Green Bay is still on top, and we get to watch them dominate on Monday Night Football this week.

No byes this week and thank God It’s Thursday is back, as Thursday night football returns, with the San Diego Chargers hosting the Oakland Raiders for an AFC West showdown.

Myself and seven others will be in attendance, sporting silver and black. Some of us a bit more than others! I’m just excited to be at another game this year.

My Predictions for Week Ten

Raiders (4-4) at Chargers (4-4) A Thursday night battle for bragging rights in AFC West, pending the Chiefs outcome. Chargers QB Philip Rivers has more interceptions that touchdowns this year and the entire weight of the offense is on him right now. Tight end Antonio Gates is far from the player he was last year and this is just one of the issues for Philip Rivers. Oakland isn’t looking much better offensively as QB Carson Palmer has thrown eight interceptions in only two games. With RB Darren McFadden, the Raiders win confidently, without him, they barely win on a last minute field goal. Winner – Raiders

Saints (6-3) at Falcons (5-3) this game is a definite ‘over’ for all you betting junkies. Offensively, the Saints have been inconsistent all season and this will make for an interesting match-up against the Falcons talented secondary. Defensively, New Orleans isn’t ranked very high (14th against the pass and 18th against the run), and Falcons QB Matt Ryan (aka Matty Ice) has many weapons. this game will come down to the final minutes, if not seconds and Atlanta will please the home crowd. Winner – Falcons

Texans (6-3) at Buccaneers (4-4) Houston’s defense is ranked number one after ten weeks and they deserve every bit of that ranking. when they are on the field, and it won’t be for long periods of time, the Bucs are going to struggle offensively, as their strong point is the passing game and they don’t have the talent to match Houston’s secondary. Offensively, the Texans will control the clock and this game will be pretty much done before the fourth quarter even starts. Winner – Texans

Rams (1-7) at Browns (3-5) Offensively, Cleveland is struggling as they are without RB Peyton Hillis, no big play-making receivers and nothing to write home about at tight end. the Rams don’t have much bragging room either, however, and RB Steven Jackson should see the ball often as the Rams are ranked 30th against the run. Winner – Rams

Steelers (6-3) at Bengals (6-2) the Steelers are having much success in the air and haven’t really utilized the run at all this year. big Ben has the tendency to hold onto the ball for too long and this could be costly this week, as the Bengals defense have been on quarterback-attack mode each week, and it’s working. Defensively, Pitt has a key injury with LaMarr Woodley out. A practically perfect game from Cincy QB Andy Dalton and the Bengals chalk up another W. Winner – Bengals

Redskins (3-5) at Dolphins (1-7) Miami has hushed the “Suck for Luck” gossip for at least a week. Last week, Dolphins RB Reggie Bush had one of the best games of his career and this week faces a similar defense. So, put two and two together and Bush should have another great week. the Dolphins will need to keep QB Matt Moore protected, and let their defense blitz and blitz and blitz since the Redskins have one of the worst offensive lines in the league, and win number two should be the result. Winner – Dolphins

Titans (4-4) at Panthers (2-6) Carolina’s defensive line is giving up a lot of yards and Titans RB Chris Johnson is going to have a field day with this. Tennessee’s defense will struggle a bit against Panthers QB Cam Newton, but their secondary will make up for it as they prevent several third down conversions. Winner – Titans

Cardinals (2-6) at Eagles (3-5) the Eagles problem is not on offense – they have one of the toughest game plans to defend in the league. Defensively, the Eagles are weak and the Cardinals game plan should be to run. Arizona has an unfortunate quarterback situation, so the run won’t work the entire game, and in the end, Philly’s offense will have put more points on the board. Winner – Eagles

Broncos (3-5) at Chiefs (4-4) the key match-up in this game is Kansas City’s offense vs. Denver’s weak defense. the Chiefs should be able to be successful at putting the ball in the air and out-scoring Denver. this will go hand-in-hand with Denver QB Tim Tebow struggling to get a good read on the Chiefs defense. Winner – Chiefs

Jaguars (2-6) at Colts (0-9) Jacksonville’s defense is going to own this game. they are underrated against the run. this week, the Colts are vacillating between quarterbacks, and it really isn’t going to matter as their identity slips even further into the abyss of defeat without Dallas Clark. Indy’s defense won’t let the Jags blow them out, but they cannot play offense as well. Winner – Jaguars

Bills (5-3) at Cowboys (4-4) the Bills offense is hardly a match for the Cowboys defense, as they are going to be overmatched. Offensively, the Cowboys not only have aerial threats but have found the perfect addition to their run game in DeMarco Murray. not sure Buffalo’s defense will be a complete pushover against the run, but as they wear down from being on the field too much, Murray will find holes. Winner – Cowboys

Ravens (6-2) at Seahawks (2-6) weird things happen in Seattle, no matter how much they are out-matched. not this time, though. the Ravens defense is playing better than ever and Seattle’s defense is going to be playing a lot because of this. I still don’t completely buy into Baltimore’s offense, particularly QB Joe Flacco, but the offense surrounding him will enable a lot of points on the board. Winner – Ravens

Giants (6-2) at 49ers (7-1) on the ground, the Giants aren’t going to go anywhere and this is going to pose a huge problem for them. QB Eli Manning will be successful in passing, but that doesn’t run down the clock and maintain control of the game. on the contrary, the 49ers will utilize every ounce of RB Frank Gore as the Giants have the eighth worst run defense. the 49ers will control the clock, and therefore, the game. Winner – 49ers

Lions (6-2) at Bears (5-3) both of the teams Detroit lost to this season had great running backs. the Bears have a great running back in Matt Forte. In addition, the Lions offense is playing well, but not as well as they were with RB Jahvid best. As of today, he’s still ruled as questionable for Sunday’s game. If Chicago can play similar offense to what they did on Monday night, this game is theirs. Winner – Bears

Patriots (5-3) at Jets (5-3) the Patriots are falling apart as teams have realized they don’t give their running game a chance, and their defense is a bunch of misfits. Jets QB Mark Sanchez has been playing to his full potential the past few weeks, and alas, the Jets are winning. If he doesn’t break his stride this week, the Jets should come away with more points, as their defensive secondary is going to force turnovers. Winner – Jets

Vikings (2-6) at Packers (8-0) Really? What is there to say? the Packers offense is going to destroy the Vikings defense. Green Bay’s defense may allow RB Adrian Peterson some yards as they do have occasional holes, but it won’t be anything noteworthy or anything that puts points on the board. Winner – Packers

For Jana’s thoughts on last week, further analysis on this week’s match-ups, the complete Week 10 schedule, or to read anything else she feels like tossing out regarding the NFL, go to the dirty cleats blog.

