www.dual3.co.uk

Rick Grantham

Since hitting the court for the first time, the Duke Blue Devils have been major contenders in the world of NCAA basketball. Certain components have made them winners.

Since 1906, the Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team has mastered the art of slam-dunking the competition. In fact, only three other schools have earned a higher winning percentage: Kansas, North Carolina, and Kentucky. Other teams occasionally feature a star player or earn a spot in the NCAA tournament’s Final Four. However, the Blue Devils have consistently produced quality teams. Here are some of the keys to their success:

1. Coach Mike Krzyzewski

Since the 1980-1981 season, Krzyzewski has served as the general of Duke’s men’s basketball team. The numbers speak for themselves. His accomplishments at Duke include:

Rick Grantham

Fans of Florida State Seminoles football are familiar with basic facts regarding the team. However, you might not know these lesser known facts.

Are you a Florida State Seminoles fan? While Florida State has excelled in several sports, its football team in particular has become renowned. During its history, the football squad has won roughly two-thirds of all of its games, has won or tied 22 of 35 Bowl games, and has earned two national championships (1993, 1999). However, here are some lesser-known facts about the football program at Florida State:

1. Florida State was once West Florida Seminary

Football at West Florida Seminary started at 1899 (or earlier). Then in 1901, the school became Florida State College. The college won its first football state championship in 1904. Then in 1905, the school became a women’s college: The Florida State College for Women. Following the end of World War II, Florida’s university system experienced a rearrangement. For the first time since 1905, the newly-named Florida State University admitted men. Along with men, football returned to the university!

2. In 1995 and 1998 the Seminoles were co-conference champions

About 99.9% of Seminoles fans know that their favorite team has won two national championships: in 1993, and 1999. In 1993, Florida finished out the season with a 12-1 record (they lost to Notre Dame 31-24). Then in 1999, Florida earned a flawless 12-0 record.

In addition to their pair of national championships, Florida State has also won Dixie or ACC conference titles, 15 times (they were co-champions in 1995 and 1998). Except for 2005, when their final conference record was 5-3, the Seminoles lost a maximum of one conference game, during their other 14 division championship seasons.

3. FSU has played to two ties in Bowl games

Throughout its history, Florida State has an overall Bowl record of 20-13-2. The first tie was in the Gator Bowl (1967), against Penn State (17-17). Then in 1984, FSU would tie Georgia in the Citrus Bowl-by the same score: 17-17! Furthermore, FSU has never lost in a Gator Bowl, earning a total 5-0-1 record. Interestingly, Florida State has twice clashed with its intrastate rival, the Florida Gators, in Bowl games. In 1995, FSU defeated Florida 23-17 in the Sugar Bowl. However, in 1997, Florida had its revenge in the same Bowl game-dismantling FSU, 52-20.

4. Ed Williamson is the only Seminoles head coach never to win a game

NCAA fans would probably not be surprised to learn that Bobby Bowden has had a higher winning percentage than any other Seminoles coach in the school’s history has had. He has won roughly three-fourths of all his coached games. Meanwhile, Ed Williamson has the worst winning percentage: .000. Florida State won zero of five games under Williamson. Understandably, the Seminoles coach during the next season was NOT Williamson.

Throughout its history, Florida State University has produced numerous quality teams and players. Heisman Trophy winners Charlie Ward (1993) and Chris Weinke (2000) helped to lead FSU to their national championships. Who will be the next FSU all-star? Use Florida State Seminoles merchandise to cheer on FSU to a third national championship!

Rick Grantham is an avid sports fan. Most of Rick’s articles focus on w Michigan broncos merchandise. Many articles are related to ncaa college shop and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village.

Troy Macraft

Any additional training done for judo ought to be integrated into the judoka’s total training program and indeed his life. More does not always mean better in the context of physical and mental training.

The basis of the training process is stimulus (work done), adaptation (recovery) and improvement, but this is an oversimplification. An important concept anyone involved in sports training ought to understand is that of the General Adaptation Syndrome. This was a term coined by Dr. Hans Selye to describe the theory of biological stress. It offers a useful framework from which most training programs can be designed. Selye proposed a three-stage process which occurs when any living organism is placed in situations that alter its state of homeostasis, its normal physical, mental and emotional state. The stimulus he called a stressor and can take many forms. Any form of physical exertion from a five-mile run to a weight-training session is a stressor. But so too is an influenza bug, a mortgage or a bereavement.

In the case of exercise the stressor should have essentially positive results, the other stressors are more likely to be negative. However, what both stressors have in common is that they initially decrease the body’s capacity to cope with additional stressors. This stage is called the shock or initial alarm stage of GAS. This is followed by counter-shock or the resistance phase of GAS.

When the body has adapted to a given stressor its ability to cope with other stressors is improved too. This is termed cross-resistance and explains why a fit person recovers from an injury or illness quicker than an unfit person. However if multiple stressors, or high intensity stressors beyond the body’s ability to cope with are applied, counter-shock may not occur and deterioration into the third phase of GAS, which is exhaustion, may take place.

