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NFL Free Agent Jeff Garcia Slams Oakland Raiders

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Veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia was released earlier this week by the Philadelphia Eagles, a victim of too many quarterbacks on the roster. Now that hes no longer under contract to a NFL team, hes letting his feelings be known about another one of his recent employers–the Oakland Raiders. In an interview with Fox Sports Radio in which he slammed the teams management and suggested that current quarterback Jamarcus Russell was in over his head.

Garcia started his comments with an observation that the team is putting too much pressure on their young quarterback:

„I have no problem going into a situation and helping a young guy out and really trying to help the team out overall more so than anything. I just feel like it’s an unfortunate situation when the entire work ethic and the entire goal of the team is really put upon one guy’s shoulder.“

Garcia continued to stress that Russell’s talent wasn’t the issue:

„When you put him on the field in a one-on-one workout session he’ll make every throw for you. But when it comes down to making things happen in the heat of the battle and rallying the troops around you and making a case for the team, that’s where maybe things aren’t where they need to be.“

Russell is currently suffering with a 39.8 pass rating–the worst in the NFL–and hasn’t shown much progress from game to game. Garcia went on to assert that the Raiders problems go much deeper than the inexperience of their quarterback:

„It was to a point where I felt like guys who walked through those doors that just were there to collect a check and not really interested in putting everything that they had within themselves on to the football field. And that was the frustrating thing for me to see.

„There were a lot of good young guys in that locker room who really want to do whatever it takes to win, but unfortunately it’s not everybody. In order to compete at this level in this game, everybody needs to be on board.“

„Maybe it’s because how things have been for a number of years now out there and they just don’t see the hope“

After Garcia’s release from the Raiders, coach Tom Cable insinuated that he had an issue with playing backup to Russell:

„There was some talk about how he would fit but the best way for me to approach it is the other two played so well and we are committed to JaMarcus as our starter. Whether or not Garcia was comfortable in a role as a backup, it is what it is.“

Ultimately, Garcia got to the point where he simply wanted out:

„To see the reality of the situation and realize what I may be up against staying here for the entire year, it hurt me, it broke my heart to do that to step up. But I just felt like it was something I really didn’t want to put myself through anymore.“

The 39 year old Garcia has started 110 games in the NFL in ten seasons after a standout career in the Canadian Football League. There’s a good chance you’ll see him back in action before the end of the year–though the Raiders are clearly no longer an option.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

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Lions Look To Regain Momentum With CFL Win Over Roughriders

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The BC Lions may have turned the corner after a disappointing 1-4 start to the CFL season. This past weekend, a clearly motivated Lions team defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 35-20. The Roughriders dropped to 3-3 in the early going in the CFL season.

Lions defensive end Brent Johnson said that the motivation for this game was simple–his team was just plain sick of losing:

„We were sick of losing. That was our only option – to win tonight. This was the must wins of must wins.“

Johnson led a fearsome Lions defense with three QB sacks. Overall, the BC defense combined for five QB sacks and three interceptions.

Lions running back Martell Mallett caught one touchdown pass, ran for another and generally made himself a problem for the Riders defense all night. After the game, he praised the play of his offensive line:

„We just went out there and executed. The offensive line blocked well. I was just hitting the holes. They opened it for me and I got in it.“

BC starting QB Buck Pierce had been hearing some criticism from the Vancouver media suggesting that he lose his starting spot. After the game, he spoke of the team effort in the win:

„I was very proud of our offence tonight. „The way we stayed poised, the way we moved the ball. Running and throwing the ball, we were very good.“

His Saskatchewan counterpart Darian Durrant blamed the loss on his teams lack of execution:

„It was frustrating. B.C. gave us plenty of opportunities to put more points on the board. We just didn’t capitalize.“

Despite the victory, Lions coach Wally Buono realizes that his team still has plenty of work to do:

„We have to play much better football than what we did. I saw the intensity that you need, I see the resilience and I saw some guys make some plays.“

BC now hits the road, traveling to Toronto to play the struggling Argonauts on Thursday. Saskatchewan will host the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and respected authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Marketing

Mark Coleman Cut From UFC

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Not too long ago, Mark Coleman headlined UFC 109 facing Randy Couture. Several days later, he’s apparently no longer good enough to remain in the UFC at all. On Wednesday, following a lopsided loss to Couture the UFC released Coleman from his contract and cut the veteran heavyweight. Coleman is now free to sign with any other promotion, but at 46 years of age his most likely-and most advisable-course of action is retirement. Fighters seldom do the ‚most advisable‘ thing, however, and his actual plans are unknown at the moment.