Jana Newman lives in San Diego and has been an NFL fan for over 25 years (her not-so-secret obsession is still No. 13 Dan Marino). she has her bachelor of arts degree in English, and loves to write. to combine these passions, Jana created dirtycleats.com. It’s an NFL blog with a fresh look and a fun attitude. you can also follow dirtycleats on Facebook. to reach Jana, email her at .

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by Stephen Glover

Last updated at 10:13 AM on 10th November 2011

FIFA is the governing body of world football. it is also deeply rotten and has been mired in several corruption scandals. Morally  speaking, it has about as much authority as a kleptocratic Middle  Eastern tyranny.

And yet this venal organisation has decreed from its pulpit in Zurich that the England, Wales and Scotland football teams playing over the weekend should not be allowed to wear poppies on the front of their shirts, as they had hoped to do. only last night, following a great deal of pressure on FIFA, was there a partial and somewhat unsatisfactory change of mind.

For the past week, FIFA has maintained that the poppy is a political symbol which might jeopardise the neutrality of football. oh, and it might offend the Germans if England players were one day in the future to wear poppies when facing their national team.

Venal: FIFA President Sepp Blatter has seen the organisation through scandal after scandal

That objection, always highly questionable, was swept aside by a senior German football official, who said on Tuesday that his Federation would be perfectly happy for England players to wear poppies. He rejected the idea that German people would find this offensive. I’m sure he’s right.

Yet still FIFA has continued to cling to the misconception that the poppy is a political symbol, which players should not be allowed to wear on their chests. Of course, it is the very opposite of a political symbol. it does not stand for any party, class or, indeed, nation.

Its purpose is to honour those who have given their lives fighting for our country. but this act of remembering the war dead is not restricted to Britain. it is observed in many parts of the Commonwealth and even beyond. Canada, for example, is said to be distributing some 18 million poppies for Remembrance Day this year.

      More from Stephen Glover…

The poppy does not celebrate our victory over our enemies. it is not vainglorious or nationalistic. We wear it proudly as a way of conveying our gratitude to those who have laid down their lives for us and ‘paid the ultimate sacrifice’. And, as David Cameron rightly observed yesterday in the Commons, ‘this is not an issue of Left and Right or Labour and Conservative’. it unites us all.

So it is intolerable that a corrupt transnational organisation based in Switzerland should dictate that the England team playing Spain (the European and World champions) at Wembley on Saturday — the day before Remembrance Sunday — mustn’t wear poppies on the front of their shirts. Although they are playing on British soil, and want to conform to a British tradition, our players are being told by bureaucrats in Zurich what they can and can’t do.

Bureaucrat-In-Chief is a Frenchman called Jerome Valcke, FIFA’s general secretary. his past is quite controversial. in 2004, a judge in New York found him guilty of negotiating a sponsor agreement with VISA, despite FIFA having an existing agreement with its rival MasterCard. though FIFA was fined an enormous $60million, Sepp Blatter, President of the organisation, stood by Valcke.

But it wouldn’t make any difference if the man spent his nights serving in a soup kitchen, donated most of his salary to widows and orphans and sang in the church choir. He has no business interfering in this way.

That said, our own Football Association has behaved in a supine fashion by accepting his insufferable edicts. If it had not felt obliged to ask permission in the first place, one wonders what FIFA could have done when the players turned up on Saturday wearing poppies. Very likely it would not even have noticed. it would have certainly been too late to do anything about it. as it is, the FA has cravenly gone along with FIFA’s rulings. nor have the equivalent bodies in Scotland and Wales shown any greater independence of mind in respect of their national games over the weekend.

England wore a poppy on their shirts for their Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgraia (left), but will only be allowed to wear the symbol on a black armband this weekend (mock up, right)

Last night, a compromise of sorts was achieved. This newspaper and the Royal British Legion have led the way, with David Cameron jumping on the bandwagon yesterday by writing a letter of protest to FIFA. Prince William also expressed his irritation at FIFA’s initial edict.

It has been agreed that England players will be permitted to wear training tops with printed poppies on match day, and a poppy wreath will be placed on the pitch during the national anthem.

More significantly, our players will be allowed  to wear black armbands with printed poppies during the game. This undoubtedly represents a concession by FIFA, which will also be extended to the Scotland and Wales teams.

Yet, it still doesn’t seem quite right to me. Wearing a black armband has become the established practice of footballers after a notable death or perhaps a national tragedy. it denotes mourning, whereas a poppy worn on the chest signifies something rather different — a respectful veneration of those who have fought and died in defence of our freedoms. Sporting an armband with a poppy is not a familiar or recognised practice in this country.

Moreover, if FIFA believes that a poppy worn on the chest is a political symbol, why isn’t a poppy worn on the arm equally a political symbol? there can obviously be no distinction according to its barmy way of looking at things, though of course, as I have argued, the poppy does not serve this function at all.

Responding as it has to pressure, FIFA has in effect contradicted itself by agreeing that a poppy can be worn in some form. by its own lights, it is in a muddle. Its retreat comes after the earlier nonsense about imaginary German objections. the organisation has yielded one step after another as the emptiness of its arguments have been publicly revealed.

The logical step now would be for FIFA to agree that there is no difference between having a poppy on one’s arm and having one on one’s chest. the black armband, which is unnatural and uncustomary a day before Remembrance Sunday, should be put on one side, and the England team, along with the Wales and Scotland teams, should be allowed to do what it wanted to do in the first place.

In one sense this may seem a disagreement about rather little. International football does not always present a very dignified arena, and England fans sometimes behave in the most undignified, even loutish way, by booing the national anthems of their opponents.