This is very easy to understand in terms of simple training overload - train too hard and you become exhausted and you must rest in order to recover. What people often fail to grasp, though is that as well as a specific response to stress, such as a muscle growing bigger and stronger as it adapts to being able to lift a heavier weight, there are non-specific responses to every stressor. Consequently when planning and analyzing training programs and workloads it is prudent to consider other stress factors in the judo player’s life.

Any number of things can adversely affect performance, but if overstress is suspected look for the following tell-tale signs: loss of appetite, weight loss, constant fatigue or ill-health, a succession of minor injuries, sleep disorders or even just a lack of interest in training. The quickest way to cure the problem, if it is a case of the exhaustion phase of adaptation, is to reduce the number of stressors and cut down on the training. In simple terms this can mean reducing the intensity and/or duration of your physical training, cutting back on overtime at work or even taking a holiday vacation.

Troy Macraft Judo Gi Ninja Weapons

Troy Macraft

The ninja were a group of assassins and spies who fought and hunted in the mountainous regions of Japan. This group was made of a collection of fundamental survivalists who created and practiced many survival techniques. This survival group propagated many legendary myths about themselves, which instilled great fear into their enemies. Those myths still exist today, reinforced by the popular movies like

Rick Grantham

There have been many outstanding NHL players in the leagues history. Here are five of the greatest of all time, including the “Great One.”

Do you know “The Great One”? In the world of hockey, that can only refer to Wayne Gretzky. While Gretzky has retired from the NHL, his skills and love for the game live on in today’s NHL teams, such as the Calgary Flames. While Gretzky was arguably the greatest NHL player in the league’s history, he is among the best of the best that have ever played professional hockey:

1. Wayne Gretzky

No “best of the best” list of NHL players is complete without “The Great One.” Gretzky’s accomplishments during his career include:

Rick Grantham

If you have heard the fight song “War Eagle,” then you have unmistakably witnessed an Auburn Tigers football game. Also known as the arch rival of the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Tigers have achieved enormous success in NCAA football.

If you have heard the fight song “War Eagle,” then you have unmistakably witnessed an Auburn Tigers football game. Also known as the arch rival of the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Tigers have achieved enormous success in NCAA football. That includes a 1957 ranking by the Associated Press, as the top football team in the nation. While Auburn’s legacy certainly involves a winning tradition, it is only one aspect of Auburn Tigers football:

1. A history of high rankings in polls

The numbers do not lie. Various polls have ranked the Auburn Tigers as one of the greatest football squads of all time. The Associated Press has ranked Auburn as #11, in its final AP Polls. Meanwhile, the College Football Research Group has ranked Auburn #14, in its list of all-time greatest college football teams. Furthermore, the AP Poll and Coaches Poll have ranked Auburn in their final list of top 20 teams, during 33 seasons. All of these statistics are particularly impressive, considering that currently 119 schools are included in the NCAA’s Division I-A. That places Auburn in the top 10% of final AP Polls.

2. One “official” national championship

As any dedicated fan of NCAA football knows, the term “national champion” has until recently, been somewhat disputed-due to the lack of a championship game, and split polls. Officially, Auburn claims one national championship team: the 1957 squad that finished the season with a 10-0 record. However, Auburn has had several outstanding teams throughout its history, which were not officially “national champions”:

Rick Grantham

Has your favorite NCAA football team played for 120 years? That is how long Penn State has been dominating the gridiron. Throughout the years, the team has maintained outstanding records, while undergoing changes of its players, coaches, and nicknames.

Has your favorite NCAA football team played for 120 years? That is how long Penn State has been dominating the gridiron. Throughout the years, the team has maintained outstanding records, while undergoing changes of its players, coaches, and nicknames. Most fans of Penn State and NCAA football are aware that Penn State has won two National Championships. However, that is only one indicator of the squad’s winning tradition. Other gauges include:

1. Coach Joe Paterno

Paterno is currently coaching the Penn State Nittany Lions in his 43rd season. For many Penn State fans, Paterno IS Penn State football. His accomplishments include:

Rick Grantham

What is in a football team’s name? Throughout the NCAA football season, we constantly hear the names of various teams as we watch games, learn scores, and manage our college fantasy football squads. However, we rarely think about the origins of various schools’ names. Here are some of the fascinating stories about some NCAA schools’ names:

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

In the history of NCAA football, Alabama has become one of the most successful teams. However, have you ever wondered about the history of the team’s name? Newspapers originally referred to the football name as “Crimson White.” This alluded to the school colors. It later became the “Thin Red Line.” However, in a 1907 game between Alabama and Auburn, the two teams battled in a sea of red mud. Thus, Alabama became the “Crimson Tide.”

2. Penn State Nittany Lions

We are familiar with mountain Lions, but what is the significance of Penn State’s “Nittany” Lions? It all began with a Penn State graduate named H.D. “Joe” Mason.

