Top 10 Dumbest Things Pro Athletes Do

By: Jason OConnor

There seems to be an endless stream of idiotic things professional athletes do. I guess if you put a bunch of young men together, give them a boat-load of money and lots of free time, what can you expect? When beautiful women, the media and the luxuries of life are thrown at them, their cockiness and stupidity are only amplified. Here are my top ten, but of course there are lots more. However, we must always remember, they are only human too.

1. Me Make Good Play!
Ever see NFL players beat their chest like a gorilla after they just made a good play? I guess it's a Tarzan thing or something, but they look kinda ridiculous. Maybe if I was out there on the field and I was a 170-pound kicker watching a defensive lineman beating his chest after a sack, I may be a little intimidated, but overall, they look really silly doing it. (I attended a professional all-women's football game this year and saw a 350-pound woman do this, which was particularly scary.)

2. The God Factor, Part I
I hate it when players point up to Heaven and thank God after a good play too. Bear in mind however, that I am not criticizing religion or anyone for having faith in God. But this just looks lame. It happens a lot in MLB for some reason. A strikeout will cause Pedro Martinez to do the chest-touch and double-index-finger-point to God as if he and God were chatting earlier about possible pitching strategies in the locker room, and the strategy they chose together worked, so he had to personally thank God using his direct line.

3. The God Factor, Part II
Locker rooms, sidelines, dugouts, bullpens, and court sides are often full of praying men. One question: "If you are praying to win, and your opponent is praying to win, who does God choose?

4. Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?
Why do pro jocks get arrested for drug and/or gun possession so much? Of course, lots of people do this one unfortunately, we just happen to hear about the famous athletes who do. C'mon guys, keep the drugs at home, stop driving while high, and for crying out loud, stop packin'! You don't need a gun. Who's going to harm you? You're six six and weigh 275 pounds!

5. It Wasn't Me!
Telling Congress you don't do steroids, then getting caught doing steroids is pretty dumb. I loved watching the clips where Rafael Palmero sat pointing a finger at the Congressional hearing stating with disgust and confidence, "I do not take steroids." And then the next clip showing him apologizing profusely for taking steroids.

6. I Love You To Death
Murdering ex-lovers doesn't happen very often fortunately, but my list wouldn't be complete without at least mentioning O.J.

7. Rabbits
It seems that there are a lot of NBA players out there who use the phrase, "My baby's mom" a little too often. And there's too many pro athletes' offspring introducing their buddies as "My brother from another mother." Ever hear of a condom?

8. How Much Bling Bling Do You Need!?
It's fascinating to watch professional athletes blow through all their millions in their first year or two and then have nothing left at retirement, which is usually only a few years later. How many fifty-year-olds are still playing pro sports? Not many (minus golfers of course, who will drag their canes and oxygen tanks with them on the fairway). So why don't pro athletes save a couple of bucks?

9. Love My Hog
It's not too smart to get injured off the job when you're a pro athlete. Cleveland Browns Kellen Winslow Jr. crashed his motorcycle recently and will now miss the 2005 NFL season. Jay Williams, a number one draft pick of the Chicago Bulls, also got into a motorcycle accident and has not played since. What's with motorcycles anyhow? Talk about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

10. "When You Come To a Fork in the Road, Take It" - Yogi Berra
Saying really dumb things in the media seems to be a particularly easy thing to do if you're a professional athlete. I looked in a lot of places online to come up with a good list here. My problem was that there were so many good ones, I wasn't sure which ones to pick. But here are a few gems:

• Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."
• Baseball player Tito Fuentes, after getting hit by a pitch: "They shouldn't throw at me. I'm the father of five or six kids."
• Football coach Ray Malavasi: "I don't care what the tape says. I didn't say it."
• Baseball player Dizzy Dean, after a 1-0 game: "The game was closer than the score indicated."
• Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious."
• Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field."
• Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh Steelers coach: "We're not attempting to circumcise rules."
• Jim Wohford: "Ninety percent of the game is half mental."
• Joe Theismann: "Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
• Charles Shackleford of the NCSU basketball team: "Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious."
• Shaquille O'Neal, on his lack of championships: "I've won at every level, except college and pro."

As I already asked before, what can we expect from professional athletes? They often reflect society as a whole. Too much time, money and fame at a really young age can augment stupidity, simple as that. We all say and do dumb things, but thankfully, we don't have microphones and video cameras pointed at us all the time. As Norman Einstein used to say, "Really smart athletes stay away from problems because they can predict the future with their ESPN."

Author Bio
Jason OConnor operates www.bestshowticketslasvegas.com and loves to attend NFL and MLB games.

Related Sites:
Naked Pinay Views, Friendly Remarks , Greeny Fashion, Money Talks , Marc Nand's Blog , Nodding Nanding's Journal, Amusing Disclosure , PC Operatis , Online Shopster

Running: Training Tips

How can I avoid turning an ankle during trail runs?