But it is an important principle that we should be able to remember and commemorate our war dead in a way that is familiar to us, and without being dictated to by a dysfunctional body of foreign bureaucrats. Thankfully, they have been seen off — though only partially. a black armband with a poppy is a nonsense, but a nonsense we can at least half welcome.

FIFA row: There is nothing political about a poppy on a football shirt

One of the greatest sports in the world today is Basketball. it is truly an international sport and worldwide it is the world’s second largest spectator sport only to Football. one of the most popular and widely viewed sports on the planet.

Basketball is played in many different countries including United States (where the sport originates from) and China. it is as a consequence a true Olympic sport. Basketball is a major team sport that is played at great pace. People follow their favourite teams with a passion and there is always great rivalry between the teams from different cities and countries.

The world’s strongest league is undoubtedly the NBA, which includes a number of very strong, powerful teams. As my family are spread throughout many of the United States we tend to follow the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. many of the world’s best players play in the NBA. They come from far and wide. Players get paid the best but then they have to be amongst the best to be able to compete in the No. 1 greatest league. The standard of quality and excellent play is very high.

The US game is slightly different from all countries worldwide including Europe and the rest of the world. it is 8 minutes longer overall. it tends to be faster with a much higher average number of points scored in each game. Most games are tremendously exciting and have a tendency to be fast paced with non-stop action.

International games are played with 4 quarters of 10 minutes totalling 40 minutes while NBA games are played with 4 quarters of 12 minutes totalling 48 minutes. There is a 15 minute break at half time with 2 minutes allowed for the other breaks.

Each Basketball match is played between 2 teams of 5 players who attempt to score points against each other. The goal at either end of a court is 10 foot high (3.048 metres). you can pass; bounce (dribble) the ball. Physical contact is penalised. The other team is awarded 1 or 2 Free throws. you can score 3 points from a long-range shot, 2 points from an average basket score and 1 point from each Free throw scored.

Basketball is an excellent team sport that can be played both indoor as well as on outdoor courts.

Be sure to enjoy the sport and have great fun

Have a great time either playing or watching

Martin Jeszke
sportsworldallsports.info

Basketball – The World’s 2nd Best International Spectator Sport

Proper storage of your wines can go a long way to ensuring a pleasurable taste experience when you are ready to enjoy a glass. Here are five tips to get you on the right track for preserving your fine wines.

Turn Out The Lights, The Party’s Over.

Those who are old enough to remember Don Meredith in the early years of Monday Night Football will recall him singing that famous line near the end of most every game. it was basically a sign that the winner of the game had pretty much been determined.

Well, turning out the lights is also a good sign for your wine. Light is an enemy to the preservation of good wine. Being subjected to direct light will speed up the aging process, causing the wine to mature too soon.

Many wine bottles today feature UV filtering qualities, however, it is most often not adequate enough to fully protect your wine. To assure the best flavor, store your wine away from light sources, especially direct light.

To solve the light problem, you might consider investing in a small wine cabinet. If you do so, be sure to check the doors for a good, light-tight seal when it shuts. Place a flashlight (turned on, of course) inside the wine cabinet and close the cabinet door. Check around the edges of the door for light escaping from the wine cabinet.

A Bit Of Nip In The Air

Years ago, in late fall, the weather would start to change and the temperature would begin to drop a bit. you could always count on my granddad to say, I feel a bit of nip in the air. That’s also what your wines need to be able to say.

Wine needs to be kept cool. There seems to be universal agreement that, ideally, the best storage temperature for wine is 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Wines that are subjected to high temperatures start to undergo oxidation, which results in speeding up the aging process. And, of course, accelerated aging is not desirable for fine wines.

Equally as treacherous as high temperatures is fluctuating temperatures, especially when the variations are extreme. This is more applicable to corked wines. To avoid these situations and provide the most advantageous control of temperature, a wine refrigerator will be quite handy, if your budget allows for it.

It’s This Darned Humidity

If you have ever had the pleasure of enduring summer in one of the southern states (United States), you may have heard this expression. And if you have ever tasted fine wine that has a bit off an off taste, you may be able to say the same thing about it.

Humidity, like temperature, is another factor to be considered in storing wine. A good humidity level for most wines is around 70%. As with temperature extremes, excessive humidity, particularly for corked wines, can lead to rapid aging through oxidation. Some humidity is necessary for corked bottles to ensure the cork doesn’t dry out and shrink, allowing oxygen to seep into the wine. This isn’t a factor for bottles using screw-type caps.

A good wine cooler unit will have a control for humidity as well as for temperature, allowing you to set it for optimal conditions.

Think I’ll go Wet A Cork

My granddad was an avid fisherman. To go wet a cork was fishermaneze for I’m going fishing. It’s a good clich to have in mind for wine storage, as well.

This isn’t relevant for bottles of wine with screw-type caps. But for corked wines, it can be very helpful to keep the cork wet. when cork material gets dry, it begins to contract or shrink. when it shrinks too much, it can pull away from the lip of the bottle, creating an airway through which oxygen can seep in. The simple solution is to keep the cork damp.

This is the reason for the need for humidity discussed above. Storing wines in the proper humidity will keep the part of the cork that is on the outside of the bottle moist. But, what about the part of the cork that is on the inside of the bottle?

To keep the inside part of the cork damp, it is recommended that wine bottles be stored on their side. This will allow some of the wine to be in contact with the cork, maintaining its moistness and assuring an airtight seal.

Now, some folks argue that, since the wine is a liquid, the humidity inside the sealed bottle is always going to be around 100% and therefore, it isn’t necessary to keep the bottle on its side. There may be some merit to the argument however, why take the chance? My theory is – if in doubt, wet a cork.

I Want you To be Still

The sound of my mother’s stern admonition while sitting on a hard pew in church still echoes in my memory. She wanted me to be still. It’s what you want for your fine wines, also.

Vibration is your wine’s adversary. it keeps the wine agitated which prevents the wine’s sediment from settling. The constant movement of the molecules inside the bottle might also create a chemical reaction that can speed up the aging process.

If you are considering a wine cooler for storage, be sure to confirm that it has good insulation to protect your wine from the vibrations caused by the motor and compressor.

