Sports Then and Now

Sport is a massive part of many people’s lives, whether as something that they participate in, go to watch in person or enjoy watching on the TV.  From football and cricket to rugby, athletics and American football, there are lots of sports that cross borders and are popular around the world.  Then there are the weird sports you don’t know about, the ones that might not get their own TV channel or massive Facebook following…

Oil Wrestling

Many fans of wrestling will have seen the big names engaged in competitions under spotlights with hundreds of fans cheering them on.  Oil wrestling doesn’t have quite the same following but is popular across Turkey, Greece and parts of Macedonia.  There is an annual festival in Kirkpinar, Turkey that dates back to 1357.  The idea is simple – participants are covered in olive oil and have to wrest their opponent to the ground.  It has recently spread to Japan and Netherlands among other locations.

Zorbing

Zorbing is a bit of a mixture of sports and fitness and involves people getting into giant plastic inflatable orbs and running down a gentle slope.  You can also do it on a level area if you want a little more control.  People race each other and there can be plenty of good natured collisions to knock your friend out of position but it doesn’t seem likely to be enrolled in the Olympics any time soon!

Cheese rolling

This one comes from Gloucester in the UK where every last weekend in May (a Bank Holiday) people gather to roll a three-kilogram wheel of cheese down Cooper’s Hill in the city.  People don’t race cheeses but actually race each other and the first person to pass the finish line, after the cheese, wins the title – and the cheese.  But beware – this cheese can hit 30mph so some training is required beforehand. Read the rest of this entry →

Technology has changed many of the aspects of being a sports fan in a positive way. It is now easier than ever to watch every part of every game, as many times as you wish. Here are five things to look forward to in 2017 as sports and technology team up to enhance the fan experience.

1. Fan Communication

Got a great question for your favorite athlete? Twitter has made it even more likely that you might get an answer. More and more athletes are responding directly to fans. Expect this to be even more the case under the tutelage of our tweet-happy new president.

2. Green Stadiums

While some metro areas worry about the infrastructure cost of a stadium, MetLife Stadium has been making some money-saving green upgrades. Much of the building was constructed of recycled metals and plastics, and the catwalk is topped with enough solar panels to light their LED light screen 25 times over.

3. Be the Ref

The San Francisco 49ers offer an app that allows you to access every play from Levi Field from every filmed angle, as soon as it happens. This lets you make the call on an out-of-bounds foot or a missed facemask. Even if you’re not at the game, a good eye and an active social media account can help you to get the attention of sportscasters and team officials. You might not change the course of the game, but you could change the post-game conversation. Read the rest of this entry →

Understandably, betting on sports online has become increasingly popular for a whole host of different reasons. One of the main reasons why people decide to bet online, rather than going to a physical bookmakers, is the convenience of the whole process and the option to place bets on the go, rather than making time in their day to go out and put a bet on. Using a laptop, tablet or mobile device, punters can easily access their odds, deposit money into their account, place bets both before and during games when allowed, and withdraw cash into their bank accounts without having to move! But, when it comes to online betting, it’s important to be careful since you are sharing a lot of sensitive personal data about yourself such as your name, date of birth, address, and financial details. We’ve put together some top tips for staying safe when betting online.

Shop Around

One of the best parts of betting online is the sheer amount of bookmakers available for you to choose from. Whilst in your town there may only be one or two bookie shops, when you bet online you can literally search through thousands of different sportsbooks in your quest to find the best odds. However, when shopping around, it’s also vital to be vigilant and check out each bookmaker site before you decide to sign up or part with any of your money. One great way to do this is to check out a review site such as Bookmaker Ratings, where you can find plenty of information to help you ensure that you make the right choice of online bookmakers for placing sports bets safely. Read the rest of this entry →

Living your dreams after a serious injury sometimes seems impossible. However, with the right professional help, support system, and attitude, you can fulfill your goals, even after an accident changes everything. All you have to do is remember that when it comes to things like this you are never alone. Here are 4 other tips to help you keep living out your dreams.

Seek Medical Help

One of the main steps in moving on with life after an injury is to seek medical help immediately after the incident occurs. This is imperative to assess the physical damages you have sustained, as well as to preserve evidence for any future criminal charges or lawsuits. Once a treatment plan is in place, it is important to follow through with all of your appointments, even during times you do not feel like it. If you find yourself not caring about getting better or feeling helpless about the situation, it may be time to seek additional professional help.

Get Psychological Help

Though your physical injuries may be obvious, many victims do not realize the impact a traumatic event can have on your mental status. The NCAA states that a “psychological response to injury can trigger or unmask serious mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and substance use or abuse.” Talk to a psychologist about your feelings, and discuss any changes you or others have noticed in your personality. Read the rest of this entry →

Whether you’re obsessed with the KonMari Method or are simply trying to purge your home of clutter, there are always those sentimental items you just aren’t sure what to do with. For a lot of us, old awards, trophies, medals and ribbons sit gathering dust because we can’t bear to just throw them away, even though we have no real use for them anymore. Alternatively, you may be looking to make a medal for a family member in the home through a business like Trophy Awards but not have a place to put the new one amid the old. If these situations sounds familiar, then this post is for you. It turns out there are actually a few things you can do to preserve the memories without the clutter.

Step One: Sort through Your Memorabilia

Before you can decide what to do, you need to figure out what you absolutely want to keep and what you can live without. Things like participation awards, runner-up ribbons and 3rd grade perfect attendance probably don’t carry a lot of sentiment, so you can toss these into the purge pile.

If you are someone who is very sentimental, or if you’re a parent that wants to keep every award for your child, consider snapping a few quick pictures of these lesser awards before getting rid of them. This way, you keep all of the memories without all of the clutter. Read the rest of this entry →

2016 has been a relatively good year for sports, right? From the Chicago Cubs actually going all the way to win the World Series of Baseball (their first in over 100 years!) to the Denver Broncos slugging out the Carolina Panthers in the 2016 Super Bowl – it’s been a pretty good one!

That being said, what about you, personally? Have you been sticking to the general stuff like soccer or softball to boost your fitness and have fun? If so, that’s amazing! What you should look to do in the coming year though, is try something new.

Now, by new, we don’t mean something that has been recently developed but a sport that may have been overlooked for the mainstream sports this year.

We’ll get started with skateboarding. Now, skateboarding isn’t really looked at as a typical sport, but it’s great fun if you learn a few tricks and there’s an amazing community behind it. It’s also good for fitness levels, and it’s cheaper than say, football, to get started in. You don’t have to buy expensive helmets or cleats just to get involved, just a board and a general helmet to protect your skull! Skateboarding is a fantastic way to start off 2017 with something new, but it’s far from the most extreme options we’ve found…

So extreme? Wrestling is pretty unique. It’s less about combat and more about the theatrics and strength involved to perform amazing feats. There are two types of wrestling, the professional style which involves the theatrics, and the amateur style which is all about real grappling and combat. The choice is yours, and the equipment is cheap, after all, you probably only need a basic shirt, a bottom, and some wrestling shoes and you’re good to go with the grappling. There are many schools that can get you started off, and if you’re any good at all, you might be able to earn a bit of money with the touring wrestling shows. The WWE awaits! Read the rest of this entry →