Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins | The US Trends | The Miami Dolphins are a professional american football team based in the U.S. metropolitan Miami, Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). Dolphins play home games at the stage of the life of the sun in the northern suburb of Miami Gardens, and are in training Miami Dolphins facility in Davie, Florida.

The Dolphins team was founded by Joe Robbie, and began play in the American Football League (AFL) as an expansion team in 1966 – an example of the AFL's expanding into parts of the United States that had not possessed professional american football teams (with the exception of the Miami Seahawks, who played in the AAFC in 1946 before becoming the first incarnation of the Baltimore Colts). In 1970, the Dolphins joined the NFL when the AFL–NFL merger occurred. The Dolphins are the oldest continually-operating major-league professional sports franchise in the state of Florida.

The team made its first Super Bowl appearance following the 1971 season in Super Bowl VI, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys. In 1972, the Dolphins team completed the NFL's first and only perfect season culminating in a Super Bowl win, winning all 14 of its regular-season games, both of its NFL playoff games, and also Super Bowl VII. The Dolphins thus became the first NFL team to accomplish a perfect regular season. Miami Dolphins also won Super Bowl VIII, becoming the first team to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls, and the second team (the first AFL/AFC team) to win back-to-back championships. Miami also appeared in Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XIX, losing both games.

For most of its debut, Miami Dolphins were coached by Don Shula, coach the most successful in the history of professional football in terms of total games won. His teams posted records Dolphins lost two of his 26 seasons as head coach of the team. Football Hall of Fame six future members played for Miami in the 1970's, including fullback Larry Csonka, Bob Griese quarterback and linebacker Nick Buoniconti. During 1980 and 1990, the Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino became the most prolific passer in NFL history, breaking several records for the passage of the league. He led the Dolphins to five division titles, 10 playoff tickets and Super Bowl XIX, before retiring after the 1999 season. -THE US TRENDS

Miami Dolphins

Donovan McNabb is traded to Vikings, Washington Redskins Agreed

Donovan McNabb is traded to Vikings, Washington Redskins Agreed | The US Trends | After some talk throughout the day of a potential deal, it looks like it is on. McNabb’s age and salary drove down the price, and according to Jay Glazer, it looks like the deal is for a 6th round pick in 2012 and possibly another 6th rounder in 2013. The deal is contingent on McNabb, who is due a large bonus, agreeing to renegotiate the deal and take less money.

Donovan McNabb still thinks of himself as an elite quarterback, so will he be willing to take less money to play in Minnesota, with a team that just spent a 12th overall pick on a quarterback? If he takes an honest assessment of his situation, he should. The market for McNabb is weak. The Redskins are going to release him if not traded, and no one is giving him the job for a 3-4 year stretch. He won’t get more on the open market after being released than the Vikings are willing to give. If he really thinks he can rebound, he should negotiate a short term deal that includes some incentives.

With the likely McNabb move to Minnesota, plus Tarvaris Jackson to Seattle, the trade market is tightening up. Orton is still out there, and Kolb better be hoping that the Cardinals opt for him, or he will be a reserve again in 2011. - The US Trends

Donovan McNabb is traded to Vikings, Washington Redskins Agreed

American Football

American Football | The US Trends | American football, known in the United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport known for its physical roughness despite being a highly strategic game. The object of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone, kicking a field goal, or scoring a safety by tackling an opposing team's ball-carrier in his own end zone. The ball can be advanced either by carrying it or by throwing it to a teammate. The winner is the team with the most points when the time expires and the last play ends.

American football descended from rugby football, played in the United Kingdom in the mid-nineteenth century. The first game of college football was played on November 6, 1869 between Rutgers University and Princeton University. The first modernized game was on June 4, 1875 between Harvard University and Tufts University.

Professional football developed in the mill towns of Pennsylvania and the American Midwest in the early twentieth century. The National Football League (NFL) was founded in 1920 in Canton, Ohio, and is now comprised of 32 teams. Today, football is the most popular American sport, with the day of the NFL championship—the Super Bowl—being one of the biggest occasions for social gatherings in the United States.

Outside the United States, the sport is referred to as American football to differentiate it from other football games. In Australia and New Zealand, the game is known as Gridiron, although in America the word "gridiron" refers only to the playing field. Variations of the game include Canadian football and Arena football.