That’s it In A Nutshell

These are the five basics for good wine storage. If you don’t have the budget or space for a wine cabinet or wine refrigerator, consider putting your wines in a less often used closet. But, unlike the famous motel, try to leave the light out.

The Fine Five – 5 Basic Tips For Storing Wine

by Brian Miller for Sun-Times Media November 8, 2011 5:08PM

Coach John Thorne talks to his North Central players prior to a game. The NCC coaches promote a team philosophy putting integrity, faith and family out front. | SUBMITTED PHOTO

Updated: November 8, 2011 6:24PM

First of a two-part installment. Part two coming Friday.

The scoreboard at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium reads 00:00 and North Central head coach John Thorne stands in the middle of all his football players, just to the left of the 50-yard line.

as is his postgame ritual, Thorne leads the Cardinals in a rousing cheer of, “I am a champion and I refuse to lose.” The players bark the mimicry of his yell. sometimes he says “refuse” three times. It’s the most outward emotion you’ll see from him all week.

Moments later, everyone takes a knee and team chaplain and Assistant Dean of Students Gary Ireland leads a thunderous prayer.

Life at North Central, you come to find, is as much about faith and family as it is about football.

“That goes back to my senior year of high school is when that started,” said Cardinals offensive coordinator Jeff Thorne, both him and his father formerly at Wheaton Warrenville South. “It’s been going ever since, and there’s a lot of meaning to it. I think our players have bought into it wholeheartedly. being a champion is more than winning a football game. being a champion is how you present yourself in life, how you carry yourself and the integrity that you have. those are the things we talk about on a weekly basis here, things other than football. It’s been really refreshing as a coach to have that opportunity with players and not just always have our meetings be about X’s and O’s.”

The elder Thorne, who just turned 64, came to North Central in 2002, having won four IHSA state football titles with the Tigers, but was looking for an opportunity in the area to coach at a higher level and stay around all his kids and grandkids.

Ireland entered at that same time with an eagle’s eye view to the changes.

He not only leads the prayers at the end of games, but leads a team talk each week that discusses the task for the game ahead with an intertwined faith-based message.

“From the very beginning of starting to turn around the program, faith has been a very important aspect,” said Ireland, who has a Master’s in theology and has worked at CCIW member North Park, part of an evangelical covenant philosophy. “It’s in the team’s philosophy statement, their list of attributes they want the players to work. They want players to work on their faith in whatever way they chose.”

Ireland has led three different player groups on Habitat for Humanity trips. there are also once-a-week Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) meetings, led by wide receivers coach and former player Brad Spencer.

“This is for people who’ve never stepped foot in church in their life,” Ireland said. “No one is made to feel uncomfortable. No one has to talk. you can come with any questions you have. It’s been exploding this year because it’s a much different experience than players thought it would be. It’s just their teammates. It’s a very open, non-confrontational place for them to mainly just listen and explore their own faith beliefs.”

It’s a simple list, but the philosophy statement handed out by coaches on the recruiting trails highlights not what is expected on the field as much as what is expected off.

“We have a thing called the Cardinal Manual,” fifth-year senior wide receiver Nick Hicks said. “It’s a bunch of adjectives that describe great characteristics of people — love, humility, perseverance. There’s a quote in there that says, ‘A setback is nothing more than a setup for a comeback.’ that was a great quote that I’ve lived by my entire life. every time you get knocked down, you have to get up, you have to keep fighting. That’s exactly what these coaches preach every day.”

Hicks has recovered from two ACL tears and subsequent rehabilitation. Having come to the North Central program from Miami, Fla., Hicks was far away from home and in need of a family. What he found was just what he needed.

“I’m 1,600 miles from home, came here my freshman year and came here to play football,” Hicks recalled. “I tore my ACL. The whole reason I was here was to play ball and I couldn’t. I didn’t let it get me down, but I joined FCA.”

Spencer started the group his senior year of 2002. there were five people. Currently, that number stands at 45. and as the North Central recruiting coordinator, he’s often the one passing out the Cardinal Manual to prospective players and their parents.

“If anything, parents are particularly positive about the whole faith and family thing, especially the family thing,” Spencer said. “Regardless of what religion you are, if you have a son you want them go somewhere there’s a family atmosphere and North Central definitely has that. Whenever we talk with recruits about FCA or the trips with Habitat for Humanity, there’s always recruits that say ‘Oh, I’ve done that.’ It’s always been a very positive thing.”

From the formation of FCA, the house-building trips, the openness of the coaches about their religious beliefs came a foundation for a program that has won its sixth straight CCIW championship.

Any off-field issues that were around when the Thornes took over slowly disappeared.

“You either buy it or you don’t,” Hicks said. “There will be a handful of people that let adversity and bad things get to them and they shut down and give up. those tend to be the guys that don’t go to FCA, don’t go to all the meetings, miss practice and miss class. It’s hard because you try to intervene and help them out, but what can you do? I guess they have to figure it out themselves if they’re not going to listen.

“The majority of our team, 80 percent of our team is focused, and it’s growing. When I came here as a freshman, there were a lot of things going on behind the scenes that would not be acceptable today and now none of that is happening. Everyone’s on board and it’s a great feeling to have a bunch of positive guys that you can talk to when you’re going through something.”

for most of the team, but especially for players like Hicks, coach Thorne and the rest of the coaching staff have served as surrogate parents. There’s nothing you can’t talk to them about, whether it’s school, a girlfriend problem, or even a question over playing time.

“All these coaches, I feel like they’re a second father, every single one of them, and in different ways,” Hicks said. “One’s a disciplinarian, one’s more comforting. I’m not going to say who’s who, but put them all together and it’s just like my dad at home. and that’s a great feeling.”

It takes a lot to manage a group of 140 individuals, from the recruits to the redshirts to the senior that blows out his knee and is forced to sit on the sideline for his final year. But the non-confrontational, exploratory attitude present at the FCA meetings is also encouraged throughout the rest of the program to truly get the most out of the student-athlete.