Mason became inspired after seeing a live Princeton tiger on its campus. A Penn State newspaper then sponsored Mason’s quest to choose a mascot for Penn State. The school ultimately chose a lion, and it is most likely the first college to have a lion as its mascot. The “Nittany” refers to the school’s location at the base of Mount Nittany. According to local Native American legend, Nittany (also Nita-Nee) was an American Indian princess.

3. Arkansas Razorbacks

Before they were the Razorbacks, Arkansas was the Cardinals. Students selected the mascot, due to the school’s colors of cardinal and white. The name “Razorbacks” originated from a talk that the first paid Arkansas football coach, Hugo Bezdek, made to the students of Arkansas. Bezdek gave the talk after the school’s seventh victory during the season. He observed that the team had played like a “wild band of Razorback Hogs.” The rest, as they say, is history. Starting in 1910, Arkansas had a new mascot: The Razorbacks.

4. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma has become renowned for its play on the gridiron. However, have you ever wondered what exactly a Sooner is? Prior to the U.S. government’s opening of regions in the Indian Territory for settlement, Sooners were actually people who entered the lands illegally. “Sooners” first referred to settlers in 1889 who moved onto the Oklahoma Lands prior to 12:00 noon on April 22, 1889.

5. Tennessee Volunteers

We all know what volunteers are. However, to which volunteers does the name of the Tennessee Volunteers refer? During the early portion of the War of 1812, Tennessee earned the nickname, “The Volunteer State.” President James Madison ordered General Andrew Jackson to enlist 1,500 volunteer soldiers from Tennessee. The troops were to battle Native Americans and the British, but they never fought during the war. General Andrew Jackson would later become the U.S. president.

Every fact we learn about NCAA football, can help us to appreciate it better. For instance learning the history of NCAA schools’ names increases our appreciation for their games.

Rick Grantham is an avid sports fan. Most of Rick’s articles focus on Tennessee volunteers merchandise gear. Many articles are related to NCAA College fan shop and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village.

Rick Grantham

Have you ever caught a pop-up fly ball at a Major League Baseball game? In the past, sports memorabilia mainly consisted of baseball cards. Today, however, a wide variety of items from all MLB teams, including the New York Yankees, is available. From replica helmets to cups, and from office supplies to Bobbleheads-you can find a wide variety of MLB memorabilia on the market.

For truly dedicated MLB memorabilia collectors, your next mission is to get a MLB autograph. This task can actually be easier than it might seem. However, it is important to follow some important guidelines:

1. Get organized

When the moment of truth arrives, make sure that you have your MLB sports memorabilia ready for a player to sign. Which types of pens should you use? Use ballpoint pens for autographed baseballs. Meanwhile, black or blue Sharpie

Rick Grantham

The Washington Wizards have already won one NBA Finals, as the Washington Bullets. Although the name has changed, the team plays to win another NBA Championship trophy for the city.

What is in a name? Today’s Washington Wizards have played as the Chicago Packers, the Chicago Zephyrs, the Baltimore Bullets, the Capital Bullets, and the Washington Bullets. Interestingly, however, the team’s name change did not include a change in the city that it represented. Today’s Washington Wizards are the same team as the Washington Bullets.

In 1996, the owner of the Washington Bullets, Abe Polan, chose to change the name of the NBA’s Washington team. That was due to the increasing number of homicides in the city, which began in the early 1990s. The Bullets feared that the name “Bullets” encouraged gun violence. Interestingly, the homicide rate peaked in 2006. Nevertheless, the franchise would ultimately choose “Wizards” over other finalists, including Dragons and Stallions.

The Washington Wizards played their first game with a new name, in new jerseys and shorts, and in a new arena (MCI Center) on December 2, 1997. It was a magical night for the Wizards, as they defeated the Seattle Supersonics 95-78. While the Wizards completed the regular season with a 42-40 record, they missed qualifying for the playoffs, by a single game.

Albeit the Washington Wizards have made four consecutive playoff appearances from 2005-2008, the team achieved its greatest success in the 1970s, as the Washington Bullets. During that decade, the Bullets won six division crowns, and appeared in four NBA Finals. In fact, the Bullets earned a spot in the NBA Finals, in each year that they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals (1971, 1975, 1978, 1979).

Unquestionably, the Washington Bullets’ 1977-1978 season was particularly memorable. The Bullets finished the season with a 44-38 record, and barely snuck into the NBA playoffs. They grounded the Atlanta Hawks (2-0), shocked the San Antonio Spurs (4-2), and then vanquished the Philadelphia 76ers (4-2). The Spurs series was particularly interesting. In Game 6, the Spurs’ player Mike Gale had to wear an inside-out Bullets jersey, after he had misplaced his uniform.

The Bullets would face the Seattle Supersonics in the NBA Finals. Washington battled back three times to tie the series. In Game 7, the Supersonics was a huge favorite over the Bullets. However, the Bullets played solid team-basketball, and earned their first NBA Finals, with a 101-94 victory.

Throughout their history, the Washington Bullets/Wizards have retired four players’ jersey numbers: