1. The Lombardi Trophy Curse

   Who was Affected?
   

   Every NFL team since 1970.

   What Happened?

   In 1970 Vince Lombardi died, and the NFL renamed the championship trophy in his honor. According to Aslam Rawoof, no team nor head coach shall ever hold aloft the Vince Lombardi trophy as NFL world champions more than two consecutive seasons.
   
   In 47 years, no team has done it although some have won two in a row, and one player has one three in a row (Ken Norton JR) although on two different teams.

   Severity of the Curse

   
   
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   Seeing as how to get this “curse” you have to win two previous Super Bowls, this is the weakest curse I have ever heard. It probably feels the same way you feel when you stub your toe.
   

2. The 1993 Runner Up Curse

   Who was Affected?

   Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia Phillies, Buffalo Bills, University of Michigan (Basketball), University of Notre Dame (Football).

   What Happened?

   The Philadelphia Phillies lost the world series in six games to the Toronto Blue Jays. Not only did they lose the world series, they are the only team to lose the world series outside of America. The shame of losing in Canada, to Canada in Baseball was too much for the Phillies it seems, seeing as how they never even made it back to the playoffs until the 2007 National League Division series, in which they were quickly swept by the Colorado Rockies.
   
   The Notre Dame Football team had all but locked up their national title birth. In a battle of unbeaten teams, Notre Dame beat Florida State to become the top ranked team in the nation, yet Florida State remained in second place. All Notre Dame had to do was beat Boston College and they would be on their way to the national championship. Notre Dame lost, where denied a chance at the title, and have not been anywhere near one since.
   
   The Buffalo Bills were known for losing the Super Bowl by the time the 1993-1994 NFL season got underway, having lost the last 3 Super Bowls in a row. That did not stop them from trying to do it again though. After losing handily to the Cowboys in the Super Bowl the year before (52-17), they got their chance for revenge when they met again the next year. The Cowboys again pounded them (30-13) and the Bills have not been back since.
   
   The Phoenix Suns entered the NBA Finals with 62 wins and regular season MVP Charles Barkley. The Chicago Bulls entered having won the previous two NBA Finals and with legendary badass Michael Jordan. The series was odd, with the home team losing every game besides game four. The Bulls won in six games for the three-peat.
   
   The Los Angeles Kings first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals was also their last trip. Playing against the Montreal Canadians featuring Wayne Gretzky in his last Finals appearance, the Los Angeles Kings where embarrassed. They lost four games to one.
   
   Michigan Mens Basketball team played North Carolina in the NCAA Championship. With 11 seconds left in the game and only down by two points, Chris Webber of Michigan got double teamed and called a time out. This, it turns out, was a bad idea because Michigan had no time-outs left. The gaffe resulted in a technical foul, which sealed the win for North Carolina.

   Severity of the Curse

   
   
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   While it is impressive that it has happened to every team in major American sports that was the runner up that year, the curse is only 15 years old. As far as sports curses go, this one would be the equivalent of carpal tunnel syndrome.
   

3. The Curse of Barry Bonds

   Who was Affected?

   The Pittsburgh Pirates

   What Happened?

   The Pittsburgh Pirates where the home of one of the most prolific home run hitters of all time from 1986-1992. Before his steroid allegations arose, and back when he looked like this:
   
   
   
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   And not this:
   
   
   
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   He was beloved by the fans. For the Pirates, Bonds won two National League MVP awards, golden gloves, and silver slugger awards. The Pirates won the National League Eastern Division title three times in a row and came within one out of going to the World Series. After the 1992 season, Bonds left as a free agent and signed with the San Francisco Giants for a then record $43.75 million.
   
   With the Giants, Bonds won five more MVP awards and broke the single season and career home run records. The Pirates have had 15 consecutive losing seasons since Bonds left, one shy of the Major League record held by the Philadelphia Phillies.

   Severity of the Curse

   
   
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   As of the time of this writing, the Pirates are 44-54 with 64 games remaining. More than enough time to break .500, if they weren’t forever cursed that is. Another relatively new curse, yet caused by the loss of a loved one, puts this at non fatal STD level.
   

4. The Cleveland Curse

   
   
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   Who was Affected?