“You don’t want to keep anything from them because they’re going to give you great advice,” Hicks added. “It’s stupid if you do. you just have to get it off your chest. you can’t let it sit there and bother you. and they do a good job of figuring out if something is wrong, too. They’re always there, they’re always listening, they’re always paying attention. you can tell they really care about us all.”

There’s a lot of symbolism from religion apparent in football. Whether it’s a Hail Mary pass or Touchdown Jesus, all the way down to the redemptive narrative of overcoming adversity, the two have many parallels. The religious background doesn’t matter.

“When I talk to other faculty members about football — and I never played football — I’ve learned about these student-athletes that this isn’t just an activity they do,” Ireland said. “This is really their life. It’s everyone they hang around with. It’s the way they think, the way they approach life. It really goes to the core of individuals and defines who they are. and in many respects that is a very spiritual thing. In order to connect with them from a faith basis, you really have to appeal that which is at the core of everybody.

“This idea that it’s a season, while the fans may think ‘Oh, we’re winning some games,’ these are men that look at this as something they’ve been preparing for since they were eight years old. It really is a spiritual part to that. There’s Christians on both sides of the ball so I don’t think God picks who wins and who loses, but I think God gives these men talents and abilities and how they use them is their sort of witness to God.”

And as it came to be found, the role of family and faith in the North Central program played a more important role this season than was first expected. find out why in Part 2 on Friday.

Faith and family part of football life at NCC

Purdue, who finished last season so strong but lost both E'twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson in the NBA draft this summer, is projected as a number-six seed in the field of 68. Rivals sees both Notre Dame and two-time national runners-up Butler in number-10 slots. Butler's ranking actually pleases and somewhat surprises me. Like Purdue, the Bulldogs lost a lot of graduating (from school or to the big leagues) talent and never really garner a lot of attention until spring rolls around, anyway. but the most welcome sight in the pretend bracket for me was the presence of my Indiana Hoosiers.

Rivals has Tom Crean's club ranked number 42 overall, which would land them an 11-seed in the tournament. that would obviously be a monumental leap forward for the Cream and Crimson and would go a long way toward rewarding the patience of fans while Crean has been working his recruiting magic over the last three seasons. It is a big step to climb and puts even more pressure on super recruit Cody Zeller to lead the turnaround.

So, rejoice in the fact that all of the preliminaries are over, fellow Hoosiers. no matter who your favorite Indiana basketball team is, their first real game of 2011-12 is just around the corner. and, for nearly all of us, there is a lot of excitement brewing and reason to believe that we'll still have a rooting interest next March.

Adam Hughes was raised, and still lives, in rural Indiana. He has been a fan of the Indiana University Hoosiers basketball program since the early 1980s and even holds a Ph. D. from IU (computational chemistry). He still has nightmares involving Bobby Knight and projectile chairs.

Note: this article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Updated Nov 7, 7:47 pm EST

Several Indiana Teams Projected to Make NCAA Basketball Tournament: Fan Reaction

The slumping San Diego Chargers are dealing with plenty of problems these days, but we didn’t think to count All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates among them.

But one team source singled out Gates in diagnosing the ills that have befallen the 4-4 Chargers.

“It’s harsh to say, but he looks old and fat,” the source told Yahoo! Sports in a story posted Monday. “He’s not beating people. We don’t have any speed, we’re soft on defense, and we put so much on our quarterback. when he was playing great, we could kind of get away with it. now he’s not playing very well, and it’s all falling apart.”

(You have to love the guy who qualifies a statement with “It’s harsh to say,” then completely buries one of his team’s longtime stars.)

Gates has been a steady producer since returning to the lineup in Week 7 — including eight catches for 96 yards and one touchdown in Sunday’s 45-38 loss to the Packers — but the chronic foot ailment that blew up his 2010 season has followed him into 2011. He’s already missed three games with the issue, and it’s clear by his practice schedule that the Chargers are treating him like a piece of fine china.

Meanwhile, we wouldn’t be surprised if Gates is asking around team headquarters this week, trying to find the driver who backed the bus over him. It’d be especially ironic if said unnamed source was old and/or fat himself.

Report: Source says ‘old and fat’ Gates an issue in San Diego

Jim Thome agreed to a one-year contract with the PhiladelphiaPhillies, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

The deal is worth $1.25 million provided he passes a physicalset for today. He has 604 career home runs and Philadelphia,eliminated in the division series by the Cardinals, can certainlyuse his power from the left side, though where — and if — he’llplay in the field, is a big question.

Thome, a Phillie from 2003-05, has been a designated hitter inthe American League and has not played defensively since 2007. Buthe might be called on to play first base because Ryan Howard mightmiss some early season games next season as he recovers fromsurgery on his left Achilles.

Thome will reunite with manager Charlie Manuel. they formed abond from their days in Cleveland together, and almost did it fourmonths ago — before the Indians sneaked in and acquired him fromMinnesota with the Phillies lurking. Thome is a lifetime .277hitter with 1,674 RBIs.

Cubs • Pete Mackanin interviewed for the team’s managing job atdinner Thursday and in a more formal setting Friday.

“It was very comprehensive,” he said. “They didn’t let me up forair. they just keep pounding questions at you. It’s veryinteresting. It’s fun getting to know these guys and seeing what’son their mind.”

The Cubs are looking to replace Mike Quade, fired Wednesdayafter a 71-91 season that extended their infamous championshipdrought to 103 season.

Chicago is scheduled to interview Milwaukee hitting coach DaleSveum on Monday and is expected to bring in Texas pitching coachMike Maddux next week.

The list of names that have been linked to the opening alsoincludes Tampa Bay bench coach Dave Martinez and former Bostonmanager Terry Francona.

Exhibition • Nationals first baseman Michael Morse hit atowering home run over the center field wall to lead the MLBAll-Star team to a 6-2 win over the Taiwan national team.

Morse doubled in a run in the first inning before hitting thesolo shot in the third in the central Taiwanese city ofTaichung.

The MLB All-Stars lead 3-0 in the five-game series. The teamsclose the series over the weekend with two games in the southerncity of Kaohsiung. Pitching star Chien-Ming Wang, of the WashingtonNationals, is expected to start for the Taiwanese.

