Veeck had hoped that the Browns would beat the Tigers, but that never happened, the Tigers crushed the Browns, six-to-two, but still life went on. The pitcher for the Tigers laughed for at least a minute and told the catcher to sit on his knees. Eddie only recieved $100 dollars for his appearance, but he appeared on numerous television shows and got well over $17,000. The Browns lost, but they were the real winners at heart.

 

Image Source

• 26 World Championships
• Most wins ever by a Franchise
• Highest payroll
• Legendary players (Ruth, Mantle, Dimaggio)
• Great active players

The New York Yankees Picked up C.C Sabathia and Mark Teixeira as huge off-season pickups. Teixeira got $180 million and Sabathia will also receive $160 million! Perhaps this is the spark that the Yankees need to make another World Series appearance and hopefully a championship. Also, Sabathia's contract was the largest ever for a pitcher! The yankees still have to pay high contracts to A-rod and Derek Jeter. A-rod is well over $200 million. The New York Yankees will play in a new stadium now which cost over a billion dollars! Don't forget Joba is still here in the Bronx!

Yankee Fans are excited to open this season in a new ballpark. Perhaps winning a World Series in 09 would bring extra magic to there new stadium. The first stadium was the house that Ruth built. Is this new stadium the house that A-rod built or made? A-rod might be the greatest hitter of our time and brings power and strength to the Bronx.

Obscene

The money clubs pay for players and the money players receive for playing the game is obscene when you consider what people in the real world are receiving for doing work that is essential to society. While millions of people struggle to make ends meet and millions are living in poverty, it seems gross that people are earning a fortune every week for playing a game. This of course applies to more than soccer. It is a trend we see the world over as sports, film and music stars are paid enormous sums of money for things that we can actually live without.

Money Talks

The current situation in soccer now is that success generally revolves around money. It no longer about how young players are nurtured through the club system or how a manager can work to get the best out of players who play for the jersey. The key factor is: Who has the most money? Whoever has the money will basically buy the team they want. Now that Manchester City are the richest club, we hear about their short-term plans to buy all the best players in the world including Christiano Ronaldo, who currently plays for Manchester United.

Some of these money-crunching clubs are going to find to their cost that they have spent millions on players who will not perform and who will not guarantee success. Tottenham Hotspur spent big and currently sit bottom of the league. Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and the latest rich club Manchester City will all spend a fortune on players but only one of them can win the Premiership. Money can buy players but it won't necessarily buy success.

Well that is exactly what they were big name players who did nothing on Monday night. Jared Allen recorded his one and only tackle right before the 2minute drill, Madieu Williams didn't play due to injury and Berrian might as well not have played himself. What was all the money spent for if the same old results are happening. The Vikings we're supposed to be the most dominate team now that the Packers are Farve less however the packers scored and moved the football all over the Viking defense with ease. Aaron Rodgers went 18/22, no need to go into anything else the man completed all but four passes those of which I don't even remember it was so pathetic. Antinio Winfield needs to retire as he got beat and saved by a penalty making a rookie mistake, biting on routes, there was no pressure to speak of. The Vikings looked no different than a year ago bottom line and Tarvaris Jackson Vikings Quarter back needs to step into the role. He looked nervous and played as if it was his first game underneath lights in the first half. The second half he got a lot more comfortable but it was all too sad to late as the Packers pulled away and won 24-19. The game ended on a Jackson interception in which I believe he might as well threw 7minutes prior to when he threw it. You don't go get one touchdown have you defense get the ball back for you and then throw an interception that makes him no different than Brad Johnson and Daunte Culpepper ex Vikings Quarterbacks who did the same thing in similar situations. You have to be 100% clutch in the National Football League if you wish to stick around for long. Overall despite seeing my favorite team lose this was a pretty decent game to watch had its exciting moments however the game was a little depressing. You wait the entire off season checking in on pickups and trades and you have your hopes up because you believe your team has made the right choices.

However you really can't tell about a team until you see them that first game and really after watching this game it let me know it's going to be a long season. Now mind you I still feel the Vikings can have success even with are weakness' last year Vikings were able to go 8-8 and I think they can go and get two more games in the win column, but we seem to have the same weakness' makes you wonder if it's Childress and if he can get the job done. All of these trades he's been making haven't worked out in the Vikings favor I really can only think of a couple trades that were actually good decisions and turned out to put players on our team who performed. Those players include Steve Hutchinson and Chester Taylor. Everyone else signed through free agent or acquired via trade is a bus so far. Things need to turn around quick if Rodgers can pass all over the Vikings so can Peyton Manning which comes to the Vikings town next week. What a waste of money!

