January 30th, 2013
The NASCAR Sprint Cup season officially starts February 24 with the Daytona 500. The premier race of the season is also one of the organization’s most exciting, with lots of pageantry events leading up to the race. The race is so highly regarded, in fact, that they frequently mention the number of Daytona 500 wins a driver has when speaking of each competitor’s record as a NASCAR driver.
NASCAR’s roots stretch back to the early 1920s. Land speed record seekers would often go to Daytona Beach, FL when looking to set or break a speed record. So many were sent there that soon the area became famous worldwide as the place to go for speed. Automobile racing, then, existed in this region for as nearly long as the automobile.
Stock car racing began when bootleggers (men who hauled illegal corn whiskey in heavily modified cars) would boast to each other about who had the fastest car. Soon impromptu races were being held along back roads and by-ways all over the South. It wasn’t long before small race tracks began appearing, and these unscheduled races became organized by promoters who saw a golden opportunity.
They would pay these “moonshiners” to race on their tracks on the weekends, and ticket sales were good to watch these expert drivers wheel their machines around the small dirt tracks and ovals. Every year the sport became bigger and bigger, and sponsors came in, bringing much larger purses. It wasn’t long before many of the old bootleggers gave up hauling whiskey during the week, concentrating on repairing and updating their old shine hauling cars into purebred racers.
And the sport continued to grow, with NASCAR securing deals for TV coverage, and having races all across the south, and along the northeastern seaboard. By the 1980’s, NASCAR had become a nationwide phenomenon, and races were being held at venues across the country. The backwoods racing teams had evolved into multi-million dollar organizations. Winnings continued to skyrocket and drivers were treated like rock stars wherever they went.
If you want to see why NASCAR is one of the most popular spectator sports in America, go to one of their many upcoming races and feel the raw excitement for yourself.
January 25th, 2013
The athletes of the NBA bring thrills and entertainment for the whole family to an arena near you.
One of the top drawing sports in the United States, the 30 member clubs of the NBA are frequently lauded as one of the premier sports attractions in the world today. As one of the four major sporting leagues in America, NBA players are the highest paid athletes in the world (based on the average annual salary of the players in the league).
The NBA got its start in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America, adopting the National Basketball Association moniker after merging with the National Basketball League in 1949.
In 1957, Bill Russell joined the Boston Celtics and went on to win eleven championships in 13 short years. 1959 saw the emergence of Wilt Chamberlain, and by the 1960s, he had become one of the most dominant individuals of the era. Russell and Chamberlain’s rivalry would go down in history as one of the greatest rivalries in American sports.
By 1967, however, the NBA had a threat to its dominance: the newly formed American Basketball Association. The ABA managed to grab some good talent from the midst of the NBA, including referees and coaching staff, but their time in the spotlight was destined to be limited, and soon the NBA was unrivalled in the world of American professional basketball.
By 1984, the NBA’s popularity was again surging, and with stars like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson, the league was rushing towards records in both attendance and TV ratings. Jordan’s Chicago Bulls would go on to be one of the most dominant teams of this era, with the Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers often competing for second place in the popularity department.
The modern era has seen a different style of powerhouse team emerge, one based not on the individual superstar, but one of exacting and flawless teamwork, exemplified by teams like Dallas Mavericks and San Antonia Spurs.
If you want to enjoy a great sporting event with family or friends, grab tickets for an NBA game. With exciting action and non-stop fun, the NBA will provide you with the thrills and spills of professional sports, at a price you can afford!
January 24th, 2013
Many thought that the New England Patriots would be heading to yet another Super Bowl. After yesterday’s performance against the Baltimore Ravens, they’re not. And while many thought that the 49ers would easily defeat Atlanta, they didn’t. The Falcons still fell, sending San Francisco onto the Super Bowl in a couple of weeks; but it wasn’t an easy win by any stretch. Now after all is said and done after yesterday’s games, it looks as though this year it will be a Harbaugh Bowl.
It was the 49ers and the Falcons that first took the field yesterday and by halftime, it looked as though the Falcons had it. Atlanta came out strong and was leading the scoreboard for most of the game. But with less than ten minutes remaining, Frank Gore put in a huge effort scoring a pair of touchdowns, and San Francisco was finally up. Colin Kaepernick also put in another solid showing. While he wasn’t given the chance for a touchdown, he did destroy the Falcons in the air, completing 16 of 21 for 233 yards, and throwing a 4-yard TD pass to Vernon Davis.
