November NFL Thoughts

Picked up pieces from the sports betting weekend. A pro handicapper told me about an old betting angle started back in the 1970s which relates to the mid-point of the nfl season. According to him, people bet on any team that starts the season 2-6 or worse for the rest of the year, and against any team that starts 6-2 or better. This is not a formula for hitting 80% winners the rest of the way, but for sports betting grinders. I don't do that, but I can see reasoning behind the angle. You're going against public perception which means, in theory, youre getting a few extra points each week, as teams that that 2-6 are likely to be big dogs the rest of the way, while currently strong teams like the Colts and Broncos will be getting respect from oddsmakers. Just thought I'd pass that wagering angle along.

The Terrell Owens saga is ridiculous. A pampered, problem-child superstar continues to backstab teammates and talk about ME, ME, ME, so the coach throws him off the team. A pat on the back for Andy Reid for making that decision. Football is not about ME, it's about teamwork, working hard and working together. Owens was suspended for sunday night's 17-10 loss at Washington, and will remain suspended for three more games without pay. After that, the Eagles plan to deactivate him for the rest of the season. Does anyone recall the TV speech Owens gave early in preseason, trying to explain his actions? It was embarrassing. Let's hope Owens and his agent aren't dumb enough to go on TV again to try and plead his case.

Athletes wear out their welcome all the time in sports, and most move on to another team for a few years where they often wear out their welcome again. Lost in the shuffle of the Owens' saga is a similar thing that happened in the nfl four years ago. Early in the 2001 season, Patriots All-Pro WR Terry Glenn was being a problem child, missing practices and complaining about a variety of topics. Coach Bill Belichick laid down the law and suspended Glenn. At the time it was a surprise, as New England was short on offensive speed. However, the team showed they were better without Glenn, recovering from an 0-2 start and the sideshow antics by winning the super Bowl, all without Glenn.

In Cleveland, first-year coach Romeo Crennel has the Browns playing hard. A defensive expert, the Cleveland defense is allowing 17 ppg after allowing 24 per game last season. The offense is still short on talent and plays a conservative, grind-it-out style. Notice that the Browns are 7-1 under the total.

The 3-5 Raiders have had a tough schedule and some bitter defeats, losing at home to KC by 6 when a late drive stalled, and at Philly by 3. Sunday's shocking 27-23 loss at Kansas City on the final play was easily the hardest to take. "This is about as bitter a defeat as you could have," said Oakland quarterback Kerry Collins afterward. It's the type of loss that could break the back of a team. Watch for any finger-pointing or complaining by Oakland players over the next few weeks, especially Randy Moss, who hasn't spoken to the press since early September, which is probably a blessing.

Lisa Bennett Yoga Zone

Lo Carb Diets Can Assist Your Rapid Weight Loss

Lo carb diets are the newest dieting trend, and seem to be effective. Here are some tips for following a balanced lo carb diet:

Eat more fruit and vegetables, aiming for at least five portions a day. Include fruit at breakfast and salad at lunch. Reduce the amount of salt by eating less processed food, such as ready meals, and adding a smaller amount of salt to food. Eat a varied diet. Change your shopping list every week to help keep you out of unhealthy food ruts and make eating more enjoyable. Eat regular meals - although it doesn't matter when you eat your food, a consistent schedule helps most people to control their diet and their weight. control your portion sizes so that over time, if not necessarily every day, the amount of energy you consume matches your level of activity. Try to be more physically active. Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Activity helps to regulate your appetite, and means that you can eat more without gaining weight. Drink alcohol only within sensible limits: not more than 14 units per week for women, and no more than three in any one day, and not more than 21 units per week for men, and no more than four in any one day.

The current most popular fad diet is the Lo Carb or atkins diet. It restricts carbohydrate rich foods, thereby restricting total daily calories. Phase One of the four in the atkins diet consists of between 1400 to 1500 total daily calories. The average adult female consumes around 2200 calories daily and the average adult male consumes around 2800 calories daily. Almost any adult will lose weight if they consume 800 to 1300 fewer calories daily. Phase One of the atkins diet also restricts carbohydrate intake to only 20 grams of net carbohydrates daily. The definition of net carbohydrates is total grams of carbohydrates per serving minus dietary fibre per serving. Dietary fibre is the non-digestible remains of plant products found in beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Carbohydrates are the bodys preferred fuel source. In the near future there will be a recommended dietary allowance, or R.D.A., for carbohydrates of 130 grams daily. 130 grams of carbohydrates our body needs daily is for the proper functioning of the central nervous system and production of red blood cells. Only during Phase Four of the atkins diet are participants allowed up to 120 grams of net carbohydrate daily. Low carbohydrate diets are nothing new, they have been around since the 1860s and the atkins Diet first came out in the early 1970s.

most nutrition experts agree that to be successful in weight loss a person needs to keep the weight off for 5 years. Over 90% of people who take weight off through a fad diet like the atkins diet gain the weight back in less than one year. Participants on the atkins diet lose between 10 to 12 pounds in the first several weeks but this is only water loss, not fat. One pound of fat contains 3500 calories. Therefore to lose 10 pounds of fat in several weeks you would need to consume 35,000 fewer calories or burn 35,000 calories more through exercise. Neither is likely to happen.

So, the best way to lose weight and become more healthy is to eat a balanced diet. Dont cut out all your carbs, but dont go overboard with them either. In addition to eating well, exercise in a proportional amount to what you are eating. Exercising too much is as bad as exercising too little.

