McFarlane Toys NFL Legends Series 6 – Phil Simms Action Figure Preview

2010 College Football Predictions – Penn State

The Penn State Nittany Lions were not able to win back-to-back Big Ten titles.  They finished just off the pace at 6-2 in conference play, but it was still a great season.  Penn State ended its 2009 campaign at 11-2 after edging out LSU in the Capital One Bowl.  Penn State’s defense was the best in the Big Ten in terms of points allowed in 2009.  The 2010 Nittany Lions will have to depend even more on the defensive side of the football following the loss of quarterback Daryll Clark.  Clark’s absence will make it tough for the Nittany Lions to win the Big Ten and to challenge for a national title, which is what head coach Joe Paterno strives for each year.  The schedule makes these goals even more difficult.  Penn State has to play Alabama, Iowa and Ohio State on the road.

Offense: It will be tough to replace Clark, who now holds Penn State records for career touchdown passes (43), career touchdowns (65), touchdown passes in a season (24), touchdowns in a season (31) and passing yards in a season (3,003).  Kevin Newsome will likely be the guy that tries to fill Clark’s big shoes.  It’s clear that Newsome is not the passer that Clark was, but he is a talented runner.  Coach Paterno has proven to be good at adjusting his offenses to suit the players he has.  With this in mind, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Penn State revert back to a more run oriented scheme like they ran in 2005 when they won the league.  The loss of Clark hurts, but at least running back Evan Royster is still around.  Royster followed his strong 2008 campaign by rushing for 1,169 yards and six touchdowns in 2009.  A more run-heavy offense could take away some of Penn State’s big play ability.  This means that wide receiver Derek Moye could see his numbers decline.  Moye caught 48 passes for 785 yards and six scores last season.  Paterno has also expressed concerns with the offensive line following the team’s spring tune up.

Defense: The offense may take a step back, but a defense which led the Big Ten in points allowed and finished second in yards allowed will keep the Nittany Lions among the conference elite.  Penn State allowed only 12.2 points per game and gave up only 274.5 yards per game last season.  The defense was exceptional at stopping the run, only giving up 89.9 rushing yards per game last year.  With big nose tackle Ollie Ogbu back, the Nittany Lions should continue to stuff the run in 2010.  At defensive end, Penn State’s top returning sack man, Jack Crawford, appears poised for a breakout season.  He came up with 5.5 sacks last year.  The secondary is solid with three of four starters back.

Prediction: 4th Big Ten – I don’t think a Big Ten title is in the cards for Penn State this season.  The defense will remain top notch, but the offense won’t be nearly as explosive without Clark.  Still, 2010 figures to be another year in which the Nittany Lions can challenge for double-digit wins. College football lines makers have listed Penn State at +5000 to win the BCS title.  See how I have the rest of the conference stacking up in my 2010 Big Ten football predictions.

About the Author

If you want winning NFL picks to help you cash in over the NFL odds, sign up for a premium subscription today.

1990 ABC Sports College Football Intro

NCSU Team Woozie on Card $9.00 The coozie for your wine glass. Insulates. Feels great….

Louisville Cardinals 8 oz Stainless Steel Flask – NCAA College Athletics $32.95 A flask is a great gift for that man in your life. Personalize it with the large pewter appliques and choose from many styles!…

Louisville Cardinals Collectible Wine Cone Bottle Stopper – NCAA College Athletics $30.95 The perfect gift for any wine lover who has a passion for college sports. This gift is great for students, graduates, alumni or fans! A practical gift that will be sure to put a smile on someone’s face. The Collegiate bottle stopper can express anyone’s college pride. Fits most wine and liquor bottles….

Sports Anthems $8.99 Whether it’s football, baseball or basketball, Code Red’s ‘Sports Anthems’ is your year-round soundtrack. Come together for March Madness, the NCAA college basketball tournament, and celebrate some of the band’s favorite teams including the World Series Champion St Louis Cardinals, the top-ranked Louisville Cardinals college football team and Da Bears with ‘Elbow Room’ as heard on the NFL Films DV…

(6×12) Louisville Cardinals NCAA Tin License Plate $6.80 (6×12) Louisville Cardinals NCAA Tin License Plate…

A Reality Check For Fantasy Sports – Fantasy Football (In)Fidelity

SUPREME COURT OF FANTASY JUDGMENT

Cameron Pettigrew, et al. v. Fidelity Investments, Inc.

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI FROMTHE FANTASY SPORTS INDUSTRY

Decided December 26, 2009

Cite as 1 F.J. 10 (2009)

Factual Background

Cameron Pettigrew, a relationship manager in the Private Client Group at Fidelity Investment’s (“Fidelity”) Westlake, Texas office, was a self-proclaimed “Fidelity Man” and had been employed with the company since 2007.  He accumulated an impressive resume, which contained multiple company honors, including being the only person chosen for an exclusive, 10-member program (Future Leaders of Westlake) who was not already in a management position.  In September 2009, he was offered a position at Fidelity’s prestigious Wall Street branch, but Pettigrew said he chose to decline the offer due to the high cost of living in New York City.  While employed at Fidelity, Pettigrew was the commissioner and organizer of at least one office fantasy Football League comprised of other Fidelity employees, including managers and team leaders, whereby each participant paid $20 to join the league. 

On October 20, 2009, Fidelity had in place and in effect company policies that were distributed via email which prohibited gambling activities and playing fantasy football on company time.  Additionally, Fidelity blocks Internet access to any and all websites that have anything to do with fantasy sports and gambling — not to mention blocking sites like theonion.com, nintendo.com and thousands of other non work-related websites.  According to an anonymous Fidelity employee who is also a commissioner of an office fantasy league, Fidelity “does grant access to nfl.com, espn.com, yahoo.com, etc.; but if you then try to click on one of their fantasy links, you will get a giant message on your screen letting you know that access to the fantasy section of that website has been blocked.”