If you spend much time training on trails, wear shoes with thick soles and plenty of support, which will stabilize your footstrike and help prevent an ankle turn on rough surfaces. Trail shoes are designed for this; some running shoes will also suffice. You can check available sportswears online. Also, always keep your eyes on the trail immediately ahead so you can adapt your stride to any sudden terrain changes. And on the downhills, slightly shorten your stride. This will help you maintain better control and balance.

Can I count my bike time as training toward my running goals?

Generally you can, but you'll probably have to spend more time in the saddle to get the same aerobic benefits as running. Cycling is a good alternative the day after a hard run. It strengthens muscles neglected by running, like the hamstrings and glutes, without the impact of running. In terms of aerobic ‘training effect,’ roughly 6km of cycling equates to 2km of running at the same intensity. But if you're training for a race, no amount of cycling can take the place of running. Heed my friendly advice.

Is it okay to run in the morning if I also ran the night before?

Back-to-back workouts may be fine as long as both runs aren't too taxing. If your evening workout was a long run or included fast-paced segments, keep the next morning's run short and slow. Likewise, if you plan to do a long run or speedwork in the morning, keep your mileage the night before short and the pace easy. The key is to listen to your body. If you run in the evening and wake up feeling sore or fatigued, take the morning off or cross-train with some cycling or swimming. Many people, male and female athletes and enthusiasts, need a full 24 to 48 hours between runs to fully recover, so don't be disappointed if you can't pull off this night/morning combo. I have heard some of the older athletes in the club saying that they are doing less mileage with more rest and they are doing far better than they have in years.

Can I do better with less training?

When it comes to preparing for a race, the rule of thumb will be the more you train, the better you perform. Any athlete preparing for a race needs to establish a few ground rules: What are my goals? Do my goals match my ability? Do my goals match the time I have available to train? And do my goals match my time available to recover?

Once you have honestly answered these questions you can set up a program. The key elements for a successful program are: Give yourself enough time to build up slowly, ensure adequate recovery and push yourself at appropriate times. You need to get to your high intensity and long duration sessions feeling fresh. This is where your ‘older’ athletes have had to adjust their program. They need extra time to recover so that they can perform well when it is required. Monitor how you feel each day, your resting heart rate, how tired your legs are and how much sleep you are getting. As long as these aspects are monitored correctly then the adage ‘The more I train, the better I perform’ will become a reality. If you are not managing the above then you need to reduce your volumes or intensities, or both.

Author: Sandra Prior runs her own bodybuilding website at http://bodybuild.rr.nu

Related articles

• Fit Tip: Sprint Throughout Your Cardio Workout (fitsugar.com)
• Doing Cardio? Start Off Fast, Finish Nice and Easy (fitsugar.com)
• Fast and slow (dabigleap.wordpress.com)
• Lifting Tip: Warm Up With 10 Minutes of Cardio (fitsugar.com)
• Pacing in fashionably green (danielgreenz.blogspot.com)
  

The "Pacman" attracts more opponents due to big bucks.

The reigning best pound-for-pound boxer in the world is making a lot of fuss regarding his next challenger or opponents. Well-known foreign boxers who have already established their names in the boxing world are now dying to share the bucks with Paquiao who ranks 6th among the world’s highest paid athletes. Fixing their eyes on the chance to slug it out with the Filipino idol at the Madison Square Garden or anywhere else, internationally-acclaimed boxers are re-arranging their plans with their promoters, to get into the ring against Manny Paquiao. Whether to prove something to themselves and their fans or to get hold of the fat paycheck, win or lose, these boxers, their managers and promoters are pushing their luck towards Pacman. Press releases are now banging on the drums to attract followings and investments. Paquiao is now a hot item and its always wise to strike him while he’s hot.

Now, here’s a rundown of some of his prospective opponents:

Miguel Ángel Cotto (born October 29, 1980 in Caguas, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. As an amateur, Cotto represented Puerto Rico in the lightweight and light welterweight divisions at various international events including the 1999 Pan American Games, the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 1998 Junior World Championships where he won a silver medal.Cotto began his professional career in 2001, and on September 11, 2004, he defeated Kelson Pinto for the WBO junior welterweight championship. He defended the title successfully a total of six times, before vacating it when he ascended to the welterweight division. On his first match on this division he defeated Carlos Quintana for the vacant WBA welterweight championship. Cotto successfully defended this title against Oktay Urkal, Zab Judah, Shane Mosley and Alfonso Gómez, before losing it to Antonio Margarito. On February 21, 2009, he defeated Michael Jennings to win the vacant WBO welterweight championship.
Miguel Cotto is about to get uprooted from his comfort zone and thrust into a ring where Manny Pacquiao has scored his two biggest wins. With the Pacquiao-Cotto fight nearly reaching finality, the venue of the Nov. 14 blockbuster is also shaping up—and it won’t be at the Madison Square Garden in New York, where a large Puerto Rican community is always ready to support Cotto. Top Rank chair Bob Arum, who promotes both fighters, said MGM Grand is going to be the site of the fight. The hotel’s Garden Arena hosted Pacquiao’s last two great victories— against Oscar De La Hoya in December and against Ricky Hatton last May.
Cotto’s last fight—an unconvincing split decision over Joshua Clottey last June 13—was held at the fabled Madison Square Garden and coincided with the Puerto Rican Day parade.