Angels • Former major-league catcher Scott Servais has agreed toa contract to become the team’s assistant general manager. Hisduties will include scouting and player development and he willreport to new general manager Jerry Dipoto. Servais had been seniordirector of player development with the Rangers since 2005.

Blue Jays • The Blue Jays bought pitcher Trystan Magnuson fromthe Athletics for an undisclosed amount. Magnuson made his majorleague debut this season and had no decisions and a 6.14 ERA innine relief appearances.

Baseball notes: Thome heads to Phils

Baseball injuries usually do not end a player’s career. however, any injury can be a setback. with proper care and knowledge beforehand, the player will know what to look for, and will return to normal activities in a shorter amount of time.

The top seven baseball injuries that will plague most baseball players are described below.

1. Shoulder Injury

Throwing or hitting a baseball utilizes the entire physical body. A shoulder injury is normally associated with an arm and shoulder injury of the pitching or throwing arm and shoulder. In medical terminology, a baseball player’s common shoulder injury is a torn Rotator Cuff. Pitchers are most prone to suffer from this injury, but anyone who plays baseball can become afflicted with a shoulder injury.

2. Sprained Wrist

A sprained wrist injury demands special attention so that the swelling and pain can subside. A sprained wrist injury rarely lasts for more than a few days since the wrist is so flexible and pliable. should a player take a tumble or have to chase a fast dropping line drive hit, he could easily suffer from a sprained wrist.

Sometimes when a player is running for a base, he’ll slide into the base and sprain his wrist. It hurts and it will swell, but most likely, the wrist will not get broken. within a few days after cold compresses have been applied, and the wrist is later soaked in warm water, the wrist will be fine, and the baseball player will be ready to participate in his next game.

3. Dislocated or Broken Fingers

When a baseball player’s glove webbing is improperly aligned at the moment when a ball impacts the glove, the player’s fingers and hands will sting. however, most players will tell you that catching a ball with an ungloved hand can feel like being shot with a high-powered arrow.

Whenever a finger is exposed at any angle other than in an open and flexed state, the player will feel his finger joints getting crunched, dislocated, or broken. Catchers and infielders are the most common players to receive such finger injuries, but it can happen to any player, regardless of the position they’re playing.

4. Hyper-extended Knee

When a baseball player grabs a fly ball out of the air, he is most certainly prone to suffering from a hyper-extended knee injury.

Whenever a player’s foot lands awkwardly after he has lunged for a fly ball, the knee joint takes the bulk of the landing. although he may show the other players that he can walk off the immediate hurt, his knee joint will be sore for days.

When that same player pays attention to his knee’s soreness, he will recover quickly. however, if the player aggravates the injury by playing several more innings, or another game within a day or two, the injury will worsen and the pain will reappear.

Another way that a player can hyper-extend his knee is when his spikes get jammed into a base that’s fixed into place. the knee joint could twist in the wrong direction, thereby causing the knee to hyper extend.

5. Pulled Hamstring

Even the most in-shape and toned baseball player who appears to have strong muscled legs can be prone to suffering from a pulled hamstring when he’s running at break-neck speed to catch a ball or run a base.

Mickey Mantle’s entire career and Albert Pujols’s existing career have been fraught with hamstring muscle pull problem injuries. the injuries are painful, and the player will most likely need to take some time off to heal, but his career will not be ended due to a pulled hamstring.

6. Sore Elbow

Whenever a baseball player throws a ball hard to one of his teammates, he becomes susceptible to a sore elbow injury the same day or the next day. Sore elbows heal fairly rapidly, so there’s no need for medical attention, except to remember to reduce the velocity that a player throws the ball the next time he’s out on the field. A sore elbow is caused when the player suddenly stops or slows down the fling. that action is known to cause stress at the elbow’s bone joint.

7. Bruises on Legs and Hips

When a baseball player does not wear sliding pads, he is quite vulnerable to receiving big bruises and strawberries on his legs and hips from sliding into a base. the painful part comes when a well-meaning attendant tries to apply any medication that contains alcohol or witch hazel in it. You’ll be sure to hear the player’s screams from many fields away.

Bruises will change colors and are certainly sensitive to the touch, but they’re not the most serious injury a player can receive. So, try to remain tough when you look in the mirror after the game and see raw fleshy spots. within four or five days, the tenderness will be gone, and most likely the color of the bruise will have faded away.

Baseball – Top Seven Injuries That Will Plague Most Baseball Players

The low-cut, high performance basketball shoe is here to stay. There are more of these shoes on the market than ever before. Multiple editions and colorways of both Nike and Jordan Brand signature sneakers are widely available for purchase at all the major sports retailers. Ever since the Kobe IV burst onto the sneaker scene, there has been a major shift in the cut of basketball shoes that ballers have purchased. a shift from high and mid-cut shoes to that of the low-cut variety. and one of the most popular low-cut basketball shoes currently on the market is the Nike Hyperfuse 2011 Low.

There are plenty of very good reasons this shoe is so popular. one of the reasons is in the name of the shoe itself. Hyperfuse. this design material is the most innovative element that has been used on a basketball shoe in the last few years. Hyperfuse is a combination of three different materials fused together by intense heat. The Hyperfuse material creates the maximum in lightweight breathability and durability. this innovative Hyperfuse material is used on the upper of the shoe.

Another reason this shoe is so popular is the responsiveness that is created by it’s traction control system. a solid rubber outsole with a herringbone traction pattern allows for quick, slashing cuts on the basketball court. Combined with it’s lightweight and stable upper, the traction that this shoe provides is unparalleled in any other low-cut basketball shoe on the market. The solid rubber outsole is also responsible for the superior durablity that the Hyperfuse Low provides.

Many times a lightweight and durable basketball shoe will not be built with a high level of cushioning. That is not the case with this shoe. both Nike Phylon and a Zoom unit are featured in the shoe’s midsole and effectively create maximum impact protection. Another very good reason that this is the most popular low-cut shoe among serious ballers.

The Nike Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 Low is now available in a wide variety of colorways. not only is this shoe technologically sound, it is one good looking shoe. a shoe that looks very good in more than one colorway. this shoe is truly one of the masterpieces that Nike shoes for basketball has made available for purchase. and has been the case with their other basketball shoes, you can bet on Nike dropping many more sick looking colorways on the Hyperfuse 2011 Low.

