movement and footwork. Players are also able to break down the game films of opponents. After using virtual reality methods, Stanford’s starting quarterback, Kevin Hogan, increased his completion percentage from 63.8 percent to 76.3 percent. Read the rest of this entry →