"Sugar" Shane Mosley (born September 7, 1971) is a boxer from Pomona, California. He has won world titles in three weight divisions. He is the current WBA Welterweight Super Champion
Mosley was an amateur standout, capturing various amateur titles, including:
· 1989 United States Amateur Champion at Lightweight (132 lbs)
· 1989 World Junior Championships Silver Medalist in San Juan (PUR) (132 lbs)
· 1990 United States Amateur Champion at Lightweight (132 lbs)
· 1990 Goodwill Games Bronze Medalist in Seattle (USA) (132lbs)
· 1992 United States Amateur Champion at Light Welterweight (139 lbs)
Sugar Shane started his pro career in 1993, By 2000 he had fought 38 fights to a 38–0 (36KOs) record, beating undefeated Phillip Holiday to win the IBF lightweight title. He made 9 title defenses and moved up 2 divisions to face Oscar De La Hoya for his welterweight title.
Mosley, meantime, has been vocal about his desire to fight Pacquiao. He even offered a 40-60 split just to face “the Pacman.” He stressed that his fight with Pacquiao will be a “bigger fight” than Pacquiao-Cotto. “We have the biggest names by far and Pacquiao’s legacy wouldn’t be damaged losing to me,” remarked Mosley. “I just want to tell Pacquiao to do the right thing for boxing,” he went on. “I don’t understand… well, I do understand what Bob Arum wants to do, but I wouldn’t understand why Pacquiao wouldn’t take the fight.
” He then suggested, “I think you guys should put a poll up and the Philippine fans vote which one they think would be a bigger fight and who they want to see Pacquiao fight next, Shane Mosley or Miguel Cotto!” “Let’s see who the Philippine fans want Pacquiao to fight next,” added Mosley.

Floyd Joy Mayweather, Jr. (born Floyd Joy Sinclair on February 24, 1977), is an undefeated American professional boxer who has a record of 39-0 (25 KOs). He is the son of Floyd Mayweather, Sr., a former welterweight boxing contender.
From July 18, 2005 through June 2, 2008 he was rated by The Ring magazine as the number-one pound for pound boxer in the world. Mayweather has won six world boxing championships in five different weight classes; he is the former WBC welterweight champion, a title he vacated upon his retirement. He was named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 1998 and 2007. ESPN.com listed Mayweather at #48 on their "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time" list.
Roger Mayweather, the uncle and trainer of former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., thinks Miguel Cotto may pose problems to international superstar Manny Pacquiao because of his size. “Cotto is a little too physical for him, too strong,” said Roger. “Pacquiao is smaller.”
Roger said that even if Pacquiao and Cotto agree to duel in a catch weight, the Puerto Rican may still come in bigger come fight night. But he said a Pacquiao win will be good for his ward. “If he wins, it’s better for me so he can fight my nephew,” said Roger. The elder Mayweather said the former world champion is currently taking the much-needed rest after sustaining an injury in his right rib cage.
Fight fans are eagerly waiting for a Pacquiao-Mayweather match up especially after the Filipino demolished Floyd’s erstwhile opponent Ricky Hatton in just two rounds.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, however, is pushing for a Pacquiao-Cotto match since a duel with Floyd could cause negotiation problems. Floyd was supposed to fight Mexican champion Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18. The fight was postponed after “Pretty Boy” sustained the training injury. “The fight is still gonna go on,” said Roger. “We are just moving it on September or October but it’s gonna happen.”

Related articles

• Cotto fight with adversity faces test against Clottey (cbssports.com)
• Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Man of Many Contradictions (bleacherreport.com)
• Manny Pacquiao's Next Stop Could Be Sugar Shane Mosley (bleacherreport.com)

Other Attractions :

Mizuno, Calvin Klein, Nike, Moschino, Adidas, Puma, Converse, Dickies, Skecher, DKNY, Emerica, Kayland, Miss Sixty, Umi Kids, Tommy, Wee Box, Onex, Olukai, FlyFlot, Fratelli, Gravati, Daniel Green, Jumping Jack, Yellow Box, Nine West, Tatami, Coclico, , Via Spiga, Naturalizer, Ecco Golf

DON'T FAIL TO SEE:

Naked Pinay Views, Friendly Remarks , Money Talks , Marc Nand's Blog , Nodding Nanding's Journal, Amusing Disclosure , Cyber Tweaks , PC Operatis , Bytamin I , Cool Gizmodgets , Online Shopster