   Every major sports team in Cleveland.

   What Happened?

   There does not seem to be any apparent cause to this curse according to my research, so I am just going to say that it was a crazy Gypsy. According to the legend I am now creating, at the 1964 NFL Championship game, a crazy Gypsy bet it all on Don Shula and the Colts (led by Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas) to beat the Cleveland Browns. The Browns won 27 to 0, and the Gypsy let out a loud yell, “LOOOOSER”.
   
   Since then, no major Cleveland sports team has won a Championship. The Indians last won a world series in 1948 and the Cavaliers have never won an NBA Championship. Not only have they not won titles, they have been the victim of some of the greatest sports stories of all time.
   
   Remember “The Catch”? How about “The Drive”, “The Shot”, or “The Fumble”? All of these things happened against a Cleveland sports team.

   Severity of the Curse

   
   
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   To have one team cursed for over 40 years is bad enough, to have all the main teams in your city cursed that long is maddening. Add that to the total smack in the face of all the amazing plays that went against them, and you have the makings of some severe depression or alcoholism, or both. This curse is as bad as when a cop gets shot one day before retirement.
   

5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Curse

   Who was Affected?

   Anyone who has lost to the Buccaneers in the NFL regular season.

   What Happened?

   The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are considered to be one of the worse teams in NFL history. Prior to 2003 they had never won a Super Bowl, returned a kickoff for a touchdown, or won a road playoff game. Since then they have done all of those things, but where founded in 1976. That iss over 25 years of torment and ass hattery, including being the only NFL team to lose every game in a season since the merger. That is, except for the dubious honor of never allowing anyone they beat in the regular season to win the super bowl. If they can not be there, and you are bad enough to lose to them, then you probably do not deserve to be there either.

   Severity of the Curse

   
   
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   Not going to the Super Bowl in itself is hard, knowing that you lost to the Buccaneers as well must be even harder. This curse is the equivalent of getting kicked when you'’re down.

A list of important equipment used in the game of golf is as follows:

• Golf clubs, such as “putters”, “woods”, and “irons”, which come in different varieties for different types of shots
• Golf balls, made of two to four layers of synthetic material and covered with 300-400 dimples to enhance the ball's aerodynamics
• Golf tees, a generally wooden or plastic object pushed into the ground, with a nail-like design; players place the golf ball on the top of the tee before the first stroke to make for an easier take-off

The golf ball was originally a small pebble, struck by a stick during play. The first man-made golf ball was a thin leather bag stuffed with feathers. 1898 marked the creation of the first rubber-cored golf ball. Seven years later, a golf ball manufacturer realized that if a ball was scarred, it traveled farther than a smooth one. This discovery led to the introduction of dimpled golf balls. Since then, different dimple designs have been patented, but the plastic and rubber contents of the golf ball still remain constant.

The earliest golf clubs were fashioned entirely out of wood. As the golf ball evolved, however, golfers worried less about damaging the ball, and iron heads could be used. Before the 20th century, all golf clubs had a wooden shaft, whether the heads were made of iron or wood. In 1920, the first American steel-shafted clubs were introduced. After 1930, specialty golf clubs began to emerge (such as sand wedges, used to shoot the ball out of a sand pit). In the early 1970s, golf clubs with shafts of fibre-reinforced composite materials were developed, but these shafts were expensive and too flexible. After a few years, stronger fibres replaced the originals, increasing the popularity of these kinds of clubs.

A golf tee is simply the name for the spot where the golfer makes their first stroke towards a hole. Originally, a tee was a mound of sand meant to keep the ball above ground level. The first portable tee was invented in 1889, made of rubber with three prongs that held the ball in place before the swing. This tee was not meant to be inserted into the ground. However, in 1892, the first tee designed to be pushed into the ground was invented; this tee was made of rubber, but also had a metal spike. In 1897, a similar tee was patented, but this one had a cup-shaped head to better hold the ball. Other patents have been issued for tees made of different composite materials; for example, a biodegradable resin was used to make a golf tee in 1991.

