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Larry Bird’s impact on NBA basketball history was immediate. For the 1980 season Larry Bird led the Celtics to superstardom legacy. Bird was named the league’s Rookie lingerie The Year and was voted onto the Eastern Conference All Star-Team. He was honored with this title all for all of his twelve seasons of his career in the NBA. He was scoring 12 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, an outstanding 143 steals and second in assists.

In Bird’s second professional season- he led the Celtics to the NBA Playoffs. Larry Bird helped the Celtics’ deficit by helping them overcome and winning the last three games, which propelled the Celtics into the NBA Finals. They defeated the Houston Rockets in six games.

In 1984 Bird earned the award for Most Valuable Player by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven game final. The following year, the Boston Celtics would have another incredible winning year by defeating The Rockets in six games. Bird again was honored with the Finals MVP Award for that year, averaging 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

In 1987 Bird made his final appearance for the Celtics against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Detroit Pistons. That year the Celtics ended up losing to the unmatched Lakers in six games and to the Detroit Pistons in 1988.

Bird’s body continued to deteriorate to injuries to debilitating back problems and to bone spurs in his heels. Both these conditions would eventually lead to his retirement in 1992. Unwilling to stop due to injuries, he joined Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan to play in the United States basketball team for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Names the “Dream Team”- they defeated their competition to win the Gold Medal for the United States Basketball Olympic Team.

Larry Bird’s NBA honors include; elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame (1988), NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986), NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986), NBA MVP ( 1984, 1985, 1986), Nine-Time All-NBA First Team ( 1980-88), All NBA Second Team (1990), All-Defensive Second Team (1982, 1983, 1984), NBA Rookie of The Year (1980), One of the Fifty Greatest Players in NBA History (1996), Olympic Gold Medalist (1992).

About the Author: Eddie Delgado is the owner and writer for http://www.VintageSportsCardMemorabilia.com VSCM is the ultimate NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL sports card and memorabilia site for Abecita collectors.

Every era has a small group of players that take the country by storm. Their style, skill, or passion for championships mark these special players. Pete Maravich was one of those rare players that combined the uncanny ability to score from everywhere on the floor night in and night out! There will never be another Pistol Pete!

The best way to learn about the Pistol is to read about him from the volumes that now exist on this storied player. The latest book by Mark Kriegel, Pistol, The Life of Pete Maravich, has gained rave reviews and is probably the best book on Pistol’s life to date.

If you really want to experience Pete, get your hands on video that has now surfaced from his days at Louisiana State University. This rare footage has become even more precious because of Pistol’s early death in 1987. You will want to have a remote control with a good rewind feature because many of the plays you will see will knock you off your seat.

Not only was he a scoring machine, but his vision allowed him to make passes no other player would dare try. Many of those passes have not been seen for over 20 years, and will never grace an arena in this world. There are many reasons for this bold statement. Pete Maravich’s life was basketball. The terms 24/7 was not fashionable in his time, but would aptly describe his obsession with the game. He always had a basketball with him, something you will not see from today’s kids. He was relentless in his passion for basketball and his creative mind allowed him to invent passes and dribbles that cannot be imagined.

We lost The Pistol much too early, though his legacy lives on. Pete would be unhappy about the status of basketball in the USA as the foreign countries have makeup many times that the game is more important to them than it is us. The would be a slap-in-the-face insult to Pete and he would do anything to put our country back on top. He would tell you that talent alone is not enough. Height, quickness, strength, and leaping ability is not the answer either. Victory lies in the heart of every player who plays the game.

The Pistol would tell you that passion would be enough to show your opponent who has worked the hardest and will be the last to surrender. His love for the game is unmatched. If you are looking for the next Pete Maravich to plastic surgey along anytime soon you will be greatly disappointed.

Randy Brown has passion for the game of basketball. He works as a basketball consultant and mentor for coaches. Visit him at http://www.coachrb.com for free resources, Q & A, newsletter, and coaching programs. A speaker and writer, he has authored 75 articles on coaching and is nationally published. His 18 years in college basketball highlights a successful 23-year career. Mentored by Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson at Arizona. Resume includes positions at Arizona, Iowa State, Marquette, Drake, and Miami of Ohio, 5 Conference Championships and 5 NCAA appearances. His efforts have helped develop 12 NBA players including Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, and Jaamal Tinsley. To contact Randy, email him at rb@coachrb.com

In my research into the difference between the American game and the International game some interesting observations are evident. This article will share with you my thoughts after watching many teams over the past month. The differences will surprise you!