With gas prices exploding through the summer, people are beginning to feel it in their wallets and are looking for other means of transportation. In most people's quest to save money, and some peoples quest to save the environment, many are riding bikes. I will discuss the advantages of riding a single speed bike, which have gained enormous popularity in the past few years in larger metropolitan areas.

What is a Single Speed Bike?

A single speed bike is any bike that has no gear shifting ability and just one rideable gear ratio. Many people complain about riding their bikes and never shifting gears, so they eventually either convert their bike into a single speed or buy a new single speed.

Here is a close up of the rear hub. Most usually are 16 tooth for a good balance of speed and ease of pedaling.

By virtue of the bike having no extra gears, you have much fewer parts on the bike, which results in a huge number of advantages which we will discuss later on.

What if I Want to Downshift? Or I Go Faster?

Well you can't. A single speed means sometimes you may have to stand up and pedal to get up a hill, or just plain pedal faster to beat the stoplight.

Finding a gear ratio that is just a little hard to start on is best, leaving you with a high enough gear for when traveling fast.

Many cyclers, especially in cities like New York, Chicago, Minneapolis and Dallas complain about never shifting gears because there are no hills, so they never really have to downshift.

Why not just ditch those extra gears and have just 1?

Why Would Anyone Want a Bike with just One Gear?

There are countless reasons and advantages to a single speed bike. Here are some which will be discussed in detail later. It saves you money, they're quicker, look better and weigh less. Now read on! Give them a second look, you'll be convinced.

Maintenance

Single speed bikes require much less maintenance than geared bikes. By having no extra gears you also have no derailer, no gear shifters, no cable lines, and a lot less little screws, bolts, washers and fasteners that get loose or even fall off over time.

Bikes require maintenance. Especially if you're riding them daily and in the elements. Bicycle gears and all the hardware required is usually the most prone to break, to not shift right, or just fall off. Without these additional parts, you have less to worry about and will spend much less money on tune ups, maintenance and new parts.

I was riding an older bike once and the rear derailer snapped off. Not having the money to buy a new derailer, I just ditched all the gears except one. Then I was hooked. I've been riding single speed and fixed gear bikes ever since and built many for friends.

Fitness

Single speed bikes don't give you an easy way out. You may be going up a hill and want to downshift, you've been working all day, you're tired and just want to get home. Tough. You either pedal harder, go slower, walk the bike up the hill or get back in your car.

You will be much more satisfied by having to physically exert yourself more than just downshifting. What will happen is that daunting hill you have to take home every evening will become less daunting. Your body will adjust and your legs will get stronger.

Riding a bike will always help keep you in shape. But not having the ability to downshift will keep you pushing yourself and your limits. I live in Chicago and there are no hills. If you live in San Francisco or Boulder you may want to do some more thinking, or be ready for an extreme workout.

Aesthetics

Single speed bikes look cleaner. Simple as that. The one gear ratio, the loss of derailer, cable lines and shifters. It looks sleeker and stands out.

Speed

Single speed bikes are faster. Speed is relative to the person riding. Geared bikes have a rear gear cluster with 5 different sized gears for different ratio's. What happens is when your derailer shifts your chain to a higher or lower gear, your chain isn't exactly straight and inline with your front chainring. This discrepancy, even if only measured in centimeters or millimeters is enough to make it harder to pedal.

If the chain isn't directly straight and in line from the front to the back, your having to fight the exertion of the slightly bent chain. Laws of resistance make it much easier to pedal a straight chain.

Weight

Ditching your derailer, shifters, rear gear cluster and cables can shave pounds off your bike. Depending on how old your bike is, it can save even more weight. Newer bikes use lighter weight components, but on old steel bikes you could easily save five to ten pounds! Loosing this weight off the rear end of the bike make it easier for you to pedal, especially when your chain is shorter and faces less resistance.

Price

You will save money when you convert to a single speed. Your maintenance cost go down. Tune-ups you can do yourself. You have less parts to replace. Less cables to go bad. Fewer crevices to de-grease.

For the price of converting your bike to a single speed you will easily save that money next time your bike needs any work.

Okay... So now I want one, Where To?

Where too? Nowhere, you can take that bike you're riding now and convert it! Of course there are single speed and track bikes you can buy but your looking at spending at least $500 on the low end, up into the thousands of dollars.

Single Speed conversion kits can be bought or you can buy a freewheel for $15-$20 and be set. Of course you will need a few special tools.

Look back soon for a Single Speed Bike Conversion Guide and a Single Speed vs Track Bike comparison. Hopefully I was able to persuade you to the dark side, of riding faster, lighter, better looking and easier to maintain bike. Even if this doesn't convince you, at least your on two wheel and not four.

This month was filled with exciting sports moments, and although it would be a difficult task to mention all of them, I am proud to announce some standouts…

NBA: Boston Celtics

On June 17th, with the great #17 John Havlicek in the building, the Boston Celtics won their 17thNBA Championship at the TD Banknorth Garden. The Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, who now share half of all NBA titles with Boston.