In 2004, the United States Golf Association and the Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrew's amended the official rules of golf for both clarity and ease of play. Among these changes was a new definition for “tee”. Relating to this new definition, Rule 11-1 introduced a new penalty of disqualification for using a tee not described in these new classifications. This includes any tee longer than four inches, even though newly-patented tees may exceed this measurement.

Since 1947, when the PGA of America began awarding the Vardon Trophy (for best yearly average) using the scores themselves rather than a points system, a steady trend has emerged. Between 1951 and 1987, the majority of winning averages were between 70 and 70.85. In the years between 1988 and 1996, the average winner's results were approximately 69.35. However, the more recent scores have improved; the average winning score between 1997 and 2005 is 68.62. In fact, the lowest average score on record was achieved within those 9 years (67.79 by Tiger Woods in 2000). The invention and improvement of equipment has surely aided these great golfers, as well as any other person enjoying this sport today.

Many people may enjoy the sport so much they want to try to get into it. These people are having many accidents, but we are to focus on the riders in Moto GP. It is easy to find that many incidents happen within the sport and why wouldn't they? These people are chasing each other around a circuit at fast speeds. Wikipedia mentions when speaking on one specific rider that, “He was somewhat unlucky, as his accident rate was far lower than many competitors.” Therefore we can indeed tell that many competitors do break bones in their attempt to just qualify for the championship.

The Italian professional motorcycle racer that was named Valentino Rossi on February 16th 1979 has encountered accidents, not just from being on a motorcycle. This multiple Moto GP World Champion had two friends die from being in a car accident. This was not what a professional motorised vehicle rider would find beneficial to their mental stability for the sport. Rossi had an accident himself and said, “After seven podiums in a row I made a mistake today - this is racing!” In this accident he was diagnosed with three fractures in his right hand. 

If anyone had an accident in day-to-day life then the impact would be a disturbance to their life. If someone dropped a precious vase, the vase would break. The repercussion that this woud have is that the vase would not be available to use, the emotional impression on the owner would be vast. If you were to break an arm then the impact would be a disturbance to your life still, but this impact will affect all your life. No use of that arm whilst it is getting better means you may be restricted at work and at home. If the accident is such a big matter to people who don't specifically need to the use of their arms, then we can imagine how it would impact the riders.

 Mich Doohan broke his leg qualifying and the repercussion was he retired. He may well have been thinking of doing so for quite some time before, but the impact of the accident made him retire sooner. So the riders who have accidents rely on their health being at its best. Due to the racing being a sport, any person who plays sport needs to be able to athletic enough to accomplish the race or whatever sport they may be participating in. Rossi had an impact from the death of his two friends, and he also had to deal with what the fractures meant for him when he had an accident.

Moto GP is a sport that is dangerous, the riders put their selves in danger for the pleasure of the chase and the win. They ride for the viewers' enjoyment of the race. But we need to think that their lives are at risk each time they race. This surely is daunting to think about, because if they falter then not only will they get physically damaged they are also going to lose out on a career. They could like Doohan, retire due to not being able to do their job. As I mentioned they do need to be at their best health to ride, as they are athletes really. The impact on their lives are greater, do we enjoy their race even more due to this or is this something to become motherly about? Scary thought, and to think that people also enjoy watching people's accidents specifically. My guess is that they do not realise how these impact the person having this accident.

To conclude, accidents can happen all the time and impact everyone's lives. Rossi's friends that died tragically in the car accident had some form of impact on him. Such a happening would have a major influence on anyone no mater their career. It is important to remember that people such as Rossi have to deal with these unfortunate events to regain a string mind for their jobs sake. The win of the race could depend on it. Moto GP is not a safe sport to play, at high speeds that are gradually being allowed to get faster as well, the riders are taking everything into their hands and the other riders when racing. Is it a good gamble? An incident could change all that they knew and know.

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South Africa has celebrated many victories over the last few years, including the fall of Apartheid and the rise of the New South Africa under the reign of the ANC (African National Congress party).

Sport plays a large role in the lives of many South Africans, and recent accomplishments in the sports arena include South Africa's rugby team, the Springboks, winning the Rugby World Cup twice.

Soccer and football fans can now look forward to a good show with the FIFA 2010 World Cup, as honed athletes from around the world battle for the trophy on the playing field.