The win for the 49ers was a narrow one, with a final score of 28-24; but it was a big one for San Francisco. It will be the first time they’ve gone to the Super Bowl since 1995; and if they win, they will be the only franchise aside from Pittsburgh to win the Super Bowl six times. But first, they’ll have to get through the Ravens. And judging by the way Baltimore played against New England yesterday, that’s going to be tough to do.
Going into their conference championship game, everyone thought Baltimore was running on emotion and that they were going to run out of gas soon. But the Ravens would do anything to give Ray Lewis a Super Bowl finish in his last year. And they’d do just about anything to avenge last year’s loss against the Patriots in the very same game. Yesterday, they did both.
Baltimore was down 13-7 at halftime but came back in the third with a vengeance, outscoring the Patriots a whopping 21-0 in the second half to deliver a final score of 28-13. The Patriots meanwhile, just couldn’t get it together, giving up turnovers and ending plays in fumbles. Tom Brady even had two interceptions that contributed to the loss; just another indication that this is not the New England team we’re used to seeing.
The Super Bowl will be played in New Orleans on February 3, and it’s going to be an emotional one. While Ravens’ head coach, John Harbaugh, will be there, so too will his brother, Jim Harbaugh, who will be coaching the 49ers. It’s an outcome that many wanted to see, and is why this year’s Super Bowl gets the designation of being known as the Har-Bowl.
January 23rd, 2013
Come see the L.A. Lakers as they bring the fun and excitement of professional basketball to cities across the U.S. this spring!
The L.A. Lakers, formed in 1946, are one of the most well-known and popular franchises in American sports. Home games are played at the Staples Center, a world class facility that has all the amenities a basketball fan could want as he watches one of the most storied teams in sports battle it out with rivals for domination of the court.
The team got its start with the purchase of the Detroit Gems, a disbanded team, in 1946. After this, they began playing in “the land of 10,000 lakes”, and officially picked up the name “Lakers”. They were led to the finals 6 times by legendary players Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, but lost each time to the Boston Celtics, which were the beginnings of a long rivalry between the two clubs.
The won their sixth title in 1972, but it was their first after moving to L.A., and soon they had acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the most well-known basketball players to ever hit the courts. By the 1980s, the Lakers (by then known as Showtime for their fast offense) would win 5 championships in a 9 year span, which included their first ever finals win against their rivals, the Celtics, in 1985.
The Lakers hold the record for the longest winning streak, and have had sixteen hall of fame players play for them in their long and impressive history in the league. For of these hall of famers went on to coach the team, and four Lakers have taken the NBA MVPO award for a total of 8 times.
As of 2012, the Lakers were one of the most valuable franchises in the NBA with an estimated worth of over 900 million by Forbes magazine. If you want to see what real basketball is all about, then get tickets for yourself and your family to catch the Lakers! For the finest in sports, this team is hard to beat!
January 2nd, 2013
They started out the season with one of the best runs in the league; and they were quickly announced as favorites for the Super Bowl. But in the last month or so, things quickly turned around for the Chicago Bears; in the worst way at the very worst time. Even a win this past Sunday against the Detroit Lions couldn’t do much for them, after the Vikings won their game against the Packers and snatched away any hope the Bears had for the playoffs.
It’s the fifth time in their six past seasons that the Bears have missed the playoffs, but this year was especially disappointing after such a great start. About midway through the season though, when better teams such as the Green Bay Packers started playing in a more typical fashion, the Bears showed they still didn’t have the consistency to carry them through. Their offense struggled, especially in the past few weeks, and the 2013 playoffs will again pass them by.
So far, former head coach Lovie Smith has paid the biggest price for it, ending his nine year run with the team. Smith was only one of seven head coaches touchedby the firing frenzy this past weekend in the NFL.
But while the Bears and others are saying goodbye to the 2012-2013 season, many teams are still desperately trying to hang onto theirs. Cincinnati, Houston, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Seattle, Washington, Minnesota, and Green Bay are all playing their wild card games this weekend.
Meanwhile, other teams will be sitting pretty on a bye week awaiting their first week of the playoffs. Those teams are Atlanta, San Francisco, Denver, and New England.