On October 20, 2009, Fidelity management discovered the aforementioned fantasy leagues after intercepting emails and instant messages directed towards Pettigrew, who admitted that he was aware of Fidelity’s policy, but claimed it was “poorly communicated and ignored by leadership.”  He also argued that several other Fidelity leaders and managers participated in other office fantasy leagues notwithstanding the company’s policy.

Pettigrew says he never played fantasy football before coming to Fidelity.

“Last season I was approached by one of the managers who asked that I be in his league. I knew vaguely about the policy at the time but figured that if a manager was involved than the rule was probably just something of an outdated law, like how it’s illegal in Michigan for a woman to cut her own hair without asking her husband first.”

Despite his efforts, Pettigrew’s instant message conversations with colleagues about Trent Edwards’ poor performance prompted Fidelity management to interrogate him for ninety minutes about his fantasy sports participation as if he was “some sort of international gambling kingpin”.  After the interrogation was concluded, Pettigrew was sent home for the day.

On October 21, 2009, Pettigrew, along with three of his colleagues and fellow fantasy football commissioners, were informed via telephone that they were terminated from Fidelity.  Said Fidelity spokesman Vin Loporchio:

“We have clear policies that relate to gambling.  Participation in any form of gambling through the use of Fidelity time or equipment or any other company resource is prohibited.  In addition to being illegal in a lot of places, it can also be disruptive.  We want our employees to be focused on our customers and clients.”

Procedural History

Pettigrew and three other Fidelity employees were terminated on October 21, 2009 for violating company policies prohibiting gambling and playing fantasy football on company time.  Despite his appeals to Fidelity, the Termination Explanation of his U5 form (Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Regulation) reads “VIOLATION OF COMPANY GAMBLING POLICY INVOLVING FANTASY FOOTBALL.” 

Pettigrew, his colleagues, and the fantasy sports industry as a whole seek clarification of whether fantasy sports are considered gambling under the law and in the workplace.  Pettigrew and his colleagues also seek an advisory opinion on whether they may have an actionable claim for wrongful termination against Fidelity.

The Supreme Court of Fantasy Judgment has accepted certiorari and provides the following opinion, which has been ruled on unanimously by the bench.

Issues Presented

(1)     Are fantasy sports considered a form of gambling?

(2)     Is there any legal recourse Pettigrew and the other terminated employees can take against Fidelity for wrongful termination? 

Decision

I.  ARE FANTASY SPORTS CONSIDERED A FORM OF GAMBLING?

According to Paul Charchian, president of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association (“FSTA”), no fantasy sports company has been the subject of prosecution for gambling, and no individual person has been the subject of prosecution for gambling related to fantasy sports participation.  Charchian also said that he was “worried that this case marks the start of a backlash by employers against the growing field on online sports gaming.”  While Charchian’s concerns are meritorious and justified, this Court will not allow the misconception about fantasy sports being considered a form of gambling to continue any further.  What employers allow their employees to do on company time is left to them, but no longer will companies be permitted to associate, correlate or define fantasy sports participation as a form of gambling.

From the very infancy of this nation, the separation of powers has helped maintain and strengthen our democracy.  That being said, this Court strictly defers to Congress for the determination of whether fantasy sports fall within the ambit of gambling.  Quite clearly, Congress has excluded fantasy sports from the very definition of gambling.  The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (H.R. 4411) was intended to “prevent the use of certain payment instruments, credit cards, and fund transfers for unlawful Internet gambling, and for other purposes”.  Under §5362 of the bill, the term “bet” or “wager” does not include…

(viii)     any participation in a simulation sports game, an educational game, or a contest that—

           (I)  is not dependent solely on the outcome of any single sporting event or nonparticipant’s singular individual performance in any single sporting event;

           (II)  has an outcome that reflects the relative knowledge of the participants, or their skill at physical reaction or physical manipulation (but not chance), and, in the case of a simulation sports game, has an outcome that is determined predominantly by accumulated statistical results of sporting events; and

           (III)  offers a prize or award to a participant that is established in advance of the game or contest and is not determined by the number of participants or the amount of any fees paid by those participants.”

Additionally, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act of 2006 (H.R. 4777) also expressly excludes fantasy sports from its definition of gambling.  The bill defines a “bet” or “wager” to include wagering on sporting events, lotteries and games of chance.  A “bet” or “wager” does not include securities and commodities transactions, indemnity and insurance contracts, and fantasy sports leagues.

Courts throughout the country, however, have long recognized that it would be “patently absurd” to hold that “the combination of an entry fee and a prize equals gambling, ”because if that were the case, countless contests engaged in every day would be unlawful gambling, including “golf tournaments, bridge tournaments, local and state rodeos or fair contests, . . . literary or essay competitions, . . . livestock, poultry and produce exhibitions, track meets, spelling bees, beauty contests and the like,” and contest participants and sponsors could all be subject to criminal liability. 

Courts have distinguished between bona fide entry fees and bets or wagers, holding that entry fees do not constitute bets or wagers where they are paid unconditionally for the privilege of participating in a contest, and the prize is for an amount certain that is guaranteed to be won by one of the contestants (but not the entity offering the prize).  Courts that have examined this issue have reasoned that when the entry fees and prizes are unconditional and guaranteed the element of risk necessary to constitute betting or wagering is missing.

“A prize or premium differs from a wager in that in the former, the person offering the same has no chance of his gaining back the thing offered, but, if he abides by his offer, he must lose; whereas in the latter, each party interested therein has a chance of gain and takes a risk of loss . . .The fact that each contestant is required to pay an entrance fee where the entrance fee does not specifically make up the purse or premium contested for does not convert the contest into a wager.”