South African nationals anticipate an economic boom during the World Cup, and an increase in the hospitality and tourist trade as a result of the games. Read more about that here.

However, South Africa has struggled in the past with crime; in airports, on the streets and in homes. The SAP, South African Police, say that they are "ready for 2010", planning to deploy more than 41,000 police officers to ensure the safety and security of the public during the World Cup. See here.

South Africa's current transport systems are not admirable in comparison to those of Europe or other First World nations such as America or Australia. Travelling to and from the games, or to and from tourist attractions may prove difficult for many visitors who plan to rely on public transport systems. Congestion on the main highways is already an issue with only the locals utilizing the roads at this time.

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South Africa has recently suffered a series of power shortages resulting in sporadic power cuts. Local communities fear they will have to suffer power outages in order for the stadiums and the surrounding areas to be lit during the games. Business owners anticipate a difficult time in which power cuts and transport struggles create a difficult working atmosphere for employees.

Plans for the 2010 Fifa World Cup are in progress. Hopefully the next two years will see a positive change within South Africa, as locals work to prepare themselves for the estimated 3 million people who will be visiting the sunny tip of Africa.

Private Seller

Some people needs quick cash for the emergency case, if you lucky enough you can get a sport bikes at the cheapest price from this people. This Private Seller are forced to sell their sport bikes very cheap for the emergency case. However, please be aware of the quality issue.

There is one negative factor with this option, once you purchase the bikes, you no longer to complain or get refund from the seller.

Auction

Auction is one of the options you can check it out for the cheap sport bike. It is because some good sport bike can be purchase at the cheapest price here. The downside of auction is buyer cannot test-drive the bike and people buy bikes “as they are”.

Model That No One Wants

You must remember that not all new sport bikes are fulfilling the market. Some of the sport bikes model cannot grant the market if the model is out of date. The good news is for buyer, once it happens buyer can have an opportunity to get this new model sport bikes at the attractive price.

Bike Exchange

This option needs some effort from you to carry out a little research on the Internet. Generally, Bikes Exchanges Centers do advertise their sport bike offer at the reasonable low price. Your dream sport bike can be yours since the market for cheap sport bike is a buyer market.

Everybody agree, sport bikes are expensive compare to regular bikes. However, buyers can effort to give a try the above four option for value of their money. But the quality of sport bike also should be given priority beside the price in order to get a good quality and cheap sport bike.

One of the most attractive aspects of the game is that anyone with a Frisbee and some time to kill can play. Those of us that play seriously have sport discs that are very aerodynamically efficient and specialized, but if you and your buddy or child both dig an old Frisbee out of the closet and go out to play, it is an even match, equipment-wise. A round usually take about two hours, at the outside, and takes you up and down hills (depending upon the local terrain), and through the woods, with plenty of time for conversation and communing with nature while you search for errant throws in the aforementioned woods. And you will throw it into the woods.

The reason I say this with such cynical certainty is that a flying disc is a wing, and flies like one. Various sports that involve using a ball as a propelled object do take aerodynamics into account, but a ball is a projectile, like a bullet. A thrown disc is subject to the same considerations as any wing, plus a few extra that involve a gyroscope. Force, spin, wind direction and speed, angle of the disc, and choice of disc all come into play. With this many factors, even the best players have the occasional errant throw.

The Golf Disc

The discs used by disc golfers are similar to the old Frisbees you used to throw at the lake the way that a Piper Cub is similar to an F-16 Fighter Jet. The Cub is user friendly and more forgiving to beginners, but of limited range and capabilities. The golf disc is fast, long range, and difficult to control. Thrown properly, they can fly a great distance, fly a curved path either right, left, or in an “S” curve, be skipped, slid (when thrown upside-down) under overhanging foliage, or rolled for even greater distances than most people can throw one.

There are many types of discs, but they break down into three basic types: long-range drivers, mid-range driver/long approach discs, and putters. Drivers are thin on the edge and cut the air very efficiently, enabling you to throw them for long distance, sometimes even in the appropriate direction. They are harder to control because of this thin edge, and the angle of the disc coming out of your hand and amount of spin are crucial to proper control.

