The joys of hypnotic snooker

i know this post won’t paint me in the most gloriously cool “light” ever but the World Snooker Championship began today and i’m looking forward to spending a good bit of time watching it over these next 17 days!
while still remaining ever so slightly hypnotic, watching this championship has always been something i’ve loved. in years gone by it was a massive revision distraction, but today it was one of the greatest chill outs i’ve had in ages. i came home after a long weekend away speaking and sat with mumsy, not moving for a few hours, enjoying the chat, loving the game and especially appreciating the lack of urgency of anything pressing! i’ve missed times like that recently.
i’m off work tomorrow and am looking forward to a good lie in and another afternoon watching wee mark allen from antrim try to beat stephen hendry…

Dream Match Tennis

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Dream Match Tennis is the most realistic 3D tennis game. You can play REAL tennis at your home computer. Control the ball and win the match! *Game Features - 2 game modes Challenge and Exhibition. - 3 court surfaces Hard, Grass and Clay court. - 4 characters - Supports keyboard and joypad It is strongly recommended to use joypad. - Supports PLAYER vs. PLAYER and PLAYER vs. COMPUTER - 7 computer levels *System Requirements Windows 98/ME/2000/XP 1 GHz CPU 128 MB RAM DirectX 9.0c DirectX Compatible 3D Card
Free download from Shareware Connection - Dream Match Tennis is the most realistic 3D tennis game. You can play REAL tennis at your home computer. Control the ball and win the match!

Tall Tennis

Yes the picture's real. Burj Al Arab in Dubai is home to the world's highest tennis court (at times). At 210 meters (about 690 feet), it's pretty far up there. Way higher than I'd feel comfortable running around hitting a ball. The court doubles as a landing pad when there aren't any matches being played, and as a place to shit your pants the rest of the time.
Video of Andre Agassi and some other guy playing tennis up there after the jump. I like how at the end they just start wailing balls off of the side trying to hit things. Because that's what I would do.

Car Racing

Established in 1984, our Stock Car racing bodies are some of the best in the industry. We make and stock all common templated bodies for Super Late Model, Late Model and Pro Stock. These bodies are produced in Steel, Aluminum and Fiberglass. For all racing applications, we use a state of the art flex-resin construction that allows for increased durability for all racing applications. We also use a fire-retardant resin for reinforcing all reinforcement on our fenders. Our fiberglass racing bodies are available in two different weights either the standard weight body or the lightweight body package. The Standard Body weighs 62 total pounds.

Body Styles Available:
- 2008 Common Templated Bodies (Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, Ford Fusion, and Dodge Charger)
- All 2000-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Ford Taurus, Pontiac Grand Prix and Dodge Intrepid bodies)
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- 1989 – 1992 Ford Mustang Full Mini Stock Bodies Front Noses, Rear Bumper Covers and Fenders, Doors and Rear Quarter Panels Now Available. Call 401-739-0202 for pricing and details.
- We can custom build some of the older stock car body styles fenders only. We do not stock any bumper covers front or rear. Please call for pricing and availability.
Package #1: Fiberglass Bodies. $1,250.00(Standard Weight or Lightweight)
Includes: Hood, Roof, Plastic nose and Rear Bumper cover, Fenders, Rear Quarter Panels, Trunk Lid, and Rocker Panels.
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Includes: Hood, Roof, Plastic nose and Rear Bumper cover, Fenders, Rear Quarter Panels, Fiberglass Opera Windows, Trunk Lid, and Rocker Panels.
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Includes: Hood, Roof, Plastic nose and Rear Bumper cover, Fenders, Rear Quarter Panels, Fiberglass Opera Windows, Trunk Lid, and Rocker Panels
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Includes: Hood, Roof, Plastic nose and Rear Bumper cover, PLASTIC Fenders, Rear Quarter Panels, Fiberglass Opera Windows, Trunk Lid, and Rocker Panels
Front and rear windshield sold separately. We also offer the side windows, Body Identification decals and spoilers for all bodies. Please see below for details.
All Fiberglass Bodies come in a standard color of white. We offer color body packages for an additional charge of $275.00 for basic colors. We will also manufacture our fiberglass bodies in metallic colors, metal flake, and Fluorescent colors. Please call for details and price on custom colors.
We offer additional reinforcing and stiffening to all fenders, doors and Quarter panels
Replacement Racing Body Parts:
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE!
Plastic Front Nose Cover (All Styles): $125.00
Plastic Rear Bumper Cover (All Styles): $120.00
Hood (fiberglass either flat or with a scoop): $145.00
Roof (fiberglass includes all front window posts): $150.00
Front Fenders (fiberglass or aluminum): $90.00 each
Front Fenders (plastic):$120.00
Front Fenders (steel): $90.00 each
Doors (steel): $78.00 each
Doors (fiberglass or aluminum): $78.00 each
Rear Quarter Panels (steel): $110.00
Rear Quarter Panels (fiberglass or aluminum): $120.00
Fiberglass Opera Windows: $50.00
Filler Panel: $60.00
Rear Deck Lid (fiberglass, steel or aluminum): $50.00
Rocker Panels (aluminum): $30.00
Spoilers (curved): $100.00
Nose Screens: $50.00
Headlight ID Kit: $35.00
Tailight ID Kit: $30.00
Front Windshield (MR 10 Lexan): $200.00
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Rear Windshield (1/8 inch Lexan): $105.00
Rear Windshield (Molded): $250.00
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14" Cold Air Box: $125.00
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"India need European hockey coaches"