The Most Popular Low Cut Shoes For Basketball

ESTERO —Two games in an 85-game schedule for the Florida Prowlers Team Easton U16 baseball team will likely be remembered by its players for years to come.

The Prowlers, a travel team filled with high school players from Lee and Collier counties, hosted the Czech Republic’s National U15 team last week at Estero High School.

Language was somewhat of a barrier, but not the games.

“Nobody on their team spoke English except for the head coach, who only spoke a little English,” said Prowlers coach Chris Hensley. “Neither team understood what each other was saying. whatever the umps called, that’s the way it was.”

The Prowlers won the first game, 10-0, on Oct. 24. Two days later, the Czech squad answered back with a 6-4 win to earn a split. Hensley said he was impressed by the visitors.

“For a country where baseball is not their main sport, they do a nice job. They work hard on fundamentals. They understand the game,” he said.

One aspect that Hensley found interesting about the Czechs is how often they bunted.

“They played a lot of small ball and tried to move runners around,” he said.

After the first game, the teams gathered together for a group photo. Players on the Prowlers come from Estero, Fort Myers, Gulf Coast, Ida Baker, Palmetto Ridge, Riverdale and South Fort Myers high schools.

Hensley said the Czech team, which has a coach who has a residence in Naples, visits Florida in the fall and Arizona in the spring.

Youth baseball: Florida Prowlers experience international ball

Usually, exhibitions are held at the Div. I school, but ASU asked the NCAA for a waiver to play this game off campus.

“It’s a special night from the standpoint that Grand Canyon is opening up a brand new, beautiful facility,” ASU coach Herb Sendek said. “(GCU coach) Russ Pennell, a friend of ours, a former ASU (assistant) coach as well as UofA, asked if we’d come over and open the gym for him. he thought it’d generate a lot of interest and really be a good thing for basketball in the Valley… it should be a really challenging experience, first weekend of November for our team, to go on the road in that kind of environment and play.”

The Sun Devils last week played St. Mary’s in a closed scrimmage with mixed results. Center Ruslan Pateev played well, but rebounding was an issue. Offensively, Sendek has added more ball screens and pick-and-roll action and he is pleased with the results.

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By: Gwenn Barney / Senior Staff Writer

Posted on 03. Nov, 2011 in News

When it comes to getting Pitt basketball tickets, senior Asher Finkel might be one of the luckiest guys on campus. Every time Finkel has applied for a ticket to join the Oakland Zoo, he’s ended up in the stands.

“In four-and-a-half years, I’ve never been turned down,” Finkel said. “If I’ve had low levels of loyalty points, I’ve gotten a ticket, and if I have high levels, I’ve gotten a ticket.”

Finkel’s experience plays into a common myth shared around the Pitt community that loyalty points — awarded to help determine who receives the limited, yet highly demanded, men’s basketball tickets — don’t matter.

For each basketball game, 1,400 tickets are reserved for the Pitt student section, said Justin Acierno, director of marketing and ticket operations for Pitt’s Athletic Department. When fewer than 1,400 students apply for tickets to a game, there’s no problem — every student who applies online receives a ticket.

Problems arise when popular games, such as those against Big East rivals West Virginia, Syracuse and Villanova, come to the Petersen Events Center. these games often lead to more than 1,400 students applying online for tickets. In such cases, everything becomes a matter of chance.

Everyone who requested a ticket is entered into a lottery, and the more loyalty points a student accumulates by attending Pitt athletic events, the more times he’s entered into the lottery. The additional lottery slots boost his chances of scoring one of the 1,400 tickets.

The part of the lottery system that frazzles some die-hard Panther fans is that it’s randomized: while a person with five lottery points has five times as many chances to be drawn for a ticket as a person with one lottery point, there is still the potential for the person with one loyalty point to be drawn and the person with five loyalty points not receive a ticket.

This statistical anomaly isn’t just theoretical talk — it actually happens on occasion. those occasions have led to the now widespread assumption that loyalty points don’t matter.

Oakland Zoo President Eric Haybarger said he sometimes hears criticisms of the lottery system.

“I’ve heard a few complaints, but not too many because usually if you don’t get in the first round, then you get in the second round or third round,” Haybarger said.

When students are awarded a ticket but don’t claim it within two days, the ticket is released back into a second lottery or third instant-access round.

“They think just because they have more loyalty points, they should get a ticket. because of randomization, it doesn’t always work out that way,” Haybarger said.

Acierno emphasized the irregularity of students with few or even zero points earning big-time tickets.

“Rarely do we see somebody with zero points get a ticket to high-demand games,” Acierno said.”It happens based on probability. someone with zero points does get a ticket now and then, but it’s rare.”

The Pitt Athletic Department first implemented a digital point-keeping system that would allow for the assignment of basketball game tickets based on fan loyalty in 2005 — three years after the opening of the Petersen Events Center.

Students earn one loyalty point for each men’s basketball game for which more students request a ticket than there are seats. two loyalty points are given to students who attend games where fans do not fill all of the seats.

On five occasions this year, four loyalty points will be awarded for attendance at women’s games: Nov. 18 vs. Loyola, Dec. 7 vs. Georgetown, Jan. 21 vs. West Virginia, Feb. 21 vs. Connecticut, and Feb. 25 vs. Seton Hall.

Senior Michael Backman praised the awarding of more points for attendance at women’s games.

“I guess it makes sense to give more points for events less people come to because each person is more valuable,” he said.

But students lose a loyalty point if they claim a ticket and then don’t attend the game. The software, which was created by TicketReturn, keeps track of how many points each student earns.

Pitt basketball is one of many athletic organizations to use TicketReturn. The software service also counts University of Maryland, West Virginia University football and numerous minor league baseball teams as clients.

Opinions about the fairness of the loyalty lottery system vary, but most students seem to agree the system is mostly a good institution.

Sophomore Blake Carroll praised loyalty distribution for showing students that they’re awarded for their fandom but suggested a slight change to the system.