In addition to the fact that fantasy leagues are not gambling and that stat service providers (i.e., ESPN, Yahoo, CBS Sports) do not win anything, participants suffer no “loss” in participating in the fantasy leagues.  Fantasy sports participants pay a one-time, non-refundable entry fee to participate in the leagues, and receive in consideration for that fee the benefit of the stat provider’s extensive administrative, statistical and analytical services throughout the relevant sports season. Only at the end of the sports season are prizes awarded, in amounts fixed by the contracts that govern participation in the leagues.  Accordingly, in paying for the right to participate in the leagues, participants simply do not “lose” anything, and certainly suffer no cognizable “gambling” loss. Whether or not a participant is a successful league manager, their entry fee never hangs in the balance in any way in connection with their participation in the league.  Indeed, once participants have selected their team and begin their season, the fee cannot be recovered. There is no “loss” on these facts, and this exchange of consideration is an “ordinary contract,” in which “both parties may ultimately gain by entering into the agreement.”

Based on Congress’s unambiguous language in two separate bills regarding unlawful Internet gambling, it is clear to this Court that fantasy sports are not considered a form of gambling.  Any further insinuation, inference or correlation made between fantasy sports and gambling would be irresponsible, incorrect, and potentially defamatory.

 II.  IS THERE ANY LEGAL RECOURSE PETTIGREW AND THE OTHER TERMINATED EMPLOYEES CAN TAKE AGAINST FIDELITY FOR WRONGFUL TERMINATION?

It is no mystery why companies such as Fidelity have policies prohibiting fantasy sports participation on company time and resources.  After all, the very fact that such a policy even exists at Fidelity (albeit in email form) is the reason why Pettigrew and his colleagues were terminated.  Said Fidelity spokesman Vin Loporchio: “We have clear policies that relate to gambling.  Participation in any form of gambling through the use of Fidelity time or equipment or any other company resource is prohibited.  In addition to being illegal in a lot of places, it can also be disruptive.  We want our employees to be focused on our customers and clients.” 

It is undeniable that the fantasy sports industry has a prominent role in today’s society and economy.  Chris Russo, chairman and CEO of Fantasy Sports Ventures, served as the NFL’s senior vice president of new media and publishing from 2000-2006.  He estimated that in 2000, the year he persuaded NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to launch the league’s first official fantasy football competition, there were approximately 2 million people playing fantasy football in the United States.  Now, according to the FSTA,, an organization representing 110 member companies that was founded in the late 1990’s to provide a forum for interaction between hundreds of existing and emerging companies in the growing fantasy sports industry, there are an estimated 27 million Americans participating in fantasy sports who generate over $1 billion each year for the industry. 

While it appears that the fantasy sports industry is immune to the current economic recession, a lot of other companies are struggling to survive and may not have sufficient staffing.  Given these factors, some companies may be more sensitive than normal to employees who are wasting valuable company time.  According to John Challenger, chief executive of the employment consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, fantasy football is costly to company productivity.  In 2008, his consulting firm estimated that fantasy leagues cost Corporate America around $10 billion annually.  He arrived at this figure based on 13.6 million people playing fantasy football (according to the FSTA) who earn an average annual income of $100,000 and spend over an hour per week managing fantasy sports teams.  Challenger opined that the average fantasy sports participant costs his/her company around $45 per week in lost productivity.

While this Court previously cleared up the distinction between gambling and fantasy sports (see above), we grant the benefit of the doubt to Fidelity that their company policy included fantasy sports participation within the parameters of its guidelines.  In fact, after the story was made public in a December 11, 2009 article written by Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Fidelity received enormous backlash and condemnation by the fantasy sports community for associating fantasy sports with gambling.  Fidelity backtracked through Loporchio and acknowledged that fantasy sports were legally not considered gambling. 

“We aren’t making any judgments on fantasy leagues. If it is permitted legally, people can do this on their own time. Our company policies relate to the professional conduct of our employees. We do not want our company’s equipment and resources to be used for these purposes.” Loporchio added that the activities can be disruptive to the company’s business and Fidelity wants their employees to be focused on customers and clients.

Challenger said that the key was Fidelity’s corporate policy banning gambling/fantasy football on the job.  This made it easy to dismiss an employee that’s caught.  However, even if Fidelity did not have a policy prohibiting such activity, they could justly reprimand, suspend or fire an employee if it is believed their productivity is limited because he/she is spending more time on fantasy sports than business-related matters.  While Challenger describes Fidelity’s action as an apparent “capital punishment for a misdemeanor crime,” he warns that employees should be careful about calling attention to their personal productivity gaps in an environment where there are a lot of people vying for your job.

Challenger’s warning is given with good reason.  That is because most employees in the United States are considered “at will” employees.  Since the last half of the 1800’s, employment in each and every state has been considered “at will,” or terminable by either the employer or employee for any reason whatsoever.  The employment at will doctrine avows that when an employee does not have a written employment contract and the term of employment is of indefinite duration, the employer can terminate the employee for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all.  The law generally presumes that you are employed at will unless you can prove otherwise.  There are three exceptions to the employment at will doctrine which can bring rise to actionable claims for wrongful termination: 1) public policy exception; 2) implied contract exception; and 3) covenant of good faith and fair dealing exception.  This Court will examine the three exceptions to at will employment and determine whether Pettigrew and his colleague have an actionable claim.

Under the public policy exception to employment at will, an employee is wrongfully discharged when the termination is against an explicit, well-established public policy of the State (such as firing an individual for filing a workers’ compensation claim after being injured on the job, or for refusing to break the law at the employer’s request).  Under Texas law, the public policy exception only applies based strictly on public policy derived from the state constitution and statutes.  Since there are no provisions or amendments in the Texas state constitution, nor are there any statutes that clearly enunciate the relevant public policy, Pettigrew and his colleagues cannot invoke the first exception to the employment at will doctrine.