The final game of the series, game six, was no contest whatsoever as the Celtics sunk the Lakers 131-92. Ray Allen tied the NBA Finals single game record for three-point shots, draining seven, while Kobe Bryant, the regular season league MVP, was held to 22 points.

Minnesota Timberwolves fans are probably wondering now what could have happened if they kept both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, who the team drafted in back-to-back years.

Paul Pierce, the NBA Finals MVP, finally got his wish of earning a championship. Not only did his Celtics win it all this year, but his alma mater, the Kansas Jayhawks, tore down the nets as well.

NHL: Detroit Red Wings

This year, the National Hockey League was thrilled to have two gigantic markets squaring off in the Stanley Cup Finals. Again, in six games, the Detroit Red Wings burned out the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Mellon Arena.

Pittsburgh was close to forcing an overtime match-up in game six when they came just inches from scoring at the buzzer.

Wouldn't that have been something? Sidney Crosby, the NHL's poster boy, heading back to Hockey Town in Detroit for a game seven showdown?

Hockey teams will just have to wait in fear until next season when Mike Babcock, who received a coaching contract extension right after winning the Stanley Cup, and his Detroit Red Wings are back with all engines firing.

U.S. Open: Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods managed to amaze the golf world this June as he captured the 2008 U.S. Open title. He had to finish the tournament off in a sudden-death match at Torrey Pines in San Diego, CA.

Unfortunately, this will be all that people will see of Tiger for awhile… Woods is out for the entire season with knee surgery.

We wish him a speedy recovery.

Triple Crown: Big Brown (Honourable Mention)

Who could not forget the incredible horse, Big Brown? Even though he didn't actually win Triple Crown, he does deserve recognition for his two other victories at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Had he won the Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown, Big Brown would have been the first horse to do so since 1978.

Gallop on my good friend… gallop on…

There is no doubt that Urlacher is probably the best middle linebacker playing the game right now. He has missed the Pro Bowl only two times in his career. He typically leads the team in tackles every year and is a menacing force to be reckoned with. That is until last season. Last season was probably his worst season thus far yet he still lead the team with tackles, had a few sacks and some interceptions. Not bad for a guy with chronic arthritis in his back. Due to this he was not elected to play in the Pro Bowl despite his performance and what fans thought.

At one time Urlacher was the highest paid player on the Bears roster as it should have been. He is the core of the defense, a strong leader and a formidable player. He was signed to a nine year deal worth $56.5 million. He has four years left on that contract and he is now demanding a raise. Demanding a raise after a lackluster performance and him discussing his nagging back problem is ballsy to say the least. During the offseason he had surgery on his neck to help out with his back issues. According to him and the doctors he is fine and is expected to be 100% this season. That is fine and dandy but should the Bears take that as the word of god and give him a raise? I don't think so. I say let him play and see how he performs, if he returns to his former self then give him the raise he feels he deserves.

With all of that being said, I do agree with his assessment of the issue. He feels he is not being paid fairly compared to other linebackers at his level. I agree that a top notch linebacker should be paid what he is worth. I also see his complaint since some new players on the team are now making more than him. So I see his side of the story but still. $56.5 million is nothing to sneeze at and I seriously doubt he is hurting for money. When I hear about players complaining about their salaries it makes me sick. In my lifetime I will never make $56 million and I make pretty decent scratch. So now he is avoiding the mini-camps and practices until he gets what he wants.

I'm sure the Bears are taking this seriously and offered him a deal he didn't like which boggles my mind. I'm not sure what kind of raise he is after but the Bears offer of $18 million sounded good to me but I am a simple man. I really hope they get this resolved. The Bears need him playing if they want to remain the strong defensive team they have always been.

For now my respect for Brian Urlacher is diminished. He is being a whiny baby. Good luck to you Brian, I hope you get what you want.

For example Ronaldinho, Kaka or Drogba are not in my top 10 soccer transfers. Here are the most expensive soccer transfers in the history. Enjoy!

1. Zinedine Zidane
   
   
   

   French master is still the most expensive player in soccer history. 2001 Real Madrid paid ₤46 million Juventus for his services. Now, with his career over, he is considered on of the best players ever. FIFA World Player of the Year three times.

2. Luis Figo
   
   
   

   This transfer is considered the biggest betrayal in soccer. Ex-Barcelona idol, in the year 2001, he moved from Barcelona to Real Madrid for ₤38.7 million. In 2001, he was FIFA World Player of the Year.

3. Hernan Crespo
   
   
   

   Argentinean striker changed Parma for Lazio in 2000 for ₤35.5 million. After that he became one of the best strikers in the Italian soccer history.