Coleman became the first UFC fighter to be cut immediately after headlining a PPV event. Others have left due to drug test failures or for other opportunities, but none have ever been cut from their contract. Sources close to the UFC suggest that it was a decision no one wanted to make, but that all felt was unavoidable due to Coleman’s age and deteriorating skills. Of course everyone knew of his age and deteriorating skills for awhile now, so the UFC’s baleful response is a tough act to buy.

While the fact that Coleman is a shell of the fighter he was at his prime, the UFC’s suggestion that they have his best interest at heart is somewhat duplicitous. He was kept around and booked into last Saturday’s fight–a fight that no one particularly had any interest in seeing in the first place–simply because he was a fighter that Randy Couture could beat. Were the UFC interested in the well being of their aging fighters there’s several others on the roster that should also be cut for the same justification as Coleman. Couture, Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell are all well past their prime but they’re still under contract and will all likely fight again. No one wants to *see* an endless parade of old timers into the octagon, but the UFC seems determined to shove their version of the ’senior’s tour‘ down the throats of the MMA fanbase.

Coleman’s age has never been a secret and his diminished skill level was evident to anyone who has watched his recent fights. If the UFC was really interested in his physical well being, the main event against Couture should have never taken place. The fight itself wasn’t exactly one that UFC fans had been clamoring for and one that met with derision from the MMA media from the time it was announced. The UFC has tried to hide behind a litany of excuses as their PPV buyrates have eroded including the economy and a spate of injuries but at the root of the problem is the hubris of the promotion and the misguided notion that whatever sort of substandard product they serve up will still be bought.

While retirement would be in Coleman’s best interest, he may attempt to fight in a smaller US promotion or in Japan where he’s well known from his time in PRIDE. He’s already a member of the UFC Hall of Fame with a 26-10 career record and has fought the best in the world including Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mirko Cro Cop.

Ross Everett is a freelance writer and respected authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Marketing

Miami Beats Bucs To Remain Undefeated In NFL Preseason Play

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Success in the NFL mandates that even when teams aren’t playing their best they need to find a way to win. The Miami Dolphins found a way to win ugly in their NFL preseason battle of Florida on Thursday night. After spotting the Bucs a 6-0 lead, Miami used a late first half field goal and scored the only touchdown of the second half to comeback for the 10-6 win. The victory improved Miamis preseason NFL record to a perfect 3-0 while Tampa Bay dropped to 1-2.

A starting QB battle in Tampa was the biggest storyline of the game and veteran Byron Leftwich appears to have gained the edge over Luke McCown. Bucs coach Raheem Morris has indicated that hell be making a decision soon, though he refused to show his cards in postgame media comments:

„Obviously you want somebody to jump up and take it. We’ll find out when we go back, look at the tape and evaluate this thing.“

McCown had a rough night and after the game gave a verbose no comment on his status as starter:

„It’s not for me to say. … My part in it is preparing every day, being the best I can be and getting better from my mistakes. As long as I feel like I’m doing that, then I’m OK.“

Leftwich, meanwhile, was 9 of 17 for 100 yards and came up big on several third down completions. He had very little to say about the ‚QB controversy‘ and instead focused on his performance:

„Hopefully, I’m the guy. I felt good. I missed a few, but I hit a few also. Luckily for me on the ones I missed, I made plays on the following play to get those first downs.“

Bucs running back Cadillac Williams returned to action after major knee surgery seven months ago. Afterwards, he said the knee problems of the past few years are currently not an issue:

„The knee is not an issue to me. … I feel great. I’m just loving what I do.“

The game had several delays due to rain and lightening, the longest a 45 minute stoppage Dolphins QB Chad Pennington said that its hard to evaluate his team’s performance due to the strange starts and stops:

„It was a very odd game for us, as far as the rain delay, a lot of stoppages of play and things like that We were able to come out get a score before halftime and get a score after the half. We’ll build on that. We’ll be critical of ourselves and make sure we don’t let a win overshadow what we need to do to get better.“

The Dolphins will conclude their NFL preseason play next Thursday against the Saints at New Orleans. Tampa Bay will host Houston next Friday in their final preseason contest. Miami will get the NFL regular season underway against the Atlanta Falcons at The Georgia Dome on Sunday, September 13. Tampa Bay will welcome the Dallas Cowboys to The Cigar City on the same day to kick off their 2009 campaign.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Marketing

Sweden’s Heavyweight Boxing Champ Ingemar Johansson

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Former heavyweight champ Ingemar Johannson died in a Swedish nursing home in January 2009 at the age of 76. He’d lived in the nursing home in his hometown of Kungsbacka since the mid’90’s when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia. No official cause of death was given, but Johannson had suffered a serious bout with pneumonia just prior to his death.