Your carb dessert dietpoundsaway.com low recipe headquarters. Find quick answers to your low carb alcohol questions.

Streaming Meditation Kundalini Yoga

Become a Ninja in 2008

While everyones looking to start up a new diet, exercise or martial arts program, why not start the new year off by learning something that no one else is learning? Something that will propel you into becoming a stronger person and a better warrior. Why not get on a real ninja program?

1. Learn all the different aspects of ninja training: Both physically and mentally. There is not only physical training which you can learn to become quicker, more agile, and a much better fighter, but there is also mental aspects which only ninja training can provide. Discipline is huge in the ninja way and this discipline can be applied in every aspect of you life: From school to work, to even attracting women.

2. Become a Modern Day ninja. A modern day ninja is someone who learns the aspects of the ninja training of old and applies them to everyday, modern life. From clothing, to attitude, to self defense skills, becoming a modern day ninja means winning fights, looking cool, and having a major mental edge above everyone else in todays society.

3. Learn from a ninja manual. Unfortunately there just aren't any old timer ninja gurus out there opening up schools and teaching the way of the ninja. But, fortunately there are a few, rare ninja manuals (one which I recommend and list below) which can teach you everything you need to know on becoming a modern day ninja. This cuts to the chase and right after downloading the manual you can begin to learn everything you need to know about Ninja's, both past, present, and how you yourself can become a modern Ninja in everyday life.

Yoga Teacher Training In New Mexico

What Does It Mean if You Get Stung by a Sting Ray - Fishing the Shore of Little Gasparilla Island

One of the most beautiful places I have ever visited is a small island off the gulf coast of florida known as Palm island. Also know as little Gasparilla island, this place is a true island with no land bridge. You can only get there by ferry or private boat. The inter-coastal waterway (Lemon Bay) empties into the atlantic Ocean along the north side of Palm island in a waterway known as Stump Pass.

The fishing is not as great in Lemon Bay as it once was and it is not as productive as Gaspirilla Pass or Charlotte Harbor, but it can be fished from the shore of Palm island without a boat. this means I can fish day and night while my family is enjoying other aspects of our family vacation. My typical fishing outings are one week trips with at least some fishing every day. Almost every trip to Palm island... I have been there at least 25 times... I go out once or twice with my favorite guide Captain Les Hill. Les has been a professional guide for just about as long as I have been fishing in the Charlotte Harbor area. We have caught as many as 13 different specials on a weekend trip. But the favorites each for a different include Redfish, Snook, Flounder, Spanish Mackeral, Sea Trout, Lady Fish, Tarpon (I still have not caught one of these), a variety of Shark, Mangrove Snapper, young Grouper, Jack, and Sting Ray.

One beautiful morning just after sunrise, I was fishing in the shallow water on the north edge of Palm Island. I had waded into about a foot of water perhaps 15 feet off the shore. The Snook come charging in and out of these waters, and with light tackle the experience of catching one is enough to get anyone hooked on back water fishing.

After an hour or so, (time moves pretty fast when you are in paradise) I was stunned by the instant intense pain in my leg. As I looked down, I saw a sting ray dashing away as if I had just attacked him. Being from cleveland, I had no idea just how serious this might be. The little guy swimming away was only about 15 inches in diameter.

The pain was so intense all I could think of, was that I had just been stung by a venomous creature from the ocean, and that I was going to die. My thoughts shifted quickly to perhaps I won't die, but they might have to cut off my leg! Truly, friends, the pain was sharp, and penetrating, and throbbing. I was at least 20 minutes from my condominium, and in my mind, I figured I could be dead before I would make it back.

So in an act of desperation, I shouted out to a fisherman in a boat... "What do you do if you get stung by a Sting Ray". Since he was quite a way out it sounded like Whaaat dooo youuu dooo if youuu get stunnnng by a stinnng Raaay. As if he could read my mind, he shouted back "You wonnnt diiiie". With that bit of comfort, and encouragement, I had the strength to hobble over to my golf cart, and begin the journey back to my condo. All the way back I remember mumbling, "Oh my God, Oh my God". At one point it hurt so bad, I began to laugh!

As it turns out, hot water as hot as you can stand it, will de-nature the venom from the sting ray. So once I got back, a nice foot bath in scalding hot water terminated about 95% of the pain in no more than 20 minutes. So after breakfast and a few hours in the pool, I was back on the beach fishing.

Ah but this story has an interesting twist. About two weeks after I got home to cleveland, my ankle swelled up to the size of a grapefruit. So now I am thinking, I was right all along. They are going to have to amputate my leg.

I made an appointment to go to the Cleveland Clinic, but on my way out the door I got to thinking... these guys at the Cleveland Clinic have never seen a sting ray infection, and given the change, who knows what they might try. So I hopped on the internet and after a few minutes, I found a nice article on venomous marine life. It contained detailed recommendations for treating the secondary infection often caused by the shattered barb left behind from a sting ray. this was too funny. I highlighted the recommended antibiotic, and treatment; and went to see the Doc. Just as I had imagined, the Doc had no idea what to do with my leg.

So once Doc Wu began scratching his head, I explain, "Doc, I don't want to be presumptious, but I did a little research and here is the recommended treatment for an infection resulting from a sting ray attack." The doctor read the few paragraphs, nodded his head, wrote a script for prescription, cleaned out the barb as recommended, sent me home, and sent me a bill. So that is what you do if you get stung by a sting ray.

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