Jason Garrett, Kevin Byrne

Posted Jan 15, 2008

By BaltimoreRavens.com



Dallas Cowboys Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett Statement Regarding His Second Interview with the Ravens: "I just want to say this: I appreciate [the media] hanging out all day and waiting around for this. It was a great day.


Dallas Cowboys Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett

Statement Regarding His Second Interview with the Ravens:

"I just want to say this: I appreciate [the media] hanging out all day and waiting around for this. It was a great day. I had a chance to start this process last week during our bye week and had a great visit up here then. I was excited to come back and visit again. I had a chance to visit with Steve Bisciotti and Ozzie [Newsome] and Dick Cass and families a little bit last night, and then had a really productive day today. So, it's been an exciting time for me to be here, be around this organization. I heard nothing but great things about it prior to coming here, and everything that I've seen since I've been here has been really off the charts. So it's been a great day.

"I'm going to continue through this process that I'm in right now, and at some point we'll make some decisions on both sides. But, it was a great second visit with these guys, and I really enjoyed the process of doing that.

"I think that's about it. It's been a good day, and it was a good time last week. I was excited to come back, and this visit has been everything I've expected and more. So, I'm just excited about the whole thing."

Ravens Senior Vice President of Public and Community Relations Kevin Byrne

Statement Regarding Jason Garrett's Second Interview with the Ravens:

"Jason Garrett and his wife, Brill, were here all day today in the office. His wife spent some time going around in the community. Last night they had dinner with the Bisciotti family and other members of the organization. We had a good day of interviews. It's the start of our second round; he's the first one in for the second round. We have more interviews in the second round coming up later in the week."

藤本佳則、バッバ、ウェストウッドとのペアリングに興奮

2012年07月18日12時48分






バンカーだって笑顔！バッバ、ウェストウッド相手にも臆することはなさそうだ（撮影：上山敬太）








【もっと写真を見る（18）】




＜全英オープン　事前情報◇17日◇ロイヤルリザム＆セントアンズ(7,128ヤード・パー70)＞

　メジャー第3戦「全英オープン」が、イギリスにあるロイヤルリザム＆セントアンズを舞台に19日(木)開幕を迎える。

【関連リンク】全英オープン2012フォトギャラリー

　日本勢は8名が出場するが、注目は初出場の藤本佳則。プロ1年目の大物ルーキーが141回を数える世界最古の一戦に挑む。3日連続で小田孔明らと練習ラウンドをこなした藤本は、リンクスコースで有効な武器となるコロがしのアプローチを入念に練習するなど全英対策にぬかりはない。大舞台に立ってもトレードマークとなっている笑顔を崩すことなく、楽しんで調整を進めている。

　その藤本にR＆Aが大きなサプライズを用意した。予選ラウンドは今年の「マスターズ」覇者バッバ・ワトソン(米国)と地元イングランドの英雄リー・ウェストウッドと同組。ルーキーとしては破格のペアリングに藤本も「最高ですよね」と満面の笑顔。ビッグネーム2人に日本の新たな力を見せ付ける。

有村智恵、復帰第2戦目は2オーバー27位T発進「やっとスタート」

2012年04月06日18時28分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 吉田　弓美子 -3
アン・ソンジュ -3
3 T・ルー -2
申　ジエ -2
笠　りつ子 -2
山本　薫里 -2
7 大城　さつき -1
木戸　愛 -1
佐伯　三貴 -1
藤本　麻子 -1


順位の続きを見る





復帰2戦目はガマンして2オーバー発進（撮影：ＡＬＢＡ）






＜スタジオアリス女子オープン　初日◇6日◇花屋敷ゴルフ倶楽部 よかわコース(6,483ヤード・パー72)＞

　「スタジオアリス女子オープン」が開幕。この試合が復帰2戦目となる有村智恵は首位と5打差の2オーバーの27位タイとまずまずのスタートを切った。

撮れたてトーナメントLIVE写真館

　復帰初戦では8オーバー87位タイと大きく出遅れてしまったが、この大会では予選通過圏内でのスタート。「やっとスタートして2割ぐらい出来上がった感じです」とホッとした表情をみせた有村だが、「74回打って、いいショットだったのは5回だけ。自分の中では手ごたえがあったわけではない」ともちろん2割の出来に満足はしていない。

　「しっかり足場を固めて、できるだけ早く上に行きたい」、今だアイアンとウェッジの距離感は戻っておらず、試合と練習両方での調整が続く。

　「下(地面)が軟らかいので、恐怖心は和らいでいます」雨の影響でフェアウェイが軟らかくなっているため、ケガの再発を気にしなくていいのは大きな救い。有村の自分のゴルフを取り戻す戦いはまだ始まったばかりだ。

【初日の順位】
1位T：比嘉真美子(-3)※アマチュア
1位T：アン・ソンジュ(-3)
3位T：山本薫里(-2)
3位T：テレサ・ルー(-2)
3位T：申ジエ(-2)
3位T：笠りつ子(-2)
7位T：佐伯三貴(-1)他5名

27位T：有村智恵(+2)他11名
39位T：横峯さくら(+3)10名
101位T：斉藤愛璃(+8)他4名

横峯さくらは初日39位タイ「焦らず自分のペースで」

2012年04月06日19時01分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 吉田　弓美子 -3
アン・ソンジュ -3
3 T・ルー -2
申　ジエ -2
笠　りつ子 -2
山本　薫里 -2
7 大城　さつき -1
木戸　愛 -1
佐伯　三貴 -1
藤本　麻子 -1


順位の続きを見る





思うようにゴルフが噛み合わず苦しいシーズンとなっているさくら（撮影：ＡＬＢＡ）






＜スタジオアリス女子オープン　初日◇6日◇花屋敷ゴルフ倶楽部 よかわコース(6,483ヤード・パー72)＞

　国内女子ツアー「スタジオアリス女子オープン」が開幕。今季、賞金女王奪還を目指す横峯さくらは3オーバー39位タイ発進となった。

【関連リンク】さくら、有村らの写真満載！LIVE写真館で初日をレポート！

　この日はバーディを1つも奪えずホールアウトした横峯。「前半で3つボギーを打って…凡ミスでした」と風の読み間違いや、5番パー5では3パットをしてしまうなど思うようなプレーが出来なかったことを悔やんだ。しかし、懸念事項だった左にいくミスはなく「不安要素がないのでだいぶ先週とは違いますね」と表情は決して暗くはない。

　「結果にはまだ結びついていないけど、焦らず自分のペースでやっていきたい」と最後は前向きに話した横峯。今季初優勝に向け、明日の第2ラウンドで巻き返しを狙う。

【初日の順位】
1位T：比嘉真美子(-3)※アマチュア
1位T：アン・ソンジュ(-3)
3位T：山本薫里(-2)
3位T：テレサ・ルー(-2)
3位T：申ジエ(-2)
3位T：笠りつ子(-2)
7位T：佐伯三貴(-1)他5名

27位T：有村智恵(+2)他11名
39位T：横峯さくら(+3)10名
101位T：斉藤愛璃(+8)他4名

遼、1アンダー57位タイ発進「自分の勢いを自分で止めてしまった」

2012年09月13日18時13分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 平塚　哲二 -7
2 W・ウェンチョン -6
3 キム・ヒョンソン -5
イ・キョンフン -5
上井　邦浩 -5
キム・ヒョンテ -5
7 伊藤　誠道 -4
細川　和彦 -4
池田　勇太 -4
片山　晋呉 -4


順位の続きを見る





パッティングの取りこぼしが目立った初日、巻き返しはなるか（撮影：米山聡明）








【もっと写真を見る（9）】




＜ANAオープン　初日◇13日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　北海道にある札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コースを舞台に開幕した、国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」の初日。ホストプロの石川遼は出入りの激しいゴルフで、1アンダー57位タイとやや出遅れた。

【関連リンク】石川遼の1打速報でこの日のプレーを振り返る！

　石川は出だしから連続ボギーと不安な立ち上がり。ギャラリーからため息と失望の声が聞こえてくる中、12番パー5ではバーディを奪取。息を吹き返すと、15番、16番で連続バーディを奪取。スコアをアンダーまで持ってくることに成功する。しかし、17番パー5では1メートル以内の短いパーパットがカップに蹴られボギー。18番でも短いパーパットを決めきれず、1オーバーに後退して折り返す。

　後半に入るとショットもパットも安定し、着実にパーを重ねて行く。5番パー5では2オンに成功、イーグルは逃したが楽々バーディを奪取。7番では約8メートルのパットをねじ込み1アンダーにスコアを戻し、初日の競技を終えた。

　「前半はショットが良くなかった。なんとか調整しようとして、精一杯になってしまって…。後半はショットを修正していいプレーができたと思います」とこの日のラウンドを振り返った石川。「スイングにキレがなく、ボールを打ちぬけずになでてしまっていたスイングでしたね。朝の練習場ではいいスイングだったのに。自分の勢いを自分で止めてしまっていますね」と自らのプレーを反省した。

　明日からは「一打一打しっかりイメージが出来上がってから打つ。当たり前のことをしっかりやっていきたいです」。初日はホスト大会で気合が入りすぎたか若干カラ回りしてしまった感があったが、明日は平常心を取り戻し地に足をしっかりと付け巻き返しを狙う。

アマ伊藤、昨年の経験糧に7位タイ発進！「今年も最終日最終組で」

2012年09月13日18時15分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 平塚　哲二 -7
2 W・ウェンチョン -6
3 キム・ヒョンソン -5
イ・キョンフン -5
上井　邦浩 -5
キム・ヒョンテ -5
7 伊藤　誠道 -4
細川　和彦 -4
池田　勇太 -4
片山　晋呉 -4


順位の続きを見る





高校生アマが今年も大会を盛り上げてくれそうだ（撮影：米山聡明）








＜ANAオープン　初日◇13日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」の初日。昨年大会で2日目終了時点で首位に立ち、最終日最終組でラウンド。結果は3打差の6位タイに終わったが、大会を大いに盛り上げたアマチュア・伊藤誠道が今年も好スタートを切った。

伊藤誠道「良い経験になりました」　昨年大会

　伊藤はINコースからスタート。前半出入りの激しいゴルフになってしまい、イーブンパーで折り返すと、後半は2番で5メートルを決めたのを皮切りに3連続バーディを奪取。6番でも2メートルを沈め、後半だけで4つスコアを伸ばし、首位と3打差の4アンダー7位タイと上位につけた。

　「ここは大好きです。芝質とか雰囲気とか、食べ物も美味しいし」と相性のいいコースでの好発進に笑顔をみせた伊藤。昨年の「経験が糧になって自信がつきました。去年は刻んだけど、今年はアグレッシブに変わったかな」今年の6月ぐらいから15～20ヤード飛距離も伸びたそうで、昨年よりも攻めるプレーができるようになってきた。

　伊藤は今年「自分の中でやってみたいと思いましたし、モチベーションを上げるためにも受けました」という理由からクオリファイング・トーナメント（QT）を受験。今月7日に栃木県のサンヒルズカントリークラブで行われたセカンドQTを突破した。プロになるかは「まったく考えていません。なりゆきです」とのこと。この秋は「今週と来週(パナソニックオープン)、キャノンオープンとあるので上位に入ることを目標に頑張りたい」とここから3試合に出場。「今はアマチュアが勝てる時代だと思うし、4日間コツコツとスコアを伸ばして、今年も最終日最終組で回れたら嬉しいですね」。昨年の自分を超える為、まずは最終日まで上位にいられるようスコアを伸ばしていく。

昨日が誕生日の丸山茂樹、満身創痍ながら7位タイと好スタート！

2012年09月13日18時19分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 平塚　哲二 -7
2 W・ウェンチョン -6
3 キム・ヒョンソン -5
イ・キョンフン -5
上井　邦浩 -5
キム・ヒョンテ -5
7 伊藤　誠道 -4
細川　和彦 -4
池田　勇太 -4
片山　晋呉 -4


順位の続きを見る





最終日までマルちゃんスマイルを見ることができるか（撮影：米山聡明）







＜ANAオープン　初日◇13日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　北海道にある札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コースを舞台に開幕した、国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」の初日。ケガに悩まされ続けている丸山茂樹が、5バーディ・1ボギーの68をマーク。首位と3打差の7位タイと初日上位につけた。

丸山茂樹の今季成績

　丸山は左手親指付け根のケガに加え、8月には右ヒザを負傷。この日も「親指は腫れちゃってるし、右ヒザも外側の軟骨に水がたまって」いる最悪のコンディション。しかし「ジャンボ(尾崎)さんも中嶋(常幸)さんもそういう怪我を乗りこえて今があるんだと思います」と偉大な先人たちを思い、強い気持ちでプレーした。

　昨日誕生日を迎え「後厄の42歳が終わって、家族もいいことがあるよって言ってくれて4アンダー。自分の中では楽しくもあり良い一日でした」仲間たちからも祝福された43歳は上々のスタート。09年の最終戦「ゴルフ日本シリーズJTカップ」以来勝ち星がない丸山。「あまり上位にこれてないので、何かを残したいね」4日間戦い抜くには厳しい状況だが最後の最後まで最善を尽くしてプレーする。

鉄人・平塚哲二が“65”をマーク、単独首位に

2012年09月13日18時27分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 平塚　哲二 -7
2 W・ウェンチョン -6
3 キム・ヒョンソン -5
イ・キョンフン -5
上井　邦浩 -5
キム・ヒョンテ -5
7 伊藤　誠道 -4
細川　和彦 -4
池田　勇太 -4
片山　晋呉 -4


順位の続きを見る





単独首位に立った平塚哲二（撮影：米山聡明）








＜ANAオープン　初日◇13日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」が北海道にある札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コースを舞台に開幕。初日の競技を終え、7アンダーの平塚哲二が首位に、1打差の2位にはリャン・ウェンチョン(中国)。2打差の3位タイには上井邦浩らがつけた。昨年、最終日最終日を回ったアマチュアの伊藤誠道と池田勇太は3打差の7位タイ、ホストプロの石川遼は1アンダー57位タイと出遅れた。

　平塚は7バーディ・ノーボギーの65をマーク。ドライバーは「コース内にあればいい状態(笑)」と荒れたが、好調のショートアイアンとパットでバーディを量産した。7月の「長嶋茂雄 INVITATIONAL セガサミーカップゴルフトーナメント」の月曜日、練習中に頚椎を捻挫。一時は練習がまったく出来ないほどの痛みに襲われ、このところ調子を落としていたが、先週からショット練習を少なめに、ショートゲームの練習量を増やしたのが奏功。今大会での好スタートにつながった。

　現在も「首の筋肉が張っている状態」だというが、このまま残り3日間突っ走ることができるか。ちなみに平塚はツアーでも屈指の酒豪、このケガの後も酒は断っていないそうで「酒やめたら終わってしまう」と豪快に笑っていた。

Top 9 Paintball Tips For Safety Precautions

Almost everybody, girls and boys are equally fascinated to the activity of paintball, which links them to for entertainment.

Paintball is always an exciting activity for recreation, particularly when there are many participants active in the games. However due to paintball guns firing at around 300ftp, which is a very high speed, this exciting activity can turn dangerous for you and the other participants. That is why these top 9 paintball tips for safety Precautions should be exercised at all times. When these safety precautions are applied paintball is a very safe activity.

Here are the Top 9 Paintball Tips For Safety Precautions that you and everyone in your group should take care of:
Your number one protection from injury from paintballs is your goggles/masks so prior to the game a check should be done every time. Little cracks on the lens should not be overlooked and should be examined by a professional. A small crack might seem harmless; however, it may not be able to bear paintballs traveling at 300fps. Chances are that these lenses would not be capable of protecting your eyes.
If your paintball gun/marker is not in use (excluding when it is dismantled), a barrel bag should be covering the tip of the barrel at all times so if the gun/marker accidentally misfires it will be caught in the bag and won't strike anyone. Also never and I mean never look down your barrel when it's on and connected to an air source.
If the air tank/propellant is being extremely difficult to remove, don't force it off. It might need to be decompressed. Ask someone with more experience if needed.
Specific paintball goggles/masks should only be uses in games. Never use just any mask found around home.
If any required repair for your gear (paintball gun) even if it's a minor one, seek a profession and ask them if you're capable at your knowledge level to repair the problem.
Never leave your air tank/ propellant in direct sunlight when not in use. it may increase to a quite dangerous increasing level.
When playing paintball games, select a referee who is responsible for stopping and starting the game. Players shouldn't begin firing paintball gun until the referee signals the start and end of the game.
Make sure of one thing that you don't ever overfill your air tank/propellants.
Never shoot paintball guns at any animal. It may appear like harmless pleasure, but paintballs go out the gun at soaring velocity that could cause damage to pets as well as other animals.You should not shoot paintballs in social places. Ideally, these paintball games (woodsball, speedball, and scenario) must be played in private areas like designation paintball grassland or open fields. This way, one can stay away from splattering paintballs over cars, homes as well as people passing. With these easy and modest safety precautions for paintball players, you can for sure have fun in playing paintball every minute. After following these Top 9 Paintball Tips For Safety Precautions you can avoid any kind of injury and save yourself from the emergency room. Always play this game with full precautions and do not let the fun game turn into an emergency ward for you!

Paintball is an exciting and entertaining pastime to play with friends, co-workers and family when the proper precautions are fallowed.

The Features I Like About Minn Kota Trolling Motors

I’ve been around the fishing world for a while… over 20 years, to be more specific.

I've learned a lot of things about fishing and boating equipment during that time. I have also developed some opinions about that equipment. Some of them are good and well worth the money spent, and some is just plain crap and not worth the money spent to package it.

This holds true when it comes to electric trolling motors. There are good models and there are bad models. There are also big differences between the famous brands of trolling motors. Let me explain.

There are only a small number of trolling motor manufacturers in the entire industry. Regardless of what brand you see on a trolling motor, it’s made by one of those few manufacturers.

If you look around, you’ll see that Minn Kota Trolling Motors and Motorguide Trolling Motors are the top in the industry when it comes too brand recognition and popularity.

Base on my own experience for many years, I prefer Minn Kota Trolling Motors and, in my opinion, they’re a lot better. Here’s why.

Functionality – The newest Minn Kota models are extremely functional. The features built in to the newest motors are purely functional. There is no fluff.

Durability – This is one of my favorite parts of the new Minn Kota motors. These motors last, and for a very long time. Under normal conditions, these motors will last far longer than you would ever expect. Even under extreme conditions and use they outlast the motors of years past by 100% or more!

Reliability – I never worry about my trolling motor not working. When I need it, it works. Plain and simple. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Design – Minn Kota has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars (possibly even millions of $) over the past decade, perfecting their design, making it more useful and easier to use. The foot pedal is not anymore clunky and uncomfortable to use. Everything about the design of these motors is user-friendly.

Let me talk a little more about the durability factor, because this is what makes these motors better than the others. Have you ever hit a stump or rock with your trolling motor? If so, you know that this can absolutely ruin a fishing trip… unless you’re running a Minn Kota.

Over a decade ago Minn Kota stopped making their trolling motor shafts from steel and started making them from a composite material that gives them a new element of "unbreakableness", if you will.

You no longer need to worry about hitting an underwater obstruction making the shaft bent in a weird angle, rendering it useless.

With the composite shaft, hitting a stump or rock simply causes the shaft to flex under pressure and then go right back to its original condition, plain and simple.

This is a no-nonsense engineering feat on the part of the Minn Kota R&D team. Not having to worry about bending the motor’s shaft means being able to concentrate on fishing, not on where the stumps are.

Best Ways Of Golf Chipping

A short golf game is more favorable. The following should be attached in your mind to defeat them in a short game.

Before we start, please bear in mind that there are chips that are available to make you closer to the green. To reiterate, you should consider adopting different methods to be victorious. Your talent in chipping must be accompanied by the cooperation of the grass, distance from the hole, as well as the green itself.

First, the standard chip chipping. It is employed when you are near the green. To be more effective, you should use a nine-iron club. Greater chance of getting the victory if you were able to fly the ball 1/3 above the cup then fall on its way around the green. It is properly performed in the middle of your stance with hands beyond the ball facing the square.

Another must-know is the soft shot. This shot makes the ball fall softly then roll near or into the hole after a proper stroke. The proper club for this shot is the lob wedge.

To be able to make this shot, you should loosen your hand a bit while holding the club. Swing towards the ball while holding the club. You must appreciate the importance of speeding the swing accurately before making the strike. You should approximate the arc where you decide the ball to fall then roll.

If the ball falls far away from the hole, try the low spinning chip shot. Have your mid-iron club in perfecting this type of shot. You don't have to put it too far back in your stance.. A quick reminder, your arm should be ahead of the club and it should be the square that should hit the ball.

The said shot is distinct from others because it can roll significantly near the goal. This usually happens when the ball is near the trap.

The thing that should be a part of your system is the usage of all the tools in playing the said sport. Every club has its own shaft with a lance (grip) and a clubhead, you need to hold them differently.

The game always require the mastery of soft and standard shots. They are followed by low shot, please include it in your habit. It is more difficult than the first two but it would make you more confident.

Learning these tips can make you famous in the game of golf. Practice is the bridge to perfection.

A Quick Lesson about Proper Horse Riding Skills

Are there any real doubts that horse riding is an art? It takes skill, passion and the proper mindset. You need to not only love animals but also dedicate your daily life their care. Your horses become just as important to their owner’s lives as if they were their own family members. If you believe that you possess these qualities, then you most certainly have what it takes to become an expert horse rider.

Before you even think about climbing onto the back of a horse for an afternoon ride, you better be properly dressed for both safety and comfort. The most important item you’ll need is a helmet. In accidents involving falls, horse riding helmets protect your skull from an otherwise avoidable injury. Another piece of horse riding attire is riding boots. Find a pair which is comfortable and not too wide. You don’t want them getting stuck in the horse’s stirrups so that’s why you want a thinner boot.

Knee or ankle height boots with a low heel are adequate for simple, low-impact riding for example. I also personally like to ride while wearing gloves with a no-slip grip on the palm. Gloves allow you to comfortably hold on to the reins as you guide the horse. Now that you are all properly dressed, you can begin gearing up your horse.

You’ll need a bridle, a saddle pad, and a saddle. Move slowly and carefully when placing these on the horse. The last thing you want to do is startle or hurt the horse. When bridling, hold its head to steady it. Make sure it is on comfortably, not too loose or tight. When saddling, get a clean saddle pad, and place the saddle in its proper position before fastening it on the horses back.

Now both you and the horse are dressed. You can now properly mount. Take hold of the reins and stirrups before you begin. As you are doing so calmly and soothingly pet and talk to the horse. Do not try to mount the horse by sneaking up on it. It can be dangerous to scare the animal like that. Now, grab a hold of the front of the saddle and swing your right leg around the back of the horse’s body. Set both feet into the stirrups and adjust the track. This prevents the saddle from sliding.

How to Choose Appropriate Horse Riding Boots for a Specific Rider

Everyone knows choosing the proper footwear is important nearly any physical activity. This is especially true for horse riding. The correct type of horse riding boots will often keep you safe from a dangerous fall while still being comfortable for the rider. The main point you need to really know when choosing the right boots is to know the kind of riding activity you will be doing. For example, casual horse riders normally wear low-cut riding boots. They are easier to wear, and they provide a looser fit, meaning they are also more comfortable.

Most people picture riding boots as those tall black boots fitted up the leg. The truth is these are just one type of boot. Leg fitted boots are made this way to better communicate your riding instructions to the horse. Boots with a loose top can send the wrong signals to the horse, possibly leading disaster if you are in the middle of some type of rigorous activity. Avoid these kinds of problems by choosing the proper boot for your specific build.

One fact you need to remember is that basically there are two styles of horse riding boots. The first is the one most people know. It is a traditional plain front pull on boot. They have no laces or zippers and worn for dressage and shows. They other style of boots are the lace front or zippered back field style boots, which are commonly worn for hunter jumper class events. You’ll find that many experienced riders prefer these boots because of how rugged they are. Many riders wear them everyday of a three day show and come away with no issues whatsoever. If you decide on wearing pull on boots, make sure you have a boot jack and boot pulls handy. These help in eliminating any possible creasing or damage to the boots as you are putting them on or taking them off

Men’s riding boots can be found in a variety of different styles, many of which are made for a specific type of riding. You can choose from tall riding boots to paddock boots. Men’s horse riding boots usually cut a little wider in the foot area than women’s riding boots. This wide cut creates a more comfortable fit without giving up any of the style. Women’s riding boots tend to be more colorful and stylish than men’s boots.

First Time Playing Paintball

People often anticipate and fear the first time they play paintball. Questions that typically come to mind are, "Does it hurt?" and "Is it dangerous?" The truth is, paintball is a fun game for most people who don't mind a little minor pain here and there.

To begin, players are going to need paintball markers to shoot paintballs, goggles, a face mask, knee pads, elbow pads, and a cricket box if the player is a male. Goggles should not be removed. This is to prevent damage to the eye while players are firing in the person’s direction.

Since there is some pain associated with being hit on bare skin, it's best to cover up as much exposed skin with clothing as possible to lessen the pain. The heavier the clothes, the less soreness. This game is very safe, as long as players provide proper protection to their eyes, mouth and ears. Teeth can be chipped and eardrums can be ruptured without taking necessary precautions. Markers should be kept around 280 feet per second (FPS), plus or minus 15 FPS.

As for the stings, most of the time they last for only a minute, and sometimes the pain isn't there at all. Paint that hits exposed skin hurts much more than contact with layers of clothing. If a close range shot hits a player, it will likely sting as well as bruise. The closer the shot, the more pain. The paint will wash out of clothes, but it may cause some tearing and ripping. It's best for the player to wear clothes he or she can easily do without for everyday school or work activities.

The breakage of skin and some bleeding may be caused by paintballs shot at close range, but typically, these minor injuries are nothing to fuss over. Bruises or welts caused by shots typically go away in less than a week.

Other players will often target others known to be new to the game. Often, people that are new can be easily identified by them standing around and just shooting. When a player is known to be new, many may swarm to his or her spot and begin to shoot. One hit may only sting, but many shots at once hurts, especially if those shots are at close range.

It's best for people to approach the game of paintball with strategy. Playing with a teammate and staying concealed is the best way to be victorious. New participants may not understand the game at first, but as they get better, they usually come to love this excellent sport.

Paintball Is More Popular Than Ever

Paintball has been one of the most exciting and adrenaline pumping sports of modern day. Invented 30 years ago for use in military exercises and training, the game would slowly move to the private sector where it was then played residentially by a number of weekend warriors.

By the early 1990s, the game had become a national sensation where leagues, tournaments, and eventually champions were born. There are a few different types of play that people enjoy. There is the traditional open-air environment where Capture the Flag is the most enjoyed game, and there are warehouse games, or speedball play, where players use barriers and rapid-fire techniques. Equipment has also came a long way from simple pistol grip single-shot guns to automatic rifles and even special paintball pants instead of sweats.

Open Air Play For many, open air play is the only way to play the game. Open air play consists of a large field where there have been artificial barriers erected as well as many natural barriers and hiding places. Open air play is usually a flagged, wooded area where anything within that field is fair game. The game most often played on these fields is some version of Capture the Flag. Capture the flag is where players are divided into two teams. Each team has a flag placed within their side of the field, usually somewhere in the rear. Once game play begins, the two teams attempt to capture each others' flag without being shot.

Warehouse Play Warehouse play is slightly different than open air play. Warehouse play usually involves a warehouse converted into a paintball field, simulating close combat. Players do not hunt one another as in open air play but mainly stay in a strategic position in an attempt to hit other players. This type of game play incorporates rapid fire techniques, which is when a player uses both the middle-finger and index finger to pull the tripper in rapid succession. Players may use over 100 paintballs in one game.

Tools of the Trade Equipment has undergone many transformations over the last few years. There are guns that are fully automatic. There are even paintball grenades, which are paint filled plastics that explode in a large radius. For those that don't like getting their clothes covered in paint, there are paintball pants, paintball jerseys, and even paintball helmets that can be purchased. There are even different types of paintballs such as high velocity and increased accuracy paintballs. One can find used equipment on many classified internet trading websites as well as their local paintball field.

After 37 games Novak Djokovic is still undefeated

In his road towards No. 1 the Serb has trailed Rafael Nadal by 6240 points and now only 405 points keep him from accomplishing his goal.

In 2010 Spaniard Rafael Nadal crowned himself as the new No. 1 tennis player in the world by usurping the throne that had been in possession of Swiss Roger Federer during the last four years. Having won three of the four Grand Slams disputed that year, and being the top ranked player of the year in the 2010 ATP World Tour invited fans to think that 2011 was going to be his year of consolidation. With 3305 points of advantage over his closest contender Federer, and 6000+ among the rest, the outlook for Nadal was pretty favorable.

But something else happen in 2010, there was another sign that many ignored because it was seen as a group accomplishment, and not individual: Serbia winning the Davies Cup for the first time ever and emerging as a new power in the game after overcoming a 2-1 deficit against France. It was at this point that the figure of Novak Djokovic rose in two key games against Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon to lead his compatriots to victory. Those two victories also gave the world a glance of what Djokovic’s best tennis was like, a glance of what he had prepared for 2011.

With a strong mind and revitalized confidence in his game, product of the Davies Cup championship, he stepped into the 2011 season focused in snatching No. 1 from Nadal. Confident and aware that he could trail those 6645 points that were in between them, he began to convert that boost into victories.

Those victories keep on coming one after the other, and so far in the year add up to 37 in the same number of games. This undefeated steak bought important titles along: the Australian Open and the Master 1000 disputed in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome.

Suddenly Nadal’s throne was exposed, as the Serb had reduced the deficit to just 405 points and had become the sensation of the year. The Spaniard’s efforts to stop him had been useless as the Serb dispatched him in the four confrontations that they held, including two in clay surface, where Nadal is considered to be the king.

Up next is the Roland Garros, Grand Slam that Djokovic has never won before, and which could give him that so awaited No. 1 that he has been trying to pursuit for years. If Nadal losses in the same stage as Djokovic, the Serb will take over his place. If both of them make it to the final and the Spaniards wins, Djokovic would still make it to the highest position in the rank.