"India need European hockey coaches"Prabhjot Singh
Former Malaysian skipper Sarjit Singh. — Tribune photo
"IF you are looking for results in hockey, you must go for a European or Australian coach," says Olympian and former Malaysian skipper Sarjit Singh. "Asians may have been better or more accomplished than players from other parts of the world but coaching is a different ball game," he says.
"We cannot match the scientific and strategic planning of European and Australian coaches. See Pakistan and Malaysia. Ever since they engaged foreign coaches, their results have improved considerably," adds Sarjit. A finance professional, Sarjit has taken to coaching part time after retiring from competitive hockey.
Sarjit Singh not only represented Malaysia in all major hockey events, including Olympic Games, World Cup, Asia Cup and Asian Games, but has also been associated with the training of the junior team. His parents come from Punjab. He was in the city with the Malaysian junior team which was here to play the fourth and last Test.
Though he took the team to Jalandhar for an exhibition game with the Ramesh Hockey Academy, he could not spare time to visit the villages of his father and mother in Amritsar.
"I have been with the Malaysian junior team for more than six months. I have learnt a lot from Paul Lissek, the German coach, who has been training our national (senior) team. He is a giant and after playing in more than 200 internationals, including Olympic Games, World Cup, Asian Games and other tournaments, I find myself nowhere compared with Paul," admits Sarjit.
Hockey has become very scientific and technical. As such, strategies, game plans and training methods which were used in the 80s and 90s have become redundant now.
Both Europeans and Australians have such a strong command over the game that the rest of world has no choice but to emulate them. Gone are the days when Olympians from India and Pakistan were welcome for coaching assignments anywhere in the world. Many of the best hockey coaches never played the game at the international level. But their ability to analyse moves and strategies and to counter opponents on the basis of their strengths and weaknesses have put the Asian teams under pressure, says Sarjit.
"We lost all four Test matches against India Juniors. We will play four Test matches in Pakistan before we return home on March 15. In April, we will be back in Pakistan to play in the Asia Cup for Juniors. These matches will be held in Karachi from April 20. We have Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China and India in our pool.
"We came here to learn what our weaknesses were and so that we could improve our game in time for the Karachi tournament. I am satisfied with the performance of my boys. Four of my boys are in the senior team, playing in the Olympic qualifiers at Madrid. One player, who was a member of the bronze-medal-winning Malaysian team in the 2002 Asian Games, is injured.
"The present Indian junior team is good. It has talent and is well knit. I hope both India and Malaysia qualify for the semi-finals in the Karachi tournament," he added.

6-wicket win for South Africa

Opening bowlers Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini set up a six-wicket win for South Africa in the first one-day international against Sri Lanka at the Wanderers Stadium today. Pollock took four for 18 and Ntini had figures of three for 22 as Sri Lanka struggled to 128 all out after being sent in on a lively pitch.Shaun Pollock appeals successfully to get the wicket of Aravinda de Silva in the first one-day international at Johannesburg on Wednesday.— Reuters photo

Indian Squad For Twenty20 - T20 World Cup 2009

Indian Squad for Twenty20 World Cup in England is named. However, its only the preliminary squad and is subject to some changes if need be.
There is no surprise and MS Dhoni will be captain for the second edition as well. He takes all credit in surprising cricket mad Indian fans by a win in South Africa in 2007 against Australia. No wonder the game instantly became popular here in the sub continent.
About 30 members are named in the preliminary squad and this will be trimmed to 15 members before the event. In the 30; however, seniors such as explosive in form batsman Virender Sehwag and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh find spot. There is a surprise inclusion in Lakshmipathy Balaji who was off limelight for more than 3 years after some shine with his bowling. The team of 30 look like this:
Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Naman Ojha, Subramaniam Badrinath, Robin Uthappa, Ravindra Jadeja, Manoj Tiwary, Virat Kohli, Wriddhiman Saha, Amit Mishra, Abhishek Nayar, Rudra Pratap Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Lakshmipathy Balaji and Dhawal Kulkarni.
The final 15 members are guessable by anyone who follows Indian cricket international and domestic circuits closely.
From what I have heard and followed, Joginder & Sreesanth are dropped from T20 World Cup

Soccer World Cup 2010

From 1930 to 1970, the Jules Rimet Trophy (designed by French sculptor Abel Lafleur) was awarded to the Soccer World Cup winner; it was 35cm high, weighed 3.8 kg, was made of sterling silver and gold plated, with a blue base made of semi-precious stone (lapis lazuli). There was a gold plate on each of the four sides of the base, on which were engraved the name of the trophy as well as the names of the nine winners between 1930 and 1970. The trophy was in the shape of an octagonal cup, supported by a winged figure representing Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory. Originally, the Jules Rimet Trophy was called "Victory" but referred to as the World Cup (or Coupe du Monde), but in 1946 it was renamed after Jules Rimet (the FIFA president who set up the first tournament).
During the Second World War, the Italian Vice-President of FIFA, Dr.Ottorino Barassi, hid the Jules Rimet Trophy in a shoe-box under his bed thus saving it from falling into the hands of occupying troops.
On the 20th March 1966, the trophy disappeared while on display as part of the build-up to the World Cup in England (in a public exhibition at Westminister Central Hall) and was found 7 days later, buried under a tree at the bottom of a suburban garden hedge in South Norwood (South London), by a little dog called Pickles.
The trophy was won outright by Brazil when they became world champions for the third time in 1970. The trophy was stolen on 19 December 1983 in Rio de Janeiro, and has never been recovered (it is suspected to have been melted down by the thieves). The trophy had a couple of narrow escapes before: - -
Current Soccer World Cup Trophy
The current (July 2006) Soccer World Cup trophy was first presented to the 1974 World Cup winning captain, Franz Beckenbauer of West Germany. It was chosen as the best of 53 designs which were submitted to FIFA by experts from seven countries. The trophy is 36.8cm high, made of solid 18-carat gold, weighs 4,970 grams and the base contains two layers of semi-precious malachite . The trophy was designed by Silvio Gazzaniga, an Italian artist.
According to FIFA rules, the new trophy cannot be won outright, as the regulations state that it shall remain FIFA's own possession. The winners keep it until the next Soccer World Cup and receive a gold-plated replica (rather than the solid gold original).
Only 5 countries have won the World Cup since the new trophy was introduced. The name of each winning team and the year they won is engraved, in English, on the base of the Trophy. There are enough spaces to last until the Soccer World Cup 2038.

Chennai Super Kings

The Chennai team of BCCI?s Indian Premiere League (IPL), Chennai Super Kings, has roped leading young actor Ilayathalapathy Vijay and the hot girl Nayanthara as brand ambassadors.
The team has the logo of a roaring lion and and their tagline as : “Fearless entertainers who will play to win“.
IPL-Chennai Super Kings Photo gallery
Nayanthara photo gallery
Vijay and Nayan will appear on hoardings and in television ads, and will turn up at the matches played in Chennai, Mohali, Kolkata and Mumbai) to cheer Chennai Super Kings team headed by Captain Dhoni.
Bangalore Royal Challengers team has 2 sizzling beauties Katrina Kaif and Bangalore girl raising Deepika Padukone as brand ambassadors.

IPL Teams

After all the hullabaloo by the self appointed moral police (including Bal Thuggeray) last year, the auction of the players for 2nd season of Indian Premier League (IPL) concluded successfully a while ago.
The best thing about the second season of IPL is that the Pakistani players have withdrawn or had their contracts cancelled by their respective teams. Thank God, there wouldn’t have been anything more pukeworthy than seeing a Pakistani playing in the IPL after what happened in Bombay. Good riddance of the rubbish.
This is how the teams bid
Rajasthan RoyalsShaun Tait (Australia) - $375,000Tyron Henderson (South Africa) - $650,000
Mumbai IndiansJP Duminy (South Africa) - $950,000Kyle Mills (New Zealand) - $150,000Mohammad Ashraful (Bangladesh) - $75,000
Chennai Super KingsAndrew Flintoff (England) - $1.55 millionThilan Thushara (Sri Lanka) - $140,000George Bailey (Australia) - $50,000 (50,000)
Bangalore Royal ChallengersKevin Pietersen (England) - $1.55 millionJesse Ryder (New Zealand) - $160,000
Deccan ChargersFidel Edwards (West Indies) - $150,000Dwayne Smith (West Indies) - $100,000
Delhi DaredevilsOwais Shah (England) - $275,000Paul Collingwood (England) $275,000
Kings XI PunjabRavi Bopara (England) - $450,000Jerome Taylor (West Indies) - $150,000
Kolkata Knight RidersMashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh) - $600,000

John Carroll University sports news and notes

Josh McDaniels, a 1999 graduate of John Carroll University, has become the second alumnus of the school to serve as a head coach of a National Football league team. On Jan. 12, he was hired to the position for the Denver Broncos.
The first John Carroll graduate to guide an NFL franchise was, of course, was Don Shula.
Those who know him say Josh McDaniels is ready to be coach of the Broncos, even if he looks like a kid who just stepped off a college campus.
"When you talk to him, you're thinking, 'This guy can't be more than 23, 24, 25 years old,' " said Tony DeCarlo, McDaniels' coach at John Carroll. "He's young-looking, but it's not the age that counts. It's the knowledge, the expertise and the fact that this guy is willing to prepare. He's going to be successful at whatever he does."
When McDaniels arrived at John Carroll in 1995, the quarterback from Canton McKinley found he had competition from a fellow freshman at the position. Ultimately, the job was won by Nick Caserio -- the same Caserio who eventually would join McDaniels on the staff in New England.
If McDaniels wanted to play college football, it would have to be at a different position. It would have to be as a wide receiver.
He ended up enjoying the switch, realizing the change would be best for him and the team. In 1997, he had 23 receptions for 356 yards and five touchdowns as the Blue Steaks went 10-2 and advanced to the national quarterfinals of the NCAA playoffs. One of his touchdowns was a 9-yard score that clinched the school's first Division III playoff win, a 30-20 victory at Hanover.
The next year, McDaniels had 18 more receptions for 376 yards and two touchdowns. That John Carroll team finished with an 8-2 record

Hockey

Hockey is any of a family of sports in which two teams compete by trying to maneuver a ball, or a hard round disc called a puck, into the opponent's net or goal, using a stick. The dominant version of hockey in a particular region tends to be known simply as hockey, other forms being more fully qualified.
Field hockey is played with a ball on gravel, grass or sand-based or water-based artificial turfs.
The game is popular among both genders in many countries of the world, particularly in India, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Asia, though in the United States and Canada it is predominately played by women. Its governing body is the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
Modern field hockey sticks are constructed of a composite of wood, glass fibre and/or carbon fibre and have a curved hook at the playing end, a flat surface on the playing side and curved surface on the rear side.
There are 4,000 year old drawings in Egypt of a game resembling field hockey being played. While modern field hockey appeared in the mid-18th century in England, primarily in schools, it was not until the first half of the 19th century that it became firmly established, the first club being created in 1849 at Blackheath in south-east London.
This game is also not escaped from the world bookmakers, or punters and it has become a popular sport among them, so when heavy stakes are involved and lots of expectation of fans from there respective teams ,as a spectator you always wish that you could know in result in advnace,beacuse that makes you something different from other persons who are guessing around you that who could be winner,
Here Ramsyastro.com comes into picture who can tell you the fate of every game, by using its in-depth knowledge and success will follow you

Cricket

In my smart set, I have recently been looking up things on the average Australians life, I found that Cricket is a very big deal over there it’s one of the biggest sports in the world and it is rarely hurd of anywhere in the content Noth America. When i found this i wondered what Cricket was so i asked Sumari and Karl. They have recently moved to Manitoba and are in my class they came from South Africa and apperantly Cricket is a big thing there. the said” Baseball is a big deal in the States hockey is a big deal in Canada,Cricket is our Hockey and baseball. You play it just like Base ball except the ball is harder the bat is flat and instead of swinging through the air with the bat you hit the ball on the ground.
Ive also recentlydiscovered that the people in Australia not many of them drive very far. I found that out of 100 people only 37 drive regularly. Most take taxis or the subway. I found this to be very interesting because here we don’t have a Subway station or a taxi service we drive or walk every where. So far my research is going well ive got almost all my information I just need to find a map and a few things on the government in Adelaide Australlia