The mid-range drivers have a higher profile (read: thicker lip) that makes them easier to control, but reduces the distance that they can be thrown. An experienced Disc Golfer can still throw one far enough to reach most holes. If they were restricted to only one disc for a round of play, a disc of this type would be most golfer's choice.

Putters most clearly resemble what most people think of as a flying disc. They are shaped like a Frisbee on steroids; the same basic profile, but thicker and made of heavier plastic. They are easy to throw and to control, but cannot be thrown for great distance. They are mainly used for short approach shots, situations where a great deal of accuracy is called for, and, of course, putting. This is the best disc for most beginners to learn the game with.

The various types of discs and their differences in flight characteristics are one of the main appeals of disc golf. Even within drivers, there are many different types. One disc will hold a straight line longer than another will before going left, or another may be more effective against a head wind. Since everyone throws a little differently, the discs react a little differently to various throwing styles. The merits of different models of discs are debated among disc golfers the way that oversized drivers, for instance, are debated about by ball golfers.

Another interesting characteristic of golf discs is that, as discs incur damage due to use and the hitting of trees, rocks, etc., their flight characteristics change. Most new discs are what we refer to as “stable.” This means that the flight path of a disc will turn toward the left when thrown with clockwise spin, and right when thrown with counter-clockwise spin. For example: A disc thrown in the traditional “backhand” manner will go left at the end of its flight. A disc thrown in the same manner with the left hand will go right. Even when the throw is angled to go in the other direction, a new disc will try to turn to its stable side. But as the discs get minor nicks and dents on the edge of the flight plane, they start to lose that stable tendency. We call this condition “beat;” meaning that you can turn the disc and it will hold a line without coming back to its native direction.

Once a disc starts to get “beat,” you can make it go from left to right with a backhand throw. Since some holes are straight, some are left to right, and some are right to left, this is a valuable quality. It means that you can get close to the pin with your strongest throw, even if the design of the hole goes against that throw's natural (stable) direction. Make a disc golfer choose between his brand new driver and his best turnover disc, and he will usually take the latter, because it is harder to replace.

The other way to reach a pin that turns in the opposite direction of your native throw is to throw sidearm (similar in motion to a sidearm baseball throw), which spins the opposite direction of a backhand. This throw is harder for most people to master than the backhand, but a very handy skill to have, both because of the change of direction of the flight, and to escape from a bad lie in the woods, where your backhand may be blocked by trees and other obstacles.

The first time that you throw a golf disc, regardless of how well you are coached otherwise, it is going to veer left and hit the ground about fifty feet in front and twenty feet to the left of you (assuming that you are right handed). This is because we were raised throwing Frisbees. This is easily corrected, and soon you will be able to get the disc in the general direction you desire. Next you will try to throw further, and in doing so will aim the disc higher, now ending up seventy-five feet away and fifty feet to the right. This is also easily corrected. To throw a golf disc further, you throw a little higher and a lot harder. It is a wing, remember? With some decent instruction and a little patience, you will be throwing for reasonable distance and accuracy fairly quickly, and much faster than it takes to get the hang of driving a golf ball.

I play with about fifteen discs in my bag. Most pros carry from ten to sixteen, but there is no maximum number. You are limited only by your ability to transport them around the course. A reasonably good round can be played with one disc, and beginners should probably start with no more than three or four. I have a slightly “beat” midrange driver that I carry in my briefcase on one-day business trips when there is little likelihood of playing, but the possibility still exists. I have found that I can play to within about four or five strokes of my average on most courses with it, and closer than that on older, shorter courses. A golf disc usually costs about seven to twelve dollars, and can be purchased at better sporting goods stores, through local clubs, from one of several mail-order distributors, and at some courses and recreational centers or park offices.

Many ball golfers go their whole life without a hole-in-one. Almost every serious amateur and virtually every professional disc golfer has at least one hole-in-one, or “ace,” to their credit. The odds of hitting a basket thirty inches wide with chains around it from three hundred feet away are statistically much higher than hitting a ball with a club into a three inch hole from 180 yards. One of our local pros is striving to match his age with his total number of aces. The count is at thirty-six and thirty-four currently.