Johannson earned worldwide fame and superstar status in his native Sweden when he knocked out Floyd Patterson in’59. At the time, he was only the 5th heavyweight champion in history to be born outside of the United States. Johannson was a decided underdog heading into the fight, and made his victory even more improbable due to his lax approach to training. He was a fixture at Catskills nightclubs and bars during his training camp, frequently in the company of his comely blond ’secretary‘ or other attractive women. Patterson, meanwhile, was disciplined and regimented in his preparation for the fight.

His performance against the champ that night in Yankee Stadium shocked the boxing world“after a tentative first two rounds, Johannson floored Patterson with a short right early in the third. The champ never recovered and with no three knockdown rule in effect was knocked down a total of seven times before referee Ruby Goldstein called a halt to the proceedings and awarded the Swede the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.

Patterson would regain the title just under a year later, becoming the first man to ever regain the heavyweight championship. Patterson was on top of Johannson from the opening bell, and eventually knocked his opponent out cold in the fifth round with a devastating left hook. After the fight was stopped Patterson was more concerned with Johannson’s well being and cradled his vanquished foe’s head while medical staff attended to him.

The two men would fight again later in the year, with an exciting slugfest transpiring before the superior conditioning of Patterson took over. Patterson would put his opponent away for good in the 6th round. After that, Johannson fought only four more times against nameless opponents in his native country before retiring in’63.

Patterson and Johannson remained lifelong friends, and would travel to visit each other yearly until Patterson’s death in 2006. Johannson made a number of film appearances in Sweden, and spent time in Miami every year. He enjoyed good health well into his 60’s, until a variety of physical ailments took their toll.

Johannson was married and divorced twice, and is survived by five children. Ingemar Johannson enjoyed rock star like status in Sweden during his title reign, and will be remembered by the international fight community for his role in helping fuel the worldwide interest in the sweet science.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on NFL football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Photography

Waterproof Binoculars Are More Pricey, But Are Worth It

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Regular binoculars just aren’t made to stand up to the sea spray and harsh conditions found on the ocean. At sea it is virtually impossible to keep your binoculars completely dry, and it takes only a small amount of moisture to cause mildewing inside the lenses, thus affecting your ability to see clearly through them.

Waterproof binoculars are not simply made of a water resistant material such as rubber. Instead, the design of the internal components actually makes the binoculars waterproof. A hermetically sealed binocular is considered waterproof, while a nitrogen-filled binocular is also fog-proof.

Fogged lenses can be a problem for those of us who like to use their binoculars in cold weather, like at a football game or while out hunting in the fall. This is the time that binoculars can get fogged up inside. Lenses fog up when moisture enters the binoculars and condenses on the lenses. If you’re not going to use your binoculars in cold weather, then fog-proof binoculars aren’t important to you.

These binoculars resist getting fogged up inside because they are sealed off from the atmosphere outside and the inside is filled with nitrogen. Nitrogen gas provides a constant atmosphere in the sealed tubes of the binoculars. Because each tube is sealed, the nitrogen gas won’t escape and moisture won’t get in. Your lenses won’t get foggy.

You may have to pay a little extra for waterproof binoculars, so you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons for your situation. If you’re comparing a few different models, take into consideration that being waterproof is a plus, and maybe a deciding factor for you if you’re into boating or fishing or just being around water.

Most manufacturers have gone from using a single coating of some of the optics to having multiple special coatings for each piece of glass, lens and prism. This takes more time and care at the factory, and so the more coatings the better and probably the higher price binoculars. Get the best quality optics that you can afford and you won’t regret it. Objects will appear bright with optimal resolution, fine contrast and color accuracy.

Want to find out more about Olympus Tracker 10×25 Porro Prism Compact & Lightweight Binocular , then visit Ken Dragki’s site on how to choose the best Olympus Tracker 10×25 Porro Prism Compact & Lightweight Binocular for your needs.

