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All You Need To Know About Football Slang 2

Posted on May 11, 2019 by Muhammad Saood

In some countries football is more than just a game; it is a national obsession that drives people crazy in a good way. Did you notice that during the football season, your colleagues and friends speak only about the game? If you don’t want to feel left out, learn important football terms, slang and cliches. The next FIFA World Cup will be held in Qatar in 2022, so it is better to start preparing for its ‘madness’ today.

Tiki-Taka

Tiki-Taka is Barcelona’s style of playing football. It was implemented by Johan Cruyff in the early 1990s. Basically, it means ‘taking quick, light steps.’ This style implies short passing. Also, team players are not positioned in a traditional formation. On the contrary, they are free to move and pass the ball. In 2009, it helped FC Barcelona to win six trophies.

A fox in the box

It is an English idiom that is used to describe deadly strikers who are extremely good in the penalty area. For instance, Filippo Inzaghi, Italian professional footballer is an excellent example of ‘the fox in the box. ’ He retired with over 300 career goals and deserved the title of a ‘ killer striker.’

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How Do They Make Sure Sporting Events Are Safe and Secure? 2

Posted on April 29, 2019 by Martin Banks

Major sporting events draw hundreds of thousands of fans every year to watch their favorite teams compete for the title. With so many people in one place, how can event organizers make sure these events are safe and secure so everyone can enjoy the game?

It Depends on Many Different Factors

The security for your local high school football team is going to be vastly different from the kind of security needed to keep a million people safe during the Super Bowl. It also depends on the venue, the estimated number of people that will be attending, and the popularity of the teams.

Planning security for the most significant events — such as the Super Bowl — doesn’t happen overnight. The 53rd Super Bowl, which took place in 2018, took two years to plan and nearly 40 different local, state and federal agencies worked together to make sure the event was all about the game, and no one had to worry about their safety while attending.

Concern About Terrorist Threats

In today’s modern world, terrorist threats are a real concern when you get thousands of people together in one place. In response, athletic venues have spent more than $2 billion a year to improve security. It’s not foolproof, yet — in 2017, a bomber detonated a bomb in the packed Manchester Arena by hiding it in his backpack. This attack killed 23 people and injured hundreds more.

The goal of this seemingly excessive spending is to enable these venues to create a culture of security and make sure everyone stays focused on keeping patrons safe while they enjoy the game.

It’s Not All In-House Security

While each venue will have its own in-house security, that isn’t always enough for significant events — especially if the stands and surrounding area are packed with fans. For the 53rd Super Bowl in Atlanta, in addition to venue security, the city of Atlanta brought in more than 5,000 law enforcement officers, 180 canine officers and additional support staff.

Atlanta PD also relied heavily on technology. Many of these preparations took place because of what happened during the 1996 Olympics, also held in Atlanta. During the games, a man detonated a bomb in Olympic Centennial Park which didn’t have the same security measures as the athletic arenas. This bomb killed two people and injured more than 100 civilians who were there to watch the games.

Experts predicted more than a million people would make the trip to Atlanta to watch the game, either at the stadium that holds 100,000 or in local bars and restaurants. It was up to them to ensure everyone stayed safe throughout this iconic event.

Don’t Worry and Enjoy the Game

Don’t let these security measures scare you away from buying tickets to the next big game. Venue security and law enforcement work together to make sure these events are as safe as humanly possible, so all you need to do is sit back, cheer for your favorite team and enjoy the game.

Competitive Swimming: 5 effective tips to boost your performance 0

Posted on April 22, 2019 by Christian Taylor

Swimming as a sport and competitive swimming are two different areas. If you are the latter area and planning to head into the first one, than the first question that comes to the fore is: What should I focus on to increase my performance in the pool? Well, to be honest there are plenty of things that you should focus on but we have narrowed them down to 5 areas that you MUST focus at the start.

But before we dive into the details, I want to ensure that you perfectly understand that competitive swimming is all about building stamina by committing more hours to workout per week, focusing on your diet to fulfill all your dietary requirements, focusing on perfecting techniques and strokes and wearing the right swimwears and training equipment.

The areas that we have outlined here can be easily adjusted within your existing routine and help you make your overall swimming training sessions more goal-oriented and fun at the same time (listed in no particular order):

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Remembering the 1956 Topps Baseball Cards 0

Posted on April 20, 2019 by Joe Juhasz

1956 Topps Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values


1956 Topps Wax Box 1956 Topps Wax Pack My fondness for 1956 Topps started way back in 1964 when I first started collecting as an 11 year old. My friends and I wandered nearby neighborhoods in search of “old cards”. Back then, the oldest cards we ever found in dealing with other kids were 1957 Topps.

Eventually I saw my first 1956 Topps card – I was hooked. It was larger, thicker, fluffier making it look much, much older compared to a 1-year old 1957. “Ancient” we thought.

I changed neighborhoods in 1966 leaving my childhood friends behind. Before I left, except for a small cigar box of my favorites, I “donated” all my cards to the neighborhood – and stopped collecting. I had a great 3 year run but sure wish I would have been collecting in 1966 and 1967 with those tough high numbers. I would have loved to have had a cigar box full of them in place of my hoard of 1964 Topps Felix Mantilla and Gary Peters cards.

The regular 1956 Topps baseball card set is one of my favorites. Topps again went with a slightly larger (3-3/4″ by 2 5/8″) horizontal card design, similar to their 1955 Topps cards. Several of the portraits are even the same used on 1955 Topps cards some even back to 1954 Topps. 1956 was Topps first issue to feature team cards and checklists. A much more boring addition was the addition of the 2 league presidents.

With Bowman gone, Topps could again make cards of Mickey Mantle missing from Topps issues since 1953. After Mickey Mantle, it is a fun and simple set to complete with no high numbers or extremely expensive rookies with Hall-of-Famer Luis Aparicio being the top rookie.

For the serious 1956 collector, there are over 200 variations, making things extremely difficult for master set collectors. Most the variations deal with card stock (gray or white backs).
Cards #1-100 gray backs scarcer with slight premium
Cards #101-180 white backs much scarcer with larger premium
… rumor has it gray outnumbers white about 9-to-1 in the above run.

There are also several cards with color line variations on front. For example: Ted Williams’ card has either no line over his name or a thin green, red, blue, or yellow line between the white border for a total of 5 variations. Whitey Ford and Early Wynn also have no line or a thin red or yellow lines. In addition, many team cards had 3 different variations with team name either on the Left, Center or Right.

1956 Topps Hank Aaron 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle
There are a few uncorrected errors, the most famous being card #31 Hank Aaron which actually pictures Willie Mays sliding home ! Card #135 Mickey Mantle is also an interesting card. Exciting card pictures Mantle leaping high into the stands trying to catch a home run ball. The artist did a great job and Mantle makes the catch !!! An awesome play to put on this great card – right ? Only problem is that on the real play, Mantle missed the ball. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle Catch
And as always for vintage Topps sets, take a quick look at Don Mossi and his famous ears !

Collectors of 1956 Topps likely love Topps side issue ‘1956 Topps Pins’ which used the same portrait photos as the cards. Seems collectors preferred cards to pins and Topps cut the 1956 Topps Pin set from a planned 90 pins to just 60.
Click for complete 1956 Topps PINS Checklist and Prices

Click for complete 1956 Topps Baseball card checklist, values and prices.
Note: You may be on that page right now.

How to Improve Your Golf Swing 0

Posted on April 10, 2019 by Martin Banks

For any golfer, novice or pro, improving your swing is always on the agenda. The result of hitting that perfect drive is well worth the effort.

With these five tips, you’ll be above par to improve your swing in no time.

1. Choose the Right Grip

There are three basic grips golfers utilize to hold their club. The first, and the most common, is the overlapping grip. This is where you fit the pinkie of the trailing hand between the index and middle finger of the lead hand.

The next is the interlocking grip. This is when the hands are locked together, curling the pinky of the trailing hand around the index finger of the lead hand.

The ten-finger grip is more suitable for beginners, considered the most comfortable. This is when you lock the pinky of the trailer hand against the index finger of the lead hand.

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Why eSports Is Gearing Up to Be the Largest Sport in History 1

Posted on April 08, 2019 by Brenda Vollman

Gaming has come a long way and we are not just talking about how well titles have improved over the past decades. As an industry and as a hobby, gaming is now more accepted than ever before and this entertainment media goes beyond kids spending dimes in an arcade. It has become so popular, that competitive gaming itself has become a profession already.

Electronic sports or better known as Esports is a form of competitive gaming. Most commonly, these tournaments or competitions are organized by esteemed bodies who are willing to put up millions in the prize pool to entice the best of the best to come out and play. Esports in and of itself has come a long way already and it’s always a joy looking at its glorious climb to fame.

The Rise Of Competitive Gaming

The common misconception is that Esports has only been around in the past decades or so. However, the truth is that it has been around since the early 70s. The first officially recorded video game competition was held at Stanford University on Oct. 19, 1972. The tournament called for the best Spacewar players in the university. It was simpler times then as the top prize was a year’s subscription to Rolling Stone magazine.

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  • Vintage Athlete of the Month

    • Louie Dampier: The First 3-Point King
      November 13, 2024 | 1:02 pm
      Louie Dampier

      Louie Dampier’s name might not resonate as widely as other basketball legends, but the Sports Then & Now Vintage Athlete of the Month’s impact on the game, particularly during the American Basketball Association (ABA) era, is undeniable. Known for his pinpoint shooting, exceptional ball handling, and relentless work ethic, Dampier enjoyed a stellar basketball career that saw him thrive in both the ABA and NBA. As one of the most consistent and prolific guards of his time, Dampier left a lasting legacy, and his role in the ABA’s history solidified his place in the annals of basketball greatness.

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