The second major exception to the employment at will doctrine is applied when an implied contract is formed between an employer and employee, even though no express, written instrument regarding the employment relationship exists.  Unfortunately for Pettigrew and his colleagues, Texas has refused to recognize the implied contract exception.  The Texas Supreme Court has held that a letter offering a position of employment, the classification of an employee as “permanent” rather than “temporary,” and the identification in company documents of a scheduled retirement date for the employee some 22 years after employment was initiated were insufficient in sum to create an implied contract of employment for a specific duration.   If Texas had recognized this exception, perhaps Pettigrew and his colleagues would have a meritorious argument.  According to Pettigrew, he was aware of Fidelity’s policy prohibiting gambling and fantasy football on company time, but he was unaware that a violation of this policy was a fireable offense.  If Fidelity failed to codify its policies, procedures and penalties in an employee handbook or email document, then Pettigrew could argue that Fidelity breached its contract of employment.  In cases where a company issues an employee handbook which outlines specific procedures, including reprimands and opportunities to correct one’s behavior if an employee is alleged to have violated company policy, then other courts have analyzed such provisions according to the traditional requirements for the creation of a contract: offer, acceptance, and consideration.  Since Texas law does not recognize this exception to the employment at will doctrine, Pettigrew and his colleagues cannot invoke the second exception either.

The third exception to the employment at will doctrine is the exception for a covenant of good faith and fair dealing.  This exception represents the most significant departure from the traditional employment at will doctrine.  Rather than narrowly prohibiting terminations based on public policy or an implied contract, this exception – at its broadest – reads a covenant of good faith and fair dealing into every employment relationship.  It has been interpreted to mean either that employer personnel decisions are subject to a “just cause” standard or that terminations made in bad faith or motivated by malice are prohibited.  A majority of the states do not recognize this exception, including Texas, so Pettigrew and his colleagues have no actionable claim under this exception either.

Since no exception to the employment at will doctrine is applicable in this case, Pettigrew and his colleagues do not appear to have an actionable claim against Fidelity for wrongful termination.  While this Court acknowledges the harsh nature of the punishment in comparison to the “crime” charged, it is beyond the scope and duty of the legal system to impose its will on corporations regarding their ability to terminate an at will employee who is in direct violation of a company policy.  The only recourse this Court grants to Pettigrew and his colleagues is for Fidelity to amend the termination explanations on the employees’ U5 forms by removing any and all references to gambling.  It would be inherently detrimental to Pettigrew and others to inappropriately be cited or referenced for gambling when clearly fantasy football participation does not fall within the definition of gambling.  While a future at Fidelity is not in the cards for these gentlemen, there is no reason to prevent or diminish their chances for other employment opportunities despite this unfortunate incident and blemish on their respective resumes.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Michael A. Stein, Esq.

Owner and Chief Justice

michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com

www.fantasyjudgment.com

REFERENCES

1. http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/1825336.html
2. http://fantasyfootball.fanhouse.com/2009/12/17/fired-over-fantasy-football-the-unfortunate-case-of-cameron-pet/22
3. http://www.fantasysportsbusiness.com/wordpress/2009/12/21/source-fidelity-tried-to-make-an-example-out-of-us/
4. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BF5KQ20091216
5. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.4411:
6. http://thomas/loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.4777:
7. State v. Am. Holiday Ass’n, Inc., 727 P.2d 807, 809, 812 (Ariz. 1986) (en banc)
8. Humphrey v. Viacom, Inc., et al., No. 06-2768  (D.N.J., June 20, 2007)
9. Las Vegas Hacienda, Inc. v. Gibson, 359 P.2d 85, 86-87 (Nev. 1961).
10. 10.  D.C. Code § 16-1702; Ga. Code Ann. § 13-8-3; 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/28-8; Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 372.020; Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 137, § 1;Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3763.02; N.J. Rev. Stat. § 2A:40-5; S.C. Code Ann. § 32-1-20.
11. http://sportingnews.com/contract/cancellation.html
12. Martin v. Citizens’ Bank of Marshallville, 171 S.E. 711, 713 (Ga. 1933).
13. http://www.usnews.com/money/business-economy/small-business/articles/2009/09/21/the-reality-of-fantasy-sports.html
14. http://www.fsta.org
15. http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/devil-details/can-you-be-fired-for-fantasy-football/1230/
16. Shane and Rosenthal, Employment Law Deskbook, §16.02, §16.03[8] (1999)
17. Charles J. Muhl, Monthly Labor Review “The Employment At Will Doctrine: Three Major Exceptions” (January 2001)
18. Webber v. M.W. Kellogg Company, 720 S.W.2d 124 (Tex. 1986).
19. Pine River State Bank v. Mettilee, 333 N.W.2d 622 (Minn. 1983).

About the Author

Michael A. Stein, Esq. has participated in fantasy sports since he was 6 years old when he won a junior division of his father’s fantasy football league in 1985. Since then, Michael has continuously participated in and organized fantasy baseball, football and basketball leagues. He is the Commissioner of an 18-team Head-to-Head fantasy baseball league that has been in existence since 1999. He authored a fantasy sports league Constitution for use in his own league, as well as others, and continues to amend and modify it to deal with ongoing issues. He writes articles for Addict Fantasy Sports and World Cup of Fantasy Sports analyzing baseball, football, and fantasy sports in general. Michael is also the Owner, President, and Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment (www.fantasyjudgment.com), a website dedicated to providing independent, professional resolution of fantasy sports issues through a panel of expert judges.

Electric Football Figures

Football Cake Toppers – Set of 9 $10.95 …

NFL Pittsburgh Steelers Duckhouse Single Tumbler $5.25 20-ounce insulated tumbler looks & feels like colored glass but is durable, dependable and shatter-proof acrylic. Whether drinking hot or cold, always comfortable to the touch. Hand Wash recommended. Not microwave safe. Made in China.á Insulated for hot or cold beveragesá 20oz fill capacityá Bright team colors and logo to show your fandom…

NFL New England Patriots Duckhouse Single Tumbler $4.25 20-ounce insulated tumbler looks & feels like colored glass but is durable, dependable and shatter-proof acrylic. Whether drinking hot or cold, always comfortable to the touch. Hand Wash recommended. Not microwave safe. Made in China.á Insulated for hot or cold beveragesá 20oz fill capacityá Bright team colors and logo to show your fandom…

Inflatable Football Sports Buddy Figure Decoration $2.99 These 23″ inflatable Football sports buddies are a great decoration for Football parties, and a fun fan to have cheering with you watching the game! Easy to inflate, great for indoor or outside, and also available in basketball, soccer and baseball! Great on their own and even better with the other party decorations, accessories and costumes in our store!…

Football Cake Toppers 10ct $10.99 You will score a touchdown when using our football cake decorations. Each package includes: 8 football players and 2 goal posts. Football players measure 1 1/2″ high and goal posts stand 4 1/2″ high….

water bottle Football

Tervis Tumbler Black Handle Accessory for 24oz Tervis Drinkwear $5.09 Tervis Tumbler Black Handle Accessory for 24oz Tervis Drinkwear….

NFL 6-Ounce Stainless Steel Hip Flask Having a ball? NFL Hip Flask. Down! Set! Sip! You’ll love slurping a pinch of your favorite hooch as you cheer for your favorite team. And this Flask is also the perfect gift for the fan in your life! Here’s the details: Premium, stainless steel construction… no plastic jug taste!; Sculpted and enameled pewter team logo… let the whole world know you’re a fan!; Approx. 4 3/8″ tall and holds 6 o…

Dallas Cowboys NFL 16oz Stainless Steel Travel Mug Show off your pride by drinking from this Officially Licensed Dallas Cowboys Stainless Steel Travel Mug with hand-crafted metal team logo. Fits in your vehicle cup holder; keeps drinks hot or cold and features a no spill lid….

12 Pack Kids Party Favor Super Songs CD (Packaged in carrying case with Stickers, Crayons and Coloring Book) $41.28 This 12 Pack Kids Party Favor Super Songs CD will be a big hit at your next birthday party. This party favor set includes 12 individual activity kits. Each kit has: 1 CD with 50 Super Songs for kids (see track listing for entire list of songs), Stickers, Crayons and a Coloring Book all packaged in a convenient carrying case. This product is a perfect party favor to hand out at your next kid s birt…

The Best of Bill Cosby CONTENTS: NOAH – RIGHT, NOAH AND THE NEIGHBOR, NOAH ME AND YOU, LORD, REVENGE, THE LONE RANGER, OLD WEIRD HAROLD, DRIVING IN SAN FRANCISCO, THE APPLE, BABIES, THE WATER BOTTLE, STREET FOOTBALL, FAT ALBERT…

Rotator Cuff Disorders – Surgical and Nonsurgical Treatment

Rotator cuff disorders are irritations in or damage to tendons around the shoulder. These disorders include inflammation of the tendons (tendinitis) or the bursa (bursitis), a calcium buildup in the tendons, or partial or complete tears of the tendon.

The shoulder’s rotator cuff plays an important role in throwing movements, as in Football, baseball, or softball, or racket sports like tennis. Comprised of a group of muscles and tendons, the rotator cuff allows for a large range of movement using the shoulder and also keeps the shoulder joint stable.

A rotator cuff is more easily damaged or torn as age-related degeneration develops. The factors below often occur together or overlap.
·    Bones that are irregularly shaped can affect how the cuff moves in the subacromial space. You may be born with these irregularities, or they may occur after some type of injury, such as a broken bone or dislocation of the shoulder joint. If the acromion is hooked or curved, impingement or degeneration of rotator cuff tendons may be more likely.
Do I need surgery for my rotator cuff?

Rotator cuff problems, which have developed insidiously, are treated initially non-operatively with rest, analgesics, ice massage and activity modification. If the symptoms do not respond to these measures, investigations like Ultrasonogram or MRI are required to identify any tears in the rotator cuff. X-rays will not show rotator cuff, but they will show any bony abnormalities that indicate cuff disease.

When is physical therapy used to treat rotator cuff disorders?
Physical therapy is sometimes needed before surgery to help determine the cause of your shoulder problem and whether surgery may be appropriate. While strengthening a muscle that is attached to a torn tendon is unlikely to be beneficial, strengthening the surrounding muscles may allow your shoulder to compensate for a rotator cuff tendon tear. If your shoulder gets better with physical therapy, you may not need surgery. If you do have rotator cuff surgery, you will need to commit to and complete a physical therapy program after surgery.

Treatment Overview
Treatment for rotator cuff disorders focuses on relieving pain and inflammation and restoring shoulder strength, flexibility, and function. Treatment may help to prevent further complications, such as loss of strength and movement in the shoulder or additional degeneration or tearing. Treatment considerations include your symptoms, age, activity level, and whether your symptoms appear to be related to a rotator cuff injury. You and your health professional will decide together which treatment is best for you.

Nonsurgical treatment
Most rotator cuff disorders are treated without surgery. Your treatment may include:
·    Resting, although gentle movement of the shoulder is recommended. Prolonged immobilization (holding the shoulder still), such as with slings or braces, may cause the shoulder joint to become stiff.
Surgery
Surgery is most useful in relieving pain and weakness in the shoulder or if the tendons are being squeezed as they move through their normal ranges of motion. The two types of surgery for rotator cuff disorders are subacromial smoothing and rotator cuff repair.

About the Author

Read about herbal remedies supplements directory Also
Read about diabetes treatment blog directory
and diet and nutrition blog directoryry

DonJoy Playmaker

Helmet Sticker for Andre Dixon

MagnaCard All About Your Locker Magnetic Epoxy Sports Magnets, Assorted variety pack. 2 Magnets in pack(61221) $3.99 Assorted variety pack contains 2 magnets. Packs contain either Baseball and Football magnet duo OR Soccerball and basketball magnet duo. …

Arizona Cardinals 6 Pack Reusable Bags – NFL Football $25.95 Support the environment and your favorite team with the Arizona Cardinals 6 Pack Reusable Bags. Folds flat for convenient storage, each bag measures 15″ tall x 13″ wide x 7″ deep. Made of strong synthetic100% non-woven polypropylene these bags are environmentally safe and can be used over and over again! Get yours today and show off your Arizona Cardinals pride!…

Florida Gators Tailgate Pack (2 Oranage & 2 Blue) – Snap Capps – Reclosable Can Tops – A Must Have Item! $11.96 Snap Capp??…Finally! A plastic re-closable top designed to snap onto virtually all 12 and 16 ounce aluminum beverage cans. It effectively converts the ordinary, messy can into an easily portable, re-closable, non-spilling, identifiable bottle. More benefits of Snap Capp?? include preventing bugs and bees from getting into your can, and keeping the fizz from getting out! Snap Capp?? will keep you…

Football Birthday Party Invitation Cards $1.99 Use this stylish invitations for parties and entertainment. Includes 8 invitations and 8 white envelopes….

6-PACK Thanks Coach! Clipboard SPORTS POWERCARD Mid-size (5×7) 6-PACK $11.99 PLAY STRONG® SPORTS POWERCARDS are an exciting way to express yourself and to encourage your coach, teammates, friends and family. A personal note on a POWERCARD will make a lasting and high-powered impact!…

How to Pack War – 2008 Playoff Prestige Football Cards

Footballs Updated!

 It all started from the start, and would end in the end. What’s worth notice is how that start leads to the end. The mornings meant football and evening, dhabas. The world meant the activities surrounding them. And yes, there was some of college as well.

  The group comprised of Raza, Amjad, Ahmed, Kashif and myself. The sometimers comprised of Rahul, Shravan, Atikul and sometimes some other names which I don’t quite remember owing to my disability of forgetting names very often.

  If I ever had time in my life and if I have ever killed it big-time, it was then. The footballs consumed the mornings, the aftermath of it, the afternoons and the reviews and critics, the nights. 

  There is a real sad story to my life when it comes to the good old football days. I played the midfield, where more of my energy wasted on trying to run in diagonal directions with the ball, so it should be no surprise if the number of goals I scored was comparatively lower than my inferior counterparts. However, whenever rarely and occasionally, I got a chance to grab the ball, run with it, find no tough opponents and do not slip or stumble and finally score a long awaited goal, a voice came from behind “ aur yeh raha  Nazim Khan ka pehla aur aakhri GOAL!” and then my own cousins making fun of me and the game suddenly losing all the seriousness and coming to an abrupt end. The commentator was Rehan Khan, a childhood friend.

  Before I forget there is something very interesting about Raza, my cousin, that I would like to share. He’s got some very peculiar habits. First, of explaining the obvious. Second, of giving open opportunities to us to take his trip. Third, of taking his own trip when we fail to realize that we just missed an opportunity. When we were kids we had big plans of his marriage. Myself, Amjad and Ahmed planned to get Raza married to a very beautiful woman when he grows up, as Raza mostly obeyed whatever we as elder cousins ordered. So in a way he hoped for our greener future. One day it got a little too much, and Raza threatened us that he would commit suicide and then we could do whatever we wanted. As in, with his wife! We felt a little bad but come to think of it, the idea still arouses us.

  The stairs of Music World, was another landmark, where wanderers looked for us. We sat there and peeped at the world in shrugs, hot-pants and stilettos rushing in and out of The Park Hotel. Played wits with the smallies selling chewing gum to babes and boyfriends.  It usually started from productive discussions which usually had a sexual inclination. I was called a Casanova who amazingly wasted all his time with his male friends, and there were words like “Armsanova” invented and was coronated as a title to Kashif who was always busy concentrating on the arms of the women who tread before his eyes. The next coronation was for Amjad, and the title awarded was Assanova! So we all know what he concentrated on normally. There were other minor titles awarded to amateur thinkers like ‘Lipsonova’ and ‘hairsonova’ according to their respective fields of concentration.

  One day music world was wet with rain and we were taking shade under its porch. Our bladders were bursting owing to the cold-drinks consumed and hence music world was wet again while Will Smith peeped in disgust from the poster of Hitch. It was such a relief and what an achievement!

 Every time Amjad came up with an idea, it seemed liked the world’s most serious topic, it probably got the seriousness from the way he played the whodunit. There are certain things I did and said which Amjad didn’t seem to like. He wouldn’t say but I know and I would still do it and say it. I don’t really know why but I normally like irritating people with intellect may be to get a better understanding of how they react in certain circumstances. He is one information box I know. Talk about movies, gadgets, prices of gadgets, bikes, the on road rates, jobs, Sensex, sense or sex, he knows all. You would have to try really hard if you want to come up with something that he already doesn’t have an opinion about. I still remember when I changed the memory slot from phone to card for a friend, he complemented my knowledge of phone technicalities. It really was a big thing to get a complement from such a knowledge-box for having knowledge. Amazing! If there is something to which he says a no, try searching GOOGLE with zero results.