The Course

Disc golf courses are found nationwide. There are over eleven hundred courses in about forty-five states. Most are in public parks and free to play, some require a few dollars for a parking or green fee, but none are prohibitively expensive. Because of the grassroots nature of course development, there is tremendous variation in style, length, and layout of the courses. Course designers are often competing with other sports and activities for space, and do not have the financial backing that a ball golf course commands, so creativity and adaptability are essential. The up side of this is that there are some very picturesque and unusual holes out there.

Holes on a typical disc golf course usually run about 100 to 150 yards, but this varies greatly from course to course. They may be a short as 50 yards, and longer than 300. The configuration, or “shape” of a hole may involve right turns, “S” curves, or narrow windows through trees or other obstacles through which the disc must be thrown to get near the pin in a reasonable number of strokes. Elevation plays an important part on some courses, as does water and other out-of-bounds areas. A good disc golfer can throw 100 yards with reasonable accuracy, while bringing the disc toward the pin from right or left. Many professionals can throw 150 yards or more with consistent accuracy. Think of standing on the last line of the end-zone of a football field and throwing a field goal on the other end, and it will give you some idea of the power and skill these players possess.

Disc golf is a sport for any age or gender; it provides a reasonable amount of exercise, a disproportionate amount of fun, and can be played with your children without having to hear all those insipid references to Tiger Woods. More serious play and competition is easily found, and there is tournament play for both amateurs and professionals on a local, regional, and national level. Disc Golf is a great day in the park, you don't have to be six-foot six and two-forty to play it well, and it can be played in cut-offs and tee shirts. It is relatively inexpensive, amazingly addictive, and easy to get reasonably good at. What more could you ask?

In the Augusta area we have four excellent disc golf courses; at Pendleton King Park, at Lake Olmstead, and Riverview Park in North Augusta. There is also a course in Columbia county at Patriot's Park. The courses in a given area may be found by using the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) Course Guide. The Augusta Disc Golf Club may also be helpful. We welcome questions, new members, and traveling disc golfers. We also host an annual tournament whose proceeds go to Special Olympics, and welcome sponsorship from businesses or individuals.

 

4-4-2:

This has much to do with Alf Ramsey, who snubbed the more popular 4-2-4 formation in favour of a 4-4-2. The reason behind this was because it was felt that England did not possess strong enough central midfield players to play two in the middle. As such, England became the "wingless wonders" and won the World Cup in 1966 using the formation.

Now, it is one of the most widely used formations in the game today. Popular for its flexibility, which allows for fullbacks and wingers to attack or defend appropriately.

3-5-2:

This formation is also very widely used. Unlike the 4-4-2 it plays three centre backs that tend to occupy the penalty box, and does not have wide defenders. The extra midfields, with the two wide players can drop back to give defence cover. Alternatively, an attacking midfield player can be pushed up behind the two forwards to link them with midfield.

Used a lot in Germany, also became more famous in Italy with the Italians using the sweeper as extra defensive cover. Inter Milan used it, and won the European Cup in 60s.

3-4-3:

This formation is popular in Holland, who created it as part of their total football philosophy. It's an attacking formation, and allows for an extra player pushed forward. With two wide midfielders to support, this can mean goals!

Alas, the 3 centre backs also provide reasonable defensive grounds. But generally, teams that play this will be more vulnerable at the back.

4-5-1:

Has grown more popular in recent times. It is defensive, with only one player put in attack. The midfield is packed, and will be more able to support the lone striker with a midfield pushed up a little behind.

With 4 at the back also, the team has more of its players inclined to protect the goal and can be very difficult to score against. Likewise, with fewer attackers, the team will probably score fewer goals. Usually, can be suited to a long-ball or direct play with the ball kicked forward straight to the 1 forward.

4-3-3:

This is a more attacking formation, which sacrifices a mid-field player for an extra attacker (from 4-4-2). When seeking goals coaches might just force a player further up the pitch, with a touch more defensive risk. Alternatively, it can be changed to a 3-4-3 easily enough.

5-4-1:

The super defence system. Plays 3 centre backs, with 2 fullback, at the back and also has suitable midfield protection. Only 1 attacker will not have great support, so the formation is regarded as negative, and there only to stop teams scoring. But used wisely, it can win matches.