“If you have the highest number of loyalty points available, you should automatically get tickets,” Carroll said. “Whatever the max number is, within a deviation of like 10 of that number, you should be guaranteed a ticket.”

Basketball preview: Lottery system considers all students loyal

This game stands tall in Philadelphia lore. This was the infamous "body bag game" in which the Eagles defeated the Washington Redskins 28-14. the Eagles drilled the Redskins throughout the game, scoring two touchdowns in the easy win. But the game is famous for the fact that Washington lost eight players due to injury in the contest. Included in those injuries were both quarterbacks. Kick returner Brian Mitchell had to step in and play quarterback in this game.

October 22, 2001

The Philadelphia Eagles entered this ugly game having not beaten the New York Giants since 1996. This was an ugly game between the two teams. the Giants led 9-0 at halftime and 9-3 entering the fourth quarter. But Eagles wide receiver James Thrash(notes) caught a touchdown pass late in the game to give the Eagles a 10-9 win. the win snapped a nine game losing skid against New York. the Eagles swept the Giants that season on their way to a division title.

November 25, 2002

With starting quarterback Donovan McNabb(notes) out of the game, the Eagles looked to Koy Detmer to beat the San Francisco 49ers in a battle of two 7-3 teams. Detmer got the Eagles off to a fast start. however, he would be injured and leave the game. Third string quarterback A.J. Feeley(notes) kept the Eagles rolling on their way to a 38-17 victory. Feeley would start the rest of the 2002 season and help the Eagles finish as the top seed in the conference.

November 15, 2004

The 2004 season was a great one for Eagles fans. the offense was explosive and the defense was dominant. that was clear in this famous game on the road against the Dallas Cowboys. the Eagles smoked Dallas 49-21 behind a four touchdown game from McNabb. the highlight was his long scramble to keep alive a deep pass play. Philadelphia scored 35 points in the first half.

November 15, 2010

The Eagles put on an offensive show for the ages in this contest. the Eagles whipped the Washington Redskins 59-28 on the road to win this one. the Eagles had 45 points in the first half and could have scored more had they not let up in the second half. Michael Vick(notes) threw for 333 yards and four touchdown passes. he also ran for 80 yards and two scores.

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Updated 4 hours, 56 minutes ago

Five Greatest Eagles Monday Night Football Games: A Fan’s View

In a Monday night football game headlined by two of the better running backs in the NFL, the production on the field was said otherwise.  Ray Rice disappointed by touching the ball a modest 13 times for 63 all-purpose yards while Maurice Jones-Drew reached the century mark in rushing yards once again, but fumbled an uncharacteristic three times last night, losing one.  aside from the running game troubles, there was an abundance of other underwhelming performances in last night’s game, so let’s check them out.

Just when you think it’s safe to use Joe Flacco as your starting QB, he belly flops against a mediocre Jacksonville defense in front of national television.  I don’t know what it is with the guy, but I get the feeling he just has those days where he doesn’t show up.  Last night was a prime example.  Yes, the protection was awful and it’s extremely rare to see Rice dropping passes in the open flat.  I just didn’t see the desire in Flacco’s eyes to take over the game, and his team followed suit.  I think Flacco pulls it together later in the season, but for fantasy owners, steer clear until he shows some consistency.

Anquan Boldin was a late-game score away from having an abysmal day.  Boldin still finished with only 40 yards receiving but the 5-yard touchdown salvaged what was otherwise a shutdown effort by Jacksonville’s secondary.  look for Boldin to rebound against a laughable Arizona secondary next week.

Can we please stop talking about Mike Thomas as a serious WR 2/FLEX play?  Blaine Gabbert could give him 30 targets a game and Thomas still only comes down with 5 or 6 of those balls for small yardage.  this isn’t a total knock on Thomas’ skills, as Gabbert continues to show his lack of experience and poise in the pocket.  for Thomas owners, I know it sucks, but it’s time to move on.

For Rice and Jones-Drew, nothing serious to contemplate here, for you start these guys week in and week out and hope that they (particularly Rice) don’t have another blunder like last night.

Monday Night Football Fantasy Recap

The game of football is like a war between two generals, each one trying to out think the other. bill Belichick is said to be one of the greatest defensive strategists of modern times while Mike Martz has a reputation for being an offensive wizard. In this article we’re going to discuss some basic football strategies and how offensive coordinators and head coaches try to out think the opposing defense.

The main thing that an offensive coordinator or head coach tries to do is play to the team’s strength when running an offense. not every team is blessed with great running backs, a great quarterback and great receivers. the truth is, many of the weaker teams have very few great players, if any at all. however, regardless of how strong or weak your offense is, you’re going to have areas that are better than others. You need to concentrate on those areas and make the best of them.

For example, if your quarterback is your strongest part of the offense, even if you don’t have the best receivers, use him to his fullest. Maybe he’s got an uncanny ability to find open men quickly. In that case you’ll want to concentrate on your pass game. But, you have to evaluate your offensive line. If your blockers are poor or just average, your quarterback may not have enough time to pull off long passes, unless he is a quick scrambler. In this case you’ll want to execute a short passing game. Maybe some quick outs to your tight ends or even your backs.

However, if you continually concentrate on one part of your offense, eventually the opposition is going to catch on and they’ll adjust and be ready for you. This is why you ultimately have to establish a run game if you’re strong in passing or a passing game if you’re strong on running. You must have a balanced attack or your strengths will be shut down quickly.

Another thing an offensive coordinator must do is mix up his game plan. A few times on short yardage situations he should choose a short pass over trying to run the ball. This will keep the defense off balance and guessing. You don’t want to do this too often as again, they will begin to look for it. same thing with long yardage plays. Occasionally you may want to sneak in a run play or maybe a reverse.

Some of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history have been trick or surprise plays. They don’t always work but when they do they are a sight to behold. They are certainly some of the most exciting plays to watch. Of course to be able to pull off these plays you have to have players who are capable of doing it. X’s and O’s on paper are one thing, but having players who can execute those X’s and O’s is a completely different subject.

This is why a good offensive coordinator is worth his weight in gold. Just ask Mike Martz if he’s had a successful career in football.

Football – Offensive Strategy