Photography

Flash Photography Is Really Very Simple

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You can’t use conventional units with pocket cameras or instant cameras. These are not suitable for the high precision equipment. They are also not designed to have added external units connected to them. Hence camera flash units are best paired with digital cameras or standalone cameras.

You can’t use conventional units with pocket cameras or instant cameras. These are not suitable for the high precision equipment of a unit such as this. They are also not designed to have added external units connected to them. Hence camera flash units are best paired with digital cameras or standalone cameras.

Camera flash units are mounted on digital cameras that don’t come with independent or in-built flash units. These units are fairly effective for lighting a large area whether indoors or outdoors. It’s best to use this when you’re taking pictures indoors because the lack of lighting can make your pictures appear dim and lose focus.

If you are using and externally mounted flash unit you will also find that the harsh light of flash degrades your images. The way to resolve this problem is quite simple. Most external flashes have swivel heads allowing you to alter the angle of the flash head. By pointing up towards the ceiling and bouncing the light off ceiling it also diffuses the harshness of the flash. There is one little issue that may hinder this technique and that is the color of the ceiling.

If you are using and externally mounted flash unit you will also find that the harsh light of flash degrades your images. The way to resolve this problem is quite simple. Most external flashes have swivel heads allowing you to alter the angle of the flash head.

You can start by popping your built-in-flash and start firing, making sure that your shutter speed is slower than your Flash Sync Speed. Your camera flash meter will balance the exposure for you, so that you can concentrate on your subject and composition.

Looking to find the best deal on Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras , then visit us to find the best advice on Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras for you.

Photography

Which Lens Is Right For Your Camera

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The Canon EF 75-300 mm is actually the pioneering camera lens that is produced by Canon. It is the most saleable camera lens because of its main feature which is image stabilization. It has other top notch features, but image stabilization is its best and the one that distinguishes it from the rest. The lens, at its front, can also be rotated as it moves out if the photographer is trying to focus on an object that is very close. Many photographers today are using this particular lens for their work since the results they get look absolutely beautiful.

The first thing to consider when choosing your new lens is the focal length you want. The focal length is given in millimeters, and specifies whether the lens is a wide angle or telephoto. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

With a telephoto you’ll naturally get closer to subjects far away. Telephoto lenses are also preferred for portraiture as it protects the facial proportions better than a wide angle, and it is much easier to get a blurred background since telephoto lenses have less depth of field than wide angle.

With a telephoto you’ll naturally get closer to subjects far away. Telephoto lenses are also preferred for portraiture as it protects the facial proportions better than a wide angle, and it is much easier to get a blurred background since telephoto lenses have less depth of field than wide angle.

Wide-angle on the other hand is fine for nature photography when you can capture more of the landscape. They’re usually good both in brightness and depth of field, and are usually physically smaller and lighter than telephoto lenses. If you want this translated into compact camera language, you can just divide the largest number by the smallest, which in the 18-55 mm case gives a zoom of about 3x.

Some digital lenses like the Canon Wide Angle Lens ensure that the photographer gets a wide shot and does so even standing at a considerable distance. The shot is made to look very natural and no sign of blur can be spotted on the final layout.

Want to find out more about Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras , then visit Ken Dragki’s site on how to choose the best Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras for your needs.

Marketing

Broncos Avoid Winless Preseason With Win Over Cards

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The Arizona Cardinals haven’t looked anything like a Superbowl team in the NFL preseason. They entered their final exhibition contest against the Denver Broncos looking for their first win. Denver, likewise, has struggled in their exhibition games and the result was a contest between two teams with identical 0-3 records. The Broncos controlled the contest on both sides of the ball en route to a 19-0 shutout victory over the struggling Cards. Denver managed to improve their preseason record to 1-3, while Arizona ended the exhibition campaign winless at 0-4.

Arizona was installed as -3 road favorites, but NFL preseason bettors who backed Denver ended up collecting the money with the outright win. The Broncos scored 16 of their 19 points in the first half, and the eventual outcome“straight up or against the spread“was never really in doubt after that.