Those are the most widely used formations. Teams sometimes change formations during a game to suit circumstances, if for example a player is sent off. Keeping formation can sometimes be a challenge to some poorly organised teams. And sometimes, inappropriate formations are blamed more than team players for poor results. As such, their importance in modern football should not be underestimated.

The Boston Celtics organization virtually did what outstanding teams do. They carried the tag of favorites with ease and delivered in the most devastating manner on the pivotal night winning 131 to 92! A whopping 39 point separated the winner and the runners-up Los Angeles Lakers.

It was a night when their top three players came to work focused and delivered in a most effective way possible as a team. Ray Allen was doubtful before the game and was poked in the eye in the first quarter but still managed to score 26 points, including an NBA record-tying seven 3-pointers; Kevin Garnett had 26 points with 14 rebounds and Finals MVP Paul Pierce scored 17 with 10 assists on Tuesday night. Surely even for the Los Angeles Lakers fans, the Tuesday performance by the Celtics was one to be acknowledged with respect.

The Lakers fell to a much better team. For the Lakers their top three were led by regular season MVP, Kobe Bryant with 22 and Lamar Odom 14 and Pau Gasol 11. It is apparent that for the Los Angeles Lakers, shooting deserted them and even worse their defense and ball passing were below par. I am sure they will kick themselves hard for having surrendered a 24 point lead in the 4th game series to lose to the Celtics at home. That devastating loss eroded most of their confidence and never rebounded to compete effectively in the series.

Boston Celtics deserve all the kudos for rebounding from one of the worst seasons in 2007 to emerge with 66 wins in the regular season and to go past Atlanta hawks in 7, Cleveland Cavaliars in 7, Detroit Pistons in six and Los Angeles Lakers in six. The players and the Coach have earned themselves a place in the history of NBA and their Vice President, Danny Ainge must be one of the proudest men around today. In a year when player trading went into over drive and some with disastrous consequences such as the Dallas Mavericks, bringing on board Ray Allen and Kevin Garnet was a master stroke.

It appears therefore that the Celtics out gunned the Lakers in all areas thereby leaving no doubt as which was the best team in the NBA in the 2007/08 season. It was an excellent run and an outstanding finish to the NBA season. The series may not have produced many spectacular plays but I am reminded of the heroics by the post season MVP, Paul Pierce in the second game in Boston when he got injured went off to the locker room for bandaging and came back and delivered three pointers that won the game. To me Paul Pierce, as a Captain, played with the heart of a lion and throughout the series led his team into battle like a man possessed. He deserved the MVP award.

So on a night dated 17th of June 2007, Boston Celtics appropriately won their 17th title of their franchise history. Congratulations!

If you aren't appalled by this headline, then you aren't paying attention. According to recent news reports, thousands of horses are being injured on the racetracks of America and have had to be euthanized in the last five years.

In my last horse racing article, Horse Racing: A Truly Green Sport, I questioned how this could continue to happen.

In this article I wrote,” A racing horse is truly an awesome and inspiring creature. They are massive beasts of both beauty and grace. Their large bodies effortlessly carried by four slim legs. But the legs of these magnificent beasts are most vulnerable. We witnessed this year at the Kentucky Derby, that the limbs of a race horse can be very fragile.”

One of the current racing investigations is supposedly centered on how a race horse is bred for speed and the bones in its legs are therefore more fragile. Fragile bones break and a horse with a broken bone have to be euthanized, as keeping it lying down for treatment impounds the problem. For if a horse lies down for too long they can get a condition called “laminitis” which is a hoof infection from inadequate blood flow in the

injured leg. The race horse Barbero had this condition and he eventually had to be euthanized in spite of the efforts made to rehabilitate him.

We all know that horse racing is a sport dominated by the very rich in our society. How many people out there can afford to even own a race horse? You may sit with your beach

chair in the infield to watch the race, but face it, you are not going to make the money off the ponies in the quantities that the owners do. You can stretch out in the cheap seats

and allow the booze to numb your senses but you are not even close to being in the winner's circle.