  Time for six-packs, biceps, triceps and whatever possible ceps one can think of. The He-man of the group is Ahmed. One thing in life he is determined about. Gym. Full stop. He would wake up in the morning, not sleep in the afternoon and eat non-tasty food at night before the proteins. With so many sacrifices I think I would deserve the fame of Bekham and bucks like Gates. But he would just do it for building blocks on his body which would de-shape in a single no-maintenance month anyway. I can’t get more jealous! He did it man. With elders he is famous for his greetings which are too loud sometimes to be even called greetings. With us, he is not-so-famous for his non-veg jokes which again are sometimes too non-veg to be even called jokes. There have been terrific fights between the both of us and hence our relatives have only seen the extremism of love and I don’t know what! I still remember him sitting at the local rendezvous spot with his friends, trying to pretend as if he didn’t even notice that I passed. He failed miserably! But if there’s one person who is responsible for the closeness that we share even now, it’s him. If you ever need to learn how to fight your own brother, you can learn from him, but if you ever need to learn how to fight for a brother, you have to learn from him.

About it for Ahmed.

  There have been numerous occasions when we planned to sleep together at our granny’s house but it could never happen cause we never slept. We spent the nights talking, talking about our wives, clearing out misunderstandings, commenting on sizes and shapes, the future plans for our children, predicting our expenses and income in 2050 and even covering issues which usually didn’t have a sexual inclination to it  cause that was the time we spoke about us. Us brothers.

The more I am happy to think of that past, the more I am sad that it will never come back.

About the Author

hi everyone. kindly vote for my article, send the link to friends,write comments and try reading it again and again. make it popular brothers.

1990 football cards?

My friend has a box full of 1990 football cards. 36 packs unopened, 10 cards containing in each pack. They are unopened! The cards are not jersey cards but like regular ones (I dont know..I dont collect cards. Im just seeing if I can sell them for alot in the future)
1. Is it a good deal to buy the whole thing for $40?
2. Are the cards worth more if unopened or open?
3. If i do buy them, when should I sell them?

What brand are these cards? If they are regular Topps or Pro Set, they will be worth only a small amount since they were printed by the millions. I wouldn’t pay more than $ .25 a pack if I were you. And I wouldn’t buy them myself since I have complete sets of those. Some could say that the unopened packs are worth more since there might be a rookie card in there, but that would be a stretch with 1990 regular cards. As for selling, people with incomplete sets might be willing to buy a card or two for a low price.

I just found my 2003-2004 Beckett Price Guide. A 1990 complete factory set of Topps, 528 cards is $12. Score, 665 card factory set is $10. Pro Set, 801 cards is $15. Fleer 400 cards is worth $7.50. Too many were made.

Wilton 307-250 Cupcakes `n More 24-Count 4-Tier Mini Dessert Stand $12.74 Cupcakes n more mini dessert stand-holds 24 mini cupcakes 10-1/2×9. Wilton-cupcakes n more dessert stand: 14×14in. This stand is perfect for any celebration! this silver finished wire stand securely holds twenty-four cupcakes for birthdays; holidays……

Dallas Cowboys Apron $9.99 Our fan-friendly sports apron is what every backyard chef will want to wear to their next tailgating event….

New England Patriots Apron $9.99 Our fan-friendly sports apron is what every backyard chef will want to wear to their next tailgating event….

Football’s Funniest Pranks …

Dallas Cowboys LED Desk Lamp $12.99 Our LED Lamp is a welcome addition for home or office. With its 24 LED bulbs, this lamp boasts a long lasting brilliant lighting day or night. Features a 6.5 inch flexible neck and is very lightweight….

Skydiving display, Football Park, Adelaide, 1976

Football Display Cases for the Ages

There are many avid fans of the game that has made Monday night something to look forward to, and these people have made the Super Bowl something of a holiday in itself. A lot of people collect the celebrated items when their team wins at the Big Dance and these items are commonly left on the mantle or somewhere on a shelf, the problem is that doing that doesn’t do them any justice at all. The Football Collectibles should be in a case, like the football display cases found at SportsDisplayCases.net. These have been selling off the shelves for many years. They have also been setting a standard that will make the sports items seem that much more precious to the person displaying them in these display cases.

Many of the football display cases that are on the market are good, but the ones that are among the best have a sturdy and finished wooden base and a solid glass cover that will show the beauty of the items while still keeping them clean. Many of the glass cases are even sturdy enough to handle a good amount of abuse; this means that the items within the display cases will be safe through most events that happen around them. This is a great selling point if you have children. These cases can hold the football jerseys and even the footballs from the Super Bowl or your kid’s high school game. Some of the local leagues are also something that could warrant the attention that a good case can give. These games are always grand battles and it is nice to be able to keep the memories of those days safe and clean.

There have been numerous uses for these cases and many of the people that have gotten one of the football display cases have designed them to be more personal and unique with not just the items that they house, but also the layout that is used in displaying the items that are within each case. There have been many techniques that people have used to light the contents and most of the display cases are set up to make this easy to do. That means that you may show off the contents even when the lights are out. Many of the cases can also be set up so that the items are protected not only from outside elements like dirt and dust but also the heat from the lights themselves. This is a must if the items have been autographed and authenticated. The last thing that someone wants is to have the items washed and have the signed item not longer signed.

Among the many things that a sports fan can have there just are so few that can compare to football display cases to show the rare sports collectibles that the person has acquired over time. Sharing the collectibles is half of the fun in owning them, so appreciate what you have and get some great display cases to help you show them off right. Look at it this way, you get to share the glories of your collection, you get to keep them safe from moisture and dirt as well as safe from any sticky hands that may come near them. It is the perfect solution to an age old problem. You will find that your collection will last generations longer when taken care of in this way.

About the Author

Matt Jones is a leading authorized reseller of Caseworks display cases sold at his website, www.sportsdisplaycases.net. This site has an amazing selection of over 400 unique display cases, each with free engraved nameplates and a free etched Nfl Football team logo or MLB baseball team logo. Get your football display cases today!