American football dates from the early 1800s when teams in various colleges and secondary schools met. They usually played by kicking or batting at the ball, as in varieties of football played in the United Kingdom. In 1867, the convergence of various developments at Eastern colleges and schools led to the codification of American football. Rutgers University and Princeton University played the first recorded game of American college football on November 6, 1869 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, won by Rutgers 6-4. Today, Rutgers is popularly recognized as the "Birthplace of College Football." However, English Football Association rules were followed in this Princeton/Rutgers contest; participants were only allowed to kick the ball, not handle it; and each side had 25 men. Thus, some see the Princeton-Rutgers meeting of 1869 as the first intercollegiate game of "soccer" in America, but not American football (Smith 1988). In 1870, Rutgers invited Columbia for a game, and the popularity of intercollegiate competition in football would spread throughout the country.

Dartmouth College students played a football-like game now known as "Old Division Football," for which they published rules in 1871. In 1873, Columbia, Rutgers, Princeton, and Yale met to formulate the intercollegiate football rules for the games they played. This meeting is notable for two reasons. First, it is the first attempt at making a single set of rules for all schools to follow. Second, Harvard refused to join the meeting. - The US Trends

U.S. Open - The United States Open Golf Championship

The Us Trends | U.S. Open - The United States Open Golf Championship | The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour. It is staged by the United States Golf Association (USGA) in mid-June, scheduled so that, if there are no weather delays, the final round is played on the third Sunday, which is Father's Day.

The U.S. Open is staged at a variety of courses, set up in such a way that scoring is very difficult with a premium placed on accurate driving. U.S. Open play is characterized by tight scoring at or around par by the leaders, with the winner emerging at around even par. A U.S. Open course is seldom beaten severely, and there have been many over-par wins (in part because par is usually set at 70 except for the very longest courses). Normally, an Open course is quite long and will have a high cut of primary rough (termed "Open rough" by the American press and fans), hilly greens (such as at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2005, which was described by Johnny Miller of NBC as "like trying to hit a ball on top of a VW Beetle"), and pinched fairways (especially on what are expected to be less difficult holes). Some courses that are attempting to get into the rotation for the U.S. Open will undergo renovations to have these features. Rees Jones is the most notable of the "Open Doctors" who take on these projects. As with any professional golf tournament, the available space surrounding the course (for spectators, among other considerations) and local infrastructure also factor into deciding which courses will host the event.

The U.S. Open is the only one of the four major championships which does not go immediately to a playoff if two or more players are tied at the end of the four rounds. Instead, the players play a fifth 18-hole round the following day (Monday), but if a tie still exists after the round, then a sudden death playoff is held. Only three times has the U.S. Open gone to sudden death after the playoff round, most recently in 2008 when Tiger Woods defeated Rocco Mediate on the first playoff hole.

Coverage of The U.S. Open is broadcast on television by NBC and ESPN, with additional online coverage of a marquee group provided by ESPN via the U.S. Open's official website. Of golf's broadcast television partners in the U.S., NBC is the only one to provide four days of major tournament coverage (CBS, which airs the Masters and the PGA Championship, only provides weekend coverage of its tournaments; starting in 2010, the Open Championship will not be aired live on an over-the-air network at all, with all four rounds airing on ESPN and only edited highlights screened by ABC).

The first U.S. Open was played on October 4, 1895, on a nine-hole course at the Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island. It was a 36-hole competition and was played in a single day. Ten professionals and one amateur entered. The winner was a 21-year-old Englishman named Horace Rawlins, who had arrived in the U.S. in January that year to take up a position at the host club. He received $150 cash out of a prize fund of $335, plus a $50 gold medal; his club received the Open Championship Cup trophy, which was presented by the USGA.

In the beginning, the U.S. Open was dominated by experienced British players until 1911, when John J. McDermott became the first native-born American winner. American golfers soon began to win regularly and the tournament evolved to become one of the four majors.

Since 1911, the title of U.S. Open has been won almost exclusively by players from the United States. Since 1950, players from only six countries other than the United States have won the championship, most notably South Africa, which has won five times since 1965. A streak of four consecutive non-American winners occurred from 2004 to 2007 for the first time since 1910. These four players, South African Retief Goosen (2004), New Zealander Michael Campbell (2005), Australian Geoff Ogilvy (2006) and Argentine Ángel Cabrera (2007), are all from countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell (2010) became the first European player to win the event since Tony Jacklin of England in 1970. - The US Trends

Lake Tahoe hole-in-one, Joe Sakic won $1 million

Lake Tahoe hole-in-one, Joe Sakic won $1 million | The US Trends | Former Colorado Avalanche star Joe Sakic picked the right time for the first hole-in-one of his life. Sakic won $1 million on Sunday by making a hole-in-one on the par-3 17th at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship at Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nev.

He used an 8-iron on the 162-yard waterfront hole where dozens of yachts and boats anchor during the annual three-day tournament.

Joe Sakic will take home half the check, with the other $500,000 going to Lance Armstrong's Livestrong Foundation for cancer research. The money comes from an insurance policy purchased by the tourney's sponsor.

The former NHL MVP and two-time Stanley Cup winner said he had never come close to making a hole-in-one before. - The US Trends

Lake Tahoe hole-in-one, Joe Sakic won $1 million

Women's World Cup Final 2011: USA vs. Japan, Who's the winner?

Women's World Cup Final 2011: USA vs. Japan, Who's the winner? | The US Trends | Women's World Cup Final 2011 LIVE UPDATES: USA vs. Japan. The USA women's soccer team takes on Japan on Sunday in the Women's World Cup final. The game will begin at 2:45 p.m ET on ESPN.

In the quarterfinals against Brazil, the U.S. came back in the 122nd minute after Abby Wambach scored on an incredible header to tie the match at two. They went on to win in a penalty shootout and then dominated France 3-1 in the semifinals.

Despite getting shut out by England in the group stage, Japan managed to crush Germany and then take down Sweden in the semifinals.

Will USA win a record third World Cup? Or will Japan shock the world and pull off the miraculous upset? Follow our Women's World Cup final live blog for updates! - THE US TRENDS

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/17/womens-world-cup-final-usa-japan_n_901027.html

Get Metta World Peace, Leave Ron Artest

Get Metta World Peace, Leave Ron Artest - How Metta World Peace Will Play a Role on VH1: Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest wants to change his name at the same time "Basketball Wives" recruits his wife. Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday to legally change his name to Metta World Peace. The move comes just a few days after it was announced that Artest's wife Kimsha has been cast in VH1's Basketball Wives: Los Angeles.

The show premieres Aug. 29 and will likely be one of the first programs to showcase Artest's name change, as the NBA season doesn't start until the fall and the Basketball Wives franchise also features the cast's husbands/significant others.

Artest cites "personal reasons" for the name change, which Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak told ESPN "brought a smile" to his face. Asked whether Artest's jersey will say "Peace" or "World Peace," the GM replied, "I'm an advocate of World Peace."

The Masters 2011: the first big golf tournament of the year is set to begin

One of the four major championships in professional golf is about to be welcome in 2011. It is the first big tournament of the year. The Masters is scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year. Unlike the other major championships, the Masters is held each year at the same location, Augusta, Georgia, USA. The Masters 2011 is set to begin on April 7th at Augusta National Golf Club. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, April 10th.

The Masters is one of the most traditional golf events. All of the best golfers in the world will compete to try and win a coveted green jacket. For golf fans, the Masters represents a chance to watch some quality golf over the course of a weekend.

ESPN and CBS will cover the Masters extensively. ESPN will provide coverage for four hours starting at 3:00 PM on Thursday and Friday. CBS will run a highlights show at 11:30 each of those nights. On Saturday, April 9th CBS will begin coverage at 3:30. On Sunday, CBS will start coverage at 2:00. Coverage will conclude at 7:00 both nights. In addition to television, there will be streaming coverage online all day at certain holes.

The tournament has a number of traditions. A green jacket has been awarded to the winner since 1949; which must be returned to the clubhouse after a year. The Masters has had some amazing moments over the years. Dramatic finishes and remarkable shots are common at the event. In 1997, Tiger Woods officially became a star with a dominating performance at this event. In 2004, Phil Mickelson ended his long major drought. In 1996, Greg Norman blew a six shot lead and lost the event to Nick Faldo. In 1986, Jack Nicklaus had an epic back nine to win his sixth Masters title. The Masters 2011 is sure to have a number of great moments that join this list.

India Vs. Sri Lanka: ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Final

In the grand final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 between two Asian finalists and two hosts India and Sri Lanka, two wicketkeeper captains came to the middle of Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium for the historical toss.

In the first spin of coin, there was some confusion over who's won the toss. In the re-toss Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and decided that he will bat first in the India vs Sri Lanka Cricket World Cup 2011 final match.

Sri Lanka have won the toss (at the second time of asking) and will bat first – a decision that gives them a slight advantage in being able to set India a target. The middle order of Sri Lanka though has not needed to be utilised often during the tournament and it will be interesting if India manage to grab a couple of early wickets.

India have made one change from their semi-final line up with Ashish Nehra failing a fitness test and being replaced by Sree Sreethanth.

Sri Lanka have made four changes in total: Out go Mendis, Herath, Silva along with the injured Matthews, with Randiv, Kulasakera, Kapugedera, Perera coming into the side.

It appears that both sides team selection has focussed on pace, rather than spin, an indication of how this relatively new wicket is expected to play.

Cricket World Cup 2011 Semi Final: India vs Pakistan

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 has already hit the globe hard and seems like a viral infection with all age groups. The impact of infection rise to the extreme with India and Pakistan set a date with each other at the semi final of this mega event on 30th March 2011.The cricket web sites have witnessed a tremendous inflow of traffic after the arch rivals have prepared to clash with one another. This historic match will be host by Mohali cricket stadium and the long list of dignitaries includes Prime Minister of both the countries, cabinet ministers, Governor of Punjab, celebrities, and former cricketers.

The match is no less than a war with both the countries pride at stake and fans on either side of the border anxious about the fate of the match. India will enjoy a little edge over their neighbor but the importance of match is so high that you cannot sit back and relax.

The SWOT analysis before the match will give a picture of the start of the ultimate war.

India’s strength: – Home turf, Powerful Batting Line, 100% win record against Pakistan in World Cup.

India’s weakness: – Unstable Bowling attack, Average fielding standard, not a confident world cup campaign so far excluding the victory over Australia.

Pakistan’s strength: – Best Bowling Attack, Group Topper, Victory Against Sri Lanka and Australia.

Pakistan’s Weakness: – Batting line average, Never won against India in World cup, Playing against host.

The analysis of the opponents of “Mother of all War” seems to be a close game of cricket is what we will witness on Wednesday. So get ready to a thrilling game, which will let your sweat dry, heart explode, and left you with either a moment of joy or disappointment.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 2nd Semi Final
India vs Pakistan
PAK vs IND match at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali.
30 March,2011 09:00 AM GMT

Recent Matches
29 March,2011
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka
1st Semi Final
R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Result: Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets

26 March,2011
Sri Lanka vs England
4th Quarter Final
R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Result: Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets

25 March,2011
New Zealand vs South Africa
3rd Quarter Final
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Result: New Zealand won by 49 runs

Detroit Tigers: Lou Whitaker not in the Hall of Fame is the worst transgression

Bill Parker has gone to get out Hall of Fame arguments in March and write on ESPN's SweetSpot blog about why Lou Whitaker not in the Hall of Fame is the worst transgression done by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

For those old enough to remember (or young enough to read Wikipedia), Whitaker's name was scratched off from consideration after just one year.

I didn't want to be the one to play the "woe is us, nobody likes Detroit" card, because after a while the plea rings hollower than Joel Zumaya's elbow. But Alan Trammell isn't in the Hall of Fame, and he oughta be there too. (Marinate on that: one of the best up-the-middle combos has neither half in the HOF.) The support for Jack Morris is fading, and Mickey Lolich (18th on the all-time strikeouts list) never made it either. Rightfully undeserving but wildly popular in Tigers lore include Denny McLain, Norm Cash, and Willie Horton. Our folk heroes aren't good enough for the rest of America.

Still, you'd think the ones that deserve to go would've had a fairer shake on the ballot. The ball's in your court, Veterans Committee.