January 1st, 2013
The Packers, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, are the third oldest franchise in the NFL. Formed in 1919, they are the only non-profit, publicly owned pro sports team in American football.
A Storied History
The Packers won their first championship after going undefeated in 1929 thanks to a record of 12-0-1, a feat which they would repeat 1930. During this time, the Packers would win 30 consecutive home games in a row.
Between 1935 and 1945 the Packers would win three more championships on the performances of Don Hutson, who claimed 18 different NFL records by the time he retired in 1945, and was one of the first inductees into the Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
In 1958, the Packers would see their worst season ever, a 1-10-1 season that stands today as the worst season in Green Bay’s history.
But 1959 was the beginning of the Vince Lombardi era, where the Packers had a miraculous turn. They would go on to be known as “the team” of the 1960s, winning five championships over a seven year stretch, which included the first two Super Bowls.
From the late 1960s to the early 1990s, The Green Bay Packers struggled to find any success on the football field. Out of 24 seasons, the Packers only had five seasons above .500, and only made it to the playoffs twice in this timeframe. Poor decisions by the coaching staff seemed to be the norm in this period, and the Packers burned through 5 different head coaches during these years, each one worse for the team than the last.
In the Modern Era
The Brett Favre era began in 1992, when the Packers received Brett from the Atlanta Falcons. Favre delivered the first win of the Packer’s 1992 season with a comeback victory over the Bengals of Cincinnati. Favre would end up breaking the record for consecutive starts by starting in 297 straight games, and didn’t miss a single game during his time with the Packers.
Tickets to see the Green Bay Packers take on the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wildcard game on January 5th, 2013 are on sale now. If you’ve never experienced the excitement of watching a pro football game in person, then this is the game you’ll want to see!
December 27th, 2012
It’s the last week of the regular season in the NFL and there are still a lot of divisional games that need to be played. Not to mention those two playoff spots that are still available. Without wasting any more time, here’s a look at the top games in the NFL this week.
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
The Packers have been a super hot team for the last few weeks, and there’s no doubt that they’ll be in the postseason. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for the Minnesota Vikings. They need this win if they want to make it to the playoffs, and they need it badly. If the Vikings lose this one they’re out. In order to take on one of the top teams in the league, quarterback Christian Ponder is going to have to be on point with every single step. And he certainly can’t allow any of the interceptions that he did the last time they two met. That time, the Packers won. This one may not be as do-or-die for Green Bay, but they’ll still likely emerge as the winners.
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
Did you have the Giants as a sure bet to get into the playoffs this year? If so, you may want to get your money back. The Giants came into the 2011-2012 season looking like the Super Bowl champions that they are; but they have taken a huge fall in the past few weeks. Not only do the Giants need this win desperately, but they also need Chicago, Dallas, and Minnesota to blow their games if they want to get into the postseason. Will that happen? The Giants know it needs to, and the Eagles are probably the best hope they have of making sure at least some of that plays out.
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins
Tony Romo has been playing a different game the past few weeks than he did all season long — he’s actually showing up and looking like a quarterback! If the Cowboys can pull this one out, it will clinch them the top spot in the NFC East, but it’s not going to be easy. Romo’s going to have to put in a spectacular performance right from the get-go, as an early jump start is the only hope Dallas has going for them. But the Redskins have not allowed many teams to do that this year, and RG3 has never looked better. Had this game been played earlier in the year, it would be easy to pick Washington to take it. Now though, the scene has changed, and this should be a great game to watch on Sunday night.
December 17th, 2012
Going into Sunday’s game between the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals, there wasn’t much of a story to be told. But Seattle crushed Arizona with a 58-0 victory, stunning everyone watching — and themselves too.
“I’ve never been involved where the ball falls your way every single time,” said Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman after the game.
And that it did.
The Seahawks were on point throughout the entire day, and right from the very start. The first four times they had they had the ball they scored, putting them up 24-0 in the second quarter, discouraging if you’re Arizona. After that they forced eight turnovers and four interceptions, two of which were fumbles on punt returns, and one recovered by Malcolm Smith for a touchdown. And it wasn’t long before the Cardinals knew it was over.