Where can I find a football card display that holds 20 cards?

I have around 500-600 different Emmitt Smith cards and I use to buy these wall displays that would hold 20 Football Cards in hard plastic sleeves that would slide into the display. I need more of them but I am unable to find anymore. Can anyone help me out? Thanks.

http://www.ebpromos.com/

Cutters Football Playmaker Wristcoach $14.99 You’ll never have to worry about forgetting a play with the Cutters® Football Playmaker Wristcoach. Made with C-FLEX™ material for an optimal fit, the Playmaker has a clear vinyl windows which can display up to 30 plays at once….

Freedom Alert with 3 Wireless Long Range Pendants $479.85 The ONLY No Monthly Charge personal emergency alert system with a Pendant you can TALK through. 600 foot range (2 football fields)- You have the ability to actually answer incoming phone calls with the pendant anywhere in or around your home or yard….

Nike AC1126 Plus Sport Armband for iPod Nano Black/Red $0.01 Safely take your tunes with your. Made with lightweight Nike Pro Compression fabric, the Nike Sport Armband stretches to securely fit your iPod Nano with or without a receiver and protects it from sweat while you work out. You`ll get a perfect fit with the stretch fabric and the adjustable Velcro closure. The armand is cool, comfortable and washable….

Wii Football $17.26 Wii football. Cta wi-foot nintendo wii™ football. Specs: allows users to mimic the motions of playing football; designed after an authentic football; buttons on wii remote™ are mirrored on the outside casing; wii remote™ sits inside ball; includes hand strap & football container; compatible with wii motionplus™. Warranty: sixty days…….

Sony Portable Sports AM/FM Radio (SRF-M78) $59.95 The digital synthesized tuning of this personal stereo precisely locks in the most powerful signal for remarkably accurate reception. Ten random station presets allow you to instantly switch between memorized stations at the push of a button instead of searching with a tuning dial. A unique wrap-around arm band attaches easily and comfortably without the need for a pocket or belt. This portable pl…

How to Play Quarterback : How to Snap Your Wrist to Throw a Football

Football Basics: Learning Defense

In the early days of football, the rules were such that the team on defense was favored over the team with the ball. The game emphasized stout defenses. A great many contests were decided by a lone score.

Certainly one of the top thrills in a football game occurs when a team makes a successful “goal-line stand.” Such a defensive stand has turned the tide of many a game. It is not a matter of luck and it is not accidental. It is the result of the defensive players knowing and performing the following fundamentals.

Tackling

Whenever football talk turns to the defensive part of the game, the main topic of discussion is the tackling ability of each member of the team. The main point, of course, is to stop the progress of the other team’s ball carrier. You want to accomplish this as soon as possible after he has the ball.

The Shoulder Tackle

There are many ways of stopping a ball carrier. However, the fundamental one, the one you should concentrate on developing, is making good, solid contact with either one of your shoulders in the area above the mid-point of the ball carrier’s thigh.

1. Immediately before you contact the ball carrier, have your body in a crouched, coiled position. Do this by having a good bend in your knees and your hips. As body contact is made, your feet must be well-spread, your toes pointing forward. Keep the weight of your body evenly balanced on the balls of your feet. You must have your entire body under complete control. Then, you can change your movement in any way necessary without losing any of your power.

2. Keep your eyes directed toward the ball carrier’s mid-section, right on his belt buckle. This part is the easiest for your eyes to follow as it is the center of his body and it makes a steady target. If you have your eyes on some other part of his body, a quick side step by the ball carrier can fool you into moving the wrong way.

3. Contact is best made somewhere above the mid-point of the opponent’s thigh. Your head immediately slides to the side opposite the shoulder used in the tackle. If you use your right shoulder, your head goes to the left. Using your left shoulder, your head goes to the right.

4. In making contact with your opponent, come out of your crouched position with a snapping spring-like action. Direct an upward driving force into your opponent with your shoulder by straightening your knees and pushing hard off your toes. As contact is made, your shoulder should be going into your opponent at an upward angle.

5. At the same instant, wrap your arms around your opponent’s legs. With your right hand grasp your left wrist or left forearm. You can also reverse this by using your left hand to grasp your right wrist or right forearm.

6. As the shoulder makes contact and the arms go around the opponent’s legs, you have a double action. Your shoulder is pushing the upper part of the opponent’s body backwards. Your arms are pulling his legs out from under him.

This double action, working in opposite directions, destroys the ball carrier’s balance and down he goes!

7. Sometimes it is more effective to aim your shoulder for the area slightly above the opponent’s knees. This is a good idea when your opponent is unusually tall and strong. On still other occasions, you make a low tackle, going for your opponent’s legs below his knees.

8. When making your tackle from either side of the ball carrier, rather than head-on, try to get as much of the upper part of your body, particularly your chest, directly in front of your opponent. This will help slow or stop his forward progress. At the same instant, you grasp his legs with your arms to pull his feet out from under him.

With practice, this kind of defensive action will become second nature to you!

About the Author

You Won’t Find A Better Instruction Manual That Lays Out In Great Detail On How To Play Football

Click Here For Free Online Ebook
http://www.littleleaguefootball.net/

How can you workout your bicep without a lot of movement from your wrist?

Hurt my wrist playing football but can’t stop working out because the seasons coming up. Explain some different excercises I can do for my biceps without putting a lot of strain on my wrist.

You can try curling dumbells, those dont really strain your wrists. If they do hurt while simply curling, try rowing, which is leaning over a bench, couch, chair..etc with one knee on set object and pull the dumbell up so that your elbow is parallel to ur shoulder. (For example, have ur left knee on the bench, and hold the dumbell with your right hand)

hope this helps