4. Gianluigi Buffon
   
   
   

   The most expensive goalkeeper. His price was ₤32.6 million. The lucky team was Juventus. He moved from Parma in 2001.

5. Christian Vieri
   
   
   

   Lazio received ₤32 million from Inter Milan in 1999. He also played for Juventus and Sampdoria.

6. Pavel Nedved
   
   
   

   2003 European Player of the Year. Helped Juventus win Champions League in the same year. He is the most expensive Czech player. For only ₤30.6 he changed Lazio's for Juventus' locker room in 2001.

7. Andriy Shevchenko
   
   
   

   Ukrainian strike and ex-AC Milan superstar moved to FC Chelsea for ₤30 million in 2006. In 2004 he was the European Player of the Year. In the last three years that is the biggest transfer.

8. Wayne Rooney
   
   
   

   He is the most expensive teenage footballer ever. When he was 17 year old he moved from Everton to Manchester United for ₤30 million (49 million including wages). Now, he is the leading English striker.

9. Rio Ferdinand
   
   
   

   In 2002 he became the most expensive defender. Manchester United paid ₤30 million for him. Team before Man Utd was Leeds United.

10. Gaizka Mendieta
    
    
    

    Spanish middle fielder. 2000 he was European Middle Fielder of the Year. Same year he was transferred from Valenica to Lazio for ₤29 million. Now, he is playing for Middlesbrough.

Other Interesting Transfers Are

• Ronaldo (from Inter Milan to Real Madrid - ₤28.5)
  
• Juan Sebastian Veron (from Lazio to Man Utd - ₤28.1)
  
• Ronaldinho (from PSG to FC Barcelona - ₤21)
  
• David Beckham (from Man Utd to Real Madrid - ₤25)
  
• Arjen Robben (from FC Chelsea to Real Madrid - ₤-24)

Well I doubt its injuries and good players after he spent a record 120million pounds over the off season and one of his star signings being Fernando Torres. It's not the rotation policy because Liverpool has good, quality depth in the squad that can handle rotation. This is also the same reason why it cannot be injuries!

Then it must be something that's affecting the player and manager mentally. Oh, that's right it might be the club owners. The past few months have been absolutely woeful if you talk about the relationship between the Liverpool manager and the club owners. It seems that they are not satisfied with the club recent run of bad form and the position in the table. You can understand where they are coming from. After spending more than 100million pounds where are they in the table? They have joined the race for the U.E.F.A cup which is not up to par if you look at Liverpool's standards!

But you also have to look at where Benitez is coming from. So far this season the 2 highest scores for the club for this season has been Fernando Torres and Steven Gerard. Most of these goals have been crucial goals that have turned games around. Now if you look at Liverpool after being asked, who can turn games around for Liverpool? You would probably say Steven Gerard and Fernando Torres.

But let's look at a top side like Manchester United, and you ask who can turn a game around in their team and you'd probably say at least 5 such as Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs, Evra and Tevez. Now players with such talent don't come buy cheaply. That is why Benitez is constantly looking for good quality players.

But unfortunately Liverpool's club owners Hicks and Gillette, don't quite understand that! They think if you spend more than 100 million pounds you should be skyrocketing to the top of the table. But in-fact football is not like that at all. It takes time and money to build up a squad of player who are capable of winning Premier League.

Hicks and Gillette are putting unnecessary pressure on the manager and in turn the team because the have unnecessary pressure on them to win. Hicks and Gillette are not suited for owning such a big club like Liverpool, especially if they do not live up to their promises of not put financial burdens on the club by paying of all dept and paying for new stadium. But it seems they can't do this and they are re-financing their dept on the club!

But that is no excuse for their poor form. It just seems that they cant grind out victories, because you have to do that to be at the top. This is probably because of the unnecessary pressures from the top and also the fact that they do not have enough players who can turn games that look like draws into full 3 points.

But all the criticism has seemed to have paid off! Fernando Torres has settled into the English style of football. He has been some what of a revelation since he joined Liverpool. The Spaniard also nick-named El Ninio has already bagged 16 goals in this season. He has settled in like a gem.

Fernando Torres is really starting to make a name for himself in English football. He has brought a totally new dimension to Liverpool, and that is his is clinical finishing. That was what Liverpool lacked in many past season, that ability to kill off a game when you get the chances.

It seems that no one can stop the Spaniard. But will this form last? Will he be able to hold on to the scintillating form he is in at the moment?

But so far it seems that Rafael Benitez has made a good investment in this young Spaniard. His statement at the beginning of the season also has seemed to pay off, “We need a 20 goal a season striker”. It just seems that Fernando Torres might just be the answer for Liverpool and the title that has eluded them for so long, the Premier League.