In my last article, “Horse Racing: A Truly Green Sport” I pointed out many of the concerns that are just now coming to light in the media and are finally gaining attention. The article was and still is my opinion. Interestingly enough, I was continually insulted by a “so called” horse racing fan when my piece was originally published. This cyber bully's goal was nothing but a coward's attempt to intimidate me and silence my voice on the inhuman aspects of horse racing. Have other voices been silenced?

What about the supposed “investigation” into horse racing after Eight Belles was euthanized at the Kentucky Derby? Did someone silence that too and now suddenly again it appears in the media after the loss of Big Brown last week at Belmont?

The Jockey Panel even got into the investigation act and surprise, surprise isn't revealing

much. The owners after all do sign the jockey's paycheck. What power do the jockeys even have? Isn't the money involved intimidation enough?

How about steroid use in race horses? We all know it enhances the feats of human athletes. Did it help Big Brown to win the Derby and the Preakness? Did it hinder Big Brown at the Belmont going without it?

One major reason why previous investigations never materialized with much more than a slap of a crop was due to the fact that horse racing is big business and makes a lot of money.

Sure other major sporting events make millions of dollars too like the World Series and the Super Bowl. The only difference is that no creature is being euthanized, nor would it be accepted as a normal part of the sport.

. Can you imagine the uproar and protests if any other professional sport allowed its players to be euthanized? Wouldn't it create more controversy than the “wardrobe malfunction” at the Super Bowl a few years ago?

Back then, Janet Jackson was exposed in her womanly form and the outcry was immense. No one was killed and yet it was worse somehow, we all viewed a female breast live at Super Bowl halftime!

Yet just last month, we witnessed Eight Belles being euthanized on the track at the Kentucky Derby and did anyone even bat an eyelash?

What kind of “investigation” is exactly being conducted here anyway? Will the findings be swept under the rug, go away for a while and then business will be conducted as usual? How long before this story too disappears from the headlines?

If you aren't disgusted and outraged by the now routine slaughter of these 5,000

magnificent racing horses in the last five years, then either you aren't paying attention or the sun and beer is permeating your brain as your lounge in your infield beach chair holding your bloodied ticket stub in your sunburned hand.

Goal Keeper

At the moment, Peter Cech of Chelsea is regarded as the best goalie in the league. Not without competition at Chelsea, he holds a regular spot in their first team and keeps a large number of clean sheets. Van Dar Sar of Manchester Utd, although ageing, has still been a first team regular for them. At his best he was undoubtedly one of the best keepers in the world. On balance, however, Peter Cech is the league's best.

Defender

Terry is a worthy nomination for best defender. Strong and reliable he provides sound defensive cover as well as leadership. Ferdinand, another great defender, is pivotal and holds a regular spot in Europe's best team. Arsenal's Toure has proved consistently reliable for them, and is also one of the best defenders in the league. So, who is best? I choose Terry for his sound leadership in addition to defensive qualities.

Midfielder

An abundance of choice has to be narrowed down. Ronaldo stands out as being the obvious candidate. But that would be forgetting the likes of Fabregas, who is excellent for Arsenal and still getting better. And Liverpool's Gerrard, who packs a killer attacking instinct in midfield like Ronaldo. Still, Ronaldo is not just regarded as the Premiership's best, but world no 1 with his pace, technique and set- pieces. Can't beat him unfortunately.

Attack

Much more open. Chelsea's Drogba was one of the league's top goal poachers last season along with Arsenal's Adebayor. Wayne Rooney, however, can be quite formidable and combines goals with assists. The Liverpool striker, Torres, is very gifted and proved an excellent signing for them. Currently tearing teams apart in the Euro Championships, he is perhaps the best forward in the Premier League at the moment. But, it is a close call.

All things considered then, Cech, Terry, Ronaldo and Torres are the best players in the Premiership for their respective positions. Aside from the best current, the Premiership's best all-time players most definitely should be mentioned. Picking one (or two) for each position:

GK: Peter Schmeichel

D: John Terry

M: Roy Keane or Ronaldo

F: Shearer, ahead of Henry.

For me, they are probably the best players in the Premiership's history. Along with the best current crop, players of this level are what have made the Premier League so special.