Wining at Paris would not only represent for the Serb clinching No. 1, but also tying Guillermo Vilas’ record in the Open Era of 46 games undefeated.

On May 22 it will be the French Open kick off, and in the mean time Djokovic plans to rest and recover from all the effort that he has gone through to have this chance of becoming the No. 1 in the world in France.

How Paintball Tubes Improve Game Strategies

When it comes to paintball, nothing strikes fear into the heart of a player more than running out of ammo. Both serious players who regularly visit the local field and amateurs who like to run around in the woods with their friends stand to benefit from preventing this problem through proper use of paintball tubes.

A paintball tube is a cylindrical container used to hold extra paintballs for when the hopper runs dry. They come in a variety of sizes and colors. However, the most common is likely the 140 tube in good-old simple clear. Some tubes have a simple latch and hinge to hold on the lid at the top, while the fancier ones have a spring loaded cap for maximum refilling speed. Expect to pay about $5 to 15 for a tube, with the more expensive ones being the aforementioned spring loaded model.

As far as actually using the tubes, one more piece of paintball equipment is necessary before rushing into battle: a harness. A good harness will last forever and faithfully hold tubes for the duration of its use. A harness holds anywhere from two to eight paintball tubes. Pick one that meets the needs of the position: front men typically need speed and agility, so they should consider the two-tube harness. Back men need all the ammo they can get, so they typically have the eight-tube harness.

To use a tube, simply open the lid on the marker hopper and the lid on the tube and transfer the paintballs from the tube to the hopper. If in a crouching position, rest the marker on the knees, and the non-shooting hand can be used in a cupping motion to assist the pour and minimize spillage. In a standing position, one hand must hold the marker while the other fills the hopper alone. It will take some practice before the refilling motion becomes second nature and can be performed accurately and rapidly, even under heavy fire. Some players consider the skill so important as to spend some time practicing the movement in isolation; however, many learn it on the fly in real game situations.

Unless the paintball matches one is involved in are of surprisingly short duration, the procurement and proper use of paintball tubes is a valuable skill in any good player’s arsenal of both equipment and techniques. Spend a little time and effort looking around for some good tubes and a good harness, and a player will be well on the way to taking their game to the next level.

Perisher Ski Resort - the Gem of the Australian Alps

Perisher Ski Resort - the Gem of the Australian Alps

Tucked among the mountains and valleys of Australia’s Snowy Mountains, Perisher Ski Resort is an amalgamation of the Blue Cow, Smiggins Holes, Guthega and Perisher Valley ski areas. In addition to being the largest ski resort in Australia and New Zealand, Perisher Ski Resort is also known for its world class facilities and for being home to the Australian National Freestyle Ski Team and the Australian National Snowboard Team. Located 30 minutes from Jindabyne in the heart of Kosciuszko National Park, the resort is 8 km from Charlottes Pass and 15 km from Thredbo.

The first ski lodge in the area was opened in 1951 and by 1958 the first rope tow and T bar were built on the mountain, easing the over snow transportation for visitors. Since the resort’s founding there has been steady development, including the installation of world class facilities, accommodation, hi tech snow making operations and national and international training facilities.

In 1995 Perisher Blue was formed, merging Blue Cow, Smiggin Holes, Guthega and Perisher Valley. In 2009 the resort amalgamation changed its name to simply Perisher Ski Resort.

Due to its climate and the location, no Australian resort is 100% natural snow and Perisher is no exception. With 271 snowguns in their snowmaking inventory, the mountain operations crew at Perisher covers 53.4 hectares across the resort including at Smiggins Holes, Blue Cow and Perisher Valley. They recently upgraded their equipment in 2008, spending $9.75 million on new equipment including 68 automated snowguns.
Perisher Ski Resort covers 1245 hectares and includes 126 runs with the run difficulties graded 22% beginner, 60% intermediate and 18% advanced. Although the resort does seem more suited for beginner to intermediate skiers/boarders, the advanced runs do offer their own challenges for the advanced athlete.

One of the attractions of the resort is the sheer size of it. It’s so large in fact; you can ski/board all day and not ride the same lift twice! With the snow covered interconnections, you can switch ski areas and not have to leave the hill, although it does require some map familiarization to ensure you don’t get too lost up there.

Due to the vast size of the resort, Perisher offers downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, ice skating, snow shoeing and snow tubing. There is definitely something for everyone’s tastes.
There are plenty of ways to get to Perisher. If driving, it’s an easy 6 hour drive from Sydney or a 7 hour drive from Melbourne. There are numerous couch tours and routes that include Jindabyne on their schedule. If the idea of sitting in a vehicle for that long makes you edgy, Aeropelican offers regular direct flights from Sydney to the Snowy Mountains Airport. Either way, check with your travel agent for all options available to you from your current location.

The ski resorts of the Snowy Mountains have the best skiing and snowboarding in Australia, and offer locals and international visitors alike the opportunity to ski among the snow gums and eucalyptus. The season is short and intense, lasting only 4 months from June until October. With opposite seasons, the Australian ski resorts offer northerners the chance to ski through their summer and practice for the upcoming northern winter.

Course Conditions Won Riverside Golf Course NGCOA Award, Says Course Owner

When it comes to accepting credit for his award winning Riverside golf course, owner Jay Miller prefers to broaden the limelight. When asked how he transformed his Hidden Valley Golf Club from a blot on the Riverside golf landscape into a course meriting this past year’s National Golf Course of the Year distinction, Miller downplayed his personal contribution and instead pointed to the efforts of his team, in particular 32-year old Ian Sturge, course superintendent.

Miller’s Riverside golf club certainly has gone through an incredible metamorphosis since Sturge came onto the scene. With seven years experience as assistant superintendent, Ian joined the Hidden Valley team as superintendent in 2007. At that time, the course conditions were sub-par at best, having been neglected for years.

Miller is quick to praise Sturge’s commitment to restoring the course and couldn’t be more pleased with the final results of his tremendous efforts. "The course is so consistent and the greens are awesome," Miller says about the current condition of his Riverside golf club. "I trust him [Sturge] with every blade of grass".

The grueling process of reconditioning the Riverside golf course was not an easy one, according to Sturge, and seemed an impossibility when the original $1.2 million allocated for the project had to be tapped before budget plans were set for repairing equipment and getting the pumping station and irrigation system working properly. It was then that Sturge’s talent and expertise came into play and may have made all of the difference in turning the community "patch" into the award-winning course Riverside golf club clearly is today.

"When I arrived, the fairways ranged from 75 percent to 100 percent Poa Annua," Sturge says. In order to change that, Sturge began to let the Poa Annua on the Riverside golf course die off, opting instead for a Bermuda mix. He then topdressed some of the bare areas, hand-raking in a special mixture of half composted cow manure and half plaster sand, being careful not to overseed with ryegrass so as not to stress the Bermuda.

Sturge used his very limited chemicals budget to purchase urea for the Riverside golf club’s greens. He also applied 1/3 a pound of nitrogen about once a week. He was able to create what he calls "lean greens" with a small amount of nitrogen and a greater portion of calcium.

Whether Ian Sturge’s course-scaping expertise outweighs Miller’s unmatched golf course management strategies that earned his Riverside golf club the National Golf Course of the Year award win is still up for debate. The association did take other factors into consideration. The other criteria included quality of the ownership and management, contribution to the community, and contribution to the game of golf, but if you ask Jay Miller why his Riverside golf course is doing so well, he’ll tell you that his young superintendent’s blood, sweat, and ingenuity are the keys to Hidden Valley’s leap onto the national stage.

Organizing Youth Baseball Practice

Organizing youth baseball practice can be tedious. It takes preparation and planning. In this article you will be given some helpful ideas which to use that will help you become more organized and creative with your practices.

For the coach youth baseball practice actually begins before you get to the field. You need to plan out what you want to work on and what drills you will use to accomplish your objective. It is advisable to utilize parents and volunteers to help you.

If possible you want to be the facilitator who walks around insuring everyone is doing what they need to do.

Youth baseball teams typically are assigned a practice field on certain days for a given time period, so depending on your teams needs and areas they need to work on will determine what your practice plan will consist of. Make sure to write it down and stick to the time allotted.

It is advisable to have the players warm up as a group. I ask two players to volunteer to be the captains for the day. They will lead the stretching and warm up.

Once that is done we will move into our throwing routine. The warm up, stretching and throwing routine is consistent before every practice and game. The player’s become familiar with it and develops a routine they are comfortable with.

After warming up the following would an example of a normal practice.
• Rundown - Half the players will be on 1st base the other half on 2nd, and a runner in the middle, the runners run with their gloves so as to keep the drill moving. The goal is to keep the drill moving and teach one throw and get the runner out.

• Cutoff & Relay - Break your team into groups, if you have 12 players use three groups of four players. Make sure the players are moving their feet to the ball with their glove side to the target.
I use the phrase, step-catch-throw to emphasize quick release of the ball. This is a good opportunity to make a competition between the teams and adds fun to practice as well.

• Individual skills – keeping the same groups as cutoff & relay one group will go to shortstop, another group to second base and a final group to center field. The infield works on ground balls, the outfield works on fly balls. You could have one of the infield groups working on charging slower grounders while the other group fields and makes a strong throw to 1st.

• Group skills – This is where you may work on 1st & 3rd defense, bunt defense, turning double plays, pop fly’s, pitchers fielding practice.

• Hitting – Like the above we will utilize groups. Most youth baseball fields don’t have a cage so to perform live hitting a coach(s) will need to throw on the field.
I have found that putting a screen on home plate and the hitters close to the back stop not only prevents lots of foul balls from leaving the field, but I can have two coaches throwing to two hitters simultaneously. This allows the other two players in the group to be working on the side with soft toss and/or tee drills.
I have one group shagging in the outfield, and one group fielding ground balls hit by helpers in the infield.
Another option you could do is have one group throwing a bullpen during this time.
This method of taking BP makes hitting practice efficient and productive, and the kids aren’t bored.

I finish practice with a base running drill. It may be step-by-step instruction or it may be a drill they like and have done before.

This type practice will typically last two hours. It encompasses a lot of instruction and repetitions. I look at practice as my time and games as the players time to show the world what they have learned.
The biggest thing for the coach is too organized. Save your practice plan as you may want to use it or a similar version later in the season.