The Seahawks have been fairly consistent all season, but have been nearly unstoppable for the past few weeks. This win puts the Seahawks up to 6-0 when playing at home; and that puts them within shooting distance of going 8-0, something they haven’t done since 2005 when they went to the Super Bowl.
The win also gives the Seahawks their largest win margin in the team’s history. And although they’ve had large scores in the past, going into the game this weekend their biggest win margin was just nine points!
For Arizona on the other hand, it’s their ninth consecutive loss; a record they haven’t held since 1943 when the franchise was still in Chicago and they held an 0 for 10 record.
But the Seahawks will celebrate their big win for a short time.
Safety Earl Thomas said after the game, “It’s just a stepping stone. I think we’re getting hot at the right time. It’s getting late in the season, and we’re ready for this push to the playoffs.”
December 14th, 2012
The San Francisco 49’ers are surging to the forefront and they have made quite an impression this season, having earned nine wins, three losses and one tie. Now they’re gearing up for serious business with their upcoming game with the New England Patriots.
The 49’ers have played tough. During the recent game against the Miami Dolphins, they seemed to go in for a bit of overkill. Already with a strong lead, they polished up the fourth quarter with a near last minute touchdown, giving the team a 27-13 win. While a good team, the Dolphins have been mistake prone this year, plaguing them with more losses than they’ve had wins. The battle against the 49’ers simply buried the hatchet a little bit deeper.
The 49’ers have grabbed so much attention, that their game against the Seattle Seahawks, scheduled for December 23, has now been moved up to prime time, bumping out the intended coverage between the Chargers and the Jets, which just doesn’t seem that hot in comparison. With that added game, the 49’ers will be playing six prime time games for the season, three on Sunday night, two on Monday and one on a Thursday. The Seahawks’ score pad, with five losses, looks a little weaker than the 49’ers, but the season finale is still up in the air. December 16, they go up against the New England Patriots.
The Patriots have seven straight wins, and a ten wins total and have got their sights set firmly on the championship. While the 49er’s gently stomped the Miami Dolphins, they crushed the Houston Texans in their December 10th game. What happens next will be pure electricity. If the 49’ers win, that will give them a great edge and probably cause the Seahawks, who are still feeling optimistic, to tremble a little in their shoes. If the Patriots win, they have only one giant left to crush, and it isn’t New York. It’s the Green Bay Packers. Out of the big three, only one can stand victorious.
There is only one certainty. The game between the 49’ers and the Patriots will be a great game. The two teams, so evenly matched, are winding up for the season end, knowing that all eyes will be on them and both are determined to give it their all. Now is the best time to see live action as history unfolds in one of the most heart-stopping games of 2012.
December 13th, 2012
College bowl season can often seem pretty long. Especially during the arduous week or two when it seems none of the passing bowls seem to matter all that much. But while it’s still an excruciating week until that final national championship title game, going into the last week of bowls, we’re looking at a pretty good run. The Cotton Bowl, the Compass Bowl, and the Go Daddy Bowl are all up this week!
AT&T Cotton Bowl
Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma
January 4, 8:00 pm
Of course, we’re all looking at Johnny Football in this game; and rest assured, the Sooners are watching for him, too. After just winning the Heisman, we all want to see Johnny Manziel come out and crush it the way we all know he can. And that’s just what the Sooners need to be aware of. Given that this is also a point in time when Oklahoma’s defense has never been weaker, the Aggies are going to take this one.
BBVA Compass Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. Ole Miss
January 5, 1:00 pm
Packed between the two bigger bowl games in the upcoming days is the Compass Bowl. And while the teams may not provide that much excitement either, you need to take a closer look to see that this could be one of the best matchups of the entire bowl season. Both Pittsburgh and Ole Miss are doing extremely well on offense, meaning that there won’t be any shortage of action on the field. The Rebels have struggled more on defense than the Panthers, but they’ve also had an incredibly tough division to face — and have come out pretty well considering. This one’s going to be close.
GoDaddy Bowl
Kent State vs. Arkansas State
January 6, 1:00 pm
This will be another great game between two very evenly matched teams. Arkansas State’s strength rests in quarterback Ryan Aplin; while Kent has two of the best running backs in the country in Dri Archer and Trayion Durham. Neither team is as outstanding on defense as they are on offense, but this is also not an area in which either is lacking. If we were the betting kind, we’d give this one to Kent, simply because of the depth in their back line.
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