Denvers biggest issue has been injuries, with their starting QB Kyle Orton and backup Chris Simms both out of action. Orton is suffering from a cut and dislocated finger on his throwing hand, while Simms is recovering from a sprained ankle. That provided a great opportunity for rookie Tom Brandstater, and he may find himself playing next Sunday for real. Afterwards, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels was full of praise for his young signal caller:

„For a rookie quarterback, and I’ve had a chance to coach a number of them, he’s really done a nice job. It’s not too big for him, the game’s not too big for him, the huddle’s not too big for him. He operated with that first unit pretty good.“

Despite the talk that he may be the Broncos starting QB“at least in the short term“Brandstater is keeping it all in perspective:

„Things happen — just last week alone with the Kyle injury. That’s a pretty freak accident that no one can predict at all. I’m glad I got my shot and hopefully I did some good with it. I’m trying to make this team. I still haven’t guaranteed myself a spot in this team and I’m trying to do everything I can to make it just like every guy on the team is.“

Arizona played starting Kurt Warner and their first string offense for several series, but they were again ineffective. Cards head coach Ken Whisenhunt tried to put a positive spin on a winless preseason:

„We’ll clean it up. I still feel good about our football team and the way we’ve been working.

Kurt Warner, meanwhile, was just looking forward to starting the regular season:

„I never really felt like I got into a rhythm today for whatever reason. I’m looking forward to game-planning a team, putting in some plays and some things we’ve done in the past that we really haven’t done in preseason. I’m looking forward to all of that. But you still don’t leave preseason extremely excited about what we’ve accomplished.“

Arizona will try to put their dismal preseason behind them when they kick off the 2009 NFL campaign at home against the San Francisco 49ers. The Cards are a -6 point home favorite, with the total set at 46. Denver will play on the road against the Bengals at Cincinnati in their regular season opener. Cincinnati has been installed as a -4 home favorite with the total set at 43.

Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer experienced in travel, casino gambling and NFL football handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, falconry and scuba diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.

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Detroit Lions Name Rookie Stafford Starting QB

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Matthew Stafford has yet to play a regular season NFL game and hes already the Detroit Lions starting quarterback. First year coach Jim Schwartz named Stafford as his starter for the teams opening game of the NFL regular season against the New Orleans Saints. Stafford beat out veteran Daunte Culpepper for the spot, though Schwartz went out of his way to stress that the rookie won the job as opposed to Culpepper losing it.

In announcing Stafford as the starting QB for the Lions, Schwartz made clear that hes very confident with his personnel at the position:

„I’ve had a lot of very tough decisions in the last few days — guys making the 53-man roster or not making it — but none more difficult than at quarterback. We announced to our team this morning that Matt Stafford is going to be our starting quarterback.“

„I’m very, very comfortable with the quarterback position here, not just one and two, but also three. What made this decision difficult was that I think we can win with Daunte Culpepper, I think we can with Matt Stafford, and I think we can win with Drew Stanton.

Stafford indicated that while hes always been confident that he’d get the nod there was still a lot of uncertainty up to the time Schwartz made the announcement:

„I definitely thought I was going to be the guy, but as competitive as Daunte is, I’m sure he thought he was going to be the guy, too. Coach Schwartz called me in this morning and told me, and I went out and practiced with the first team. That was exciting.“

Stafford stressed that hes not just happy to be in the NFL“he wants to win:

„I’m going to try to win football games. I think, just like everyone else on this team, that we can go out on Sunday and be competitive against the Saints and give ourselves a chance to win the game. That’s our job.“

Schwartz said that he plans to give his quarterback the opportunity to work through rookie mistakes:

„This isn’t an internship. This isn’t a trial basis. He’s our starting quarterback. We said that, to win the job, he had to be ready, and he had to be our best quarterback, and that’s what he has shown.“

He also praised Culpepper:

„Daunte Culpepper is back — there’s no doubt in my mind and there’s no doubt around this league. He’s going to be back as a starting quarterback in this league, and with a high level of success.“

Culpepper didnt speak to the media, but that wasnt a surprise since he never speaks to the media. Stafford, meanwhile, had some kind words for his backup:

„I’m sure it is tough for him, but Daunte’s been great for me and he will continue to be. I can’t think of a better guy to learn from and to have in my corner.“

The Lions will start the NFL regular season at New Orleans on Sunday. Theyll play the following two games at home, hosting the Minnesota Vikings in week #2 and the Washington Redskins on Sunday, September 27.

Ross Everett is a respected freelance writer experienced in travel, casino gambling and NFL football handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and deep sea diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.