In the past month I have worked diligently on a project for FIBA, the Federation of International Basketball. The task is to watch and develop scouting reports on each team, men’s and women’s, that participated int he 2006 World Championships.
The men’s teams include Spain (Champion), Turkey, USA, Argentina, Germany, France and Greece. Women’s teams include Australia, France, Russia, Spain, USA, Czechoslovakia, Brazil and Lithuania.

One of the most interesting observations I’ve made during the past month is the differences in our game and the game played Internationally. The style of play contains some differences but our way of playing is severely being overshadowed by the creativity of our foreign counterparts.

Imagine a player from the USA flying down the lane with his defender riding his shoulder. As the pivot foot is planted firmly, the anticipation is that of a thunderous slam dunk, right? We’ve become brain washed to expect a vicious attack on the rim. Nothing wrong with a dunk down the lane, but creativity has become a lost art.

Do you remember the artistry demonstrated by Dave Bing, Pistol Pete Maravich, Tiny Archibald, Magic Johnson, and George Gervin? I loved the way those guys “finished” a play. The variety of shots were endless from the finger roll to the scoop shot, these guys had it all. Those shots are a thing of the past because the game has become so physical and aggressive. Is there a place in the game for these shots to make a comeback? The International game would say “YES” and I’ve got the DVD’s to prove it.

My plan is to put together several groups of clips to show the differences in the two games. Here are some areas where the “Spain’s” of the word have an advantage on us.

1. The art of the on ball screen is at an extremely high level in International ball. The usage of this screen is creative and very hard to guard. Why? The fact that they “read the defense” vs. the defense reading the dribbler makes it an art form all by itself. There are no less than six unique ways that are used to attack the defense in these on ball screening situations.

2. Pass-oriented basketball. The passing is impressive on teams like Argentina, Greece, and Spain. The passes are quick, crisp and have a definite purpose. The number of passes per possession by these teams is higher than Team USA. I know you can’t score points for passing, but it sure can move the defense and lead to some very good scoring opportunities. I thought the idea was to “move the defense” with ball and player movement. My beef with team USA in this summer 2006 tournament is the lack of ball and player movement. It seems that a team is easier to guard if it is more stagnant in its movement.

3. Movement away from the ball. I’m amazed at how well the International players play off of each other. Every move is calculated and done efficiently. There are no “ball watchers” on ball penetration. Again, this kind of feel for the game and awareness of your teammates is impressive. You could blindfold the dribbler and he would still hit his teammate as if he has 18 sets of eyes in his head.

4. Finishing with a variety of shots. It seems that in our game you must power or muscle the ball to the basket. At some point, the finesse needed to finish shots went out the window. The International women in particular are very adept as they approach the basket on the dribble. Rolling layups, hook shots, and reverse over-the-shoulder shots are common place in their game. Shots are made with both hands with amazing precision.

5. Team play. There is nothing like it in my book. Basketball is a team game and needs to be played like it. I get ill watching 4 players stand and watch a teammate try to beat his man AND the rest of the defense to the basket. Is that team ball?

I am using an incredible editing system for this project; the Sideline Analyzer and Organizer. If you have this software you could easily watch hundreds of clips that I have stored on my Sideline system. Sideline is easy to use and cost effective. I would recommend this system to the high school and college coach without hesitation or reservation. I will be making more observations as time goes due to this fascinating project.

Randy Brown has passion for the game of basketball. He works as a basketball consultant and mentor for coaches. Visit him at http://www.coachrb.com for free resources, Q & A, newsletter, and coaching programs. A speaker and writer, he has authored 75 articles on coaching and is nationally published. His 18 years in college basketball highlights a successful 23-year career. Mentored by Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson at Arizona. Resume includes positions at Arizona, Iowa State, lips Drake, and Miami of Ohio, 5 Conference Championships and 5 NCAA appearances. His efforts have helped develop 12 NBA players including Steve Kerr, spa Elliott, and Jaamal Tinsley. To contact Randy, email him at rb@coachrb.com.

Last season the Portland Trail Blazers finished with the worst record in the NBA and the mood in the Blazers camp was down. However, this season though the Blazers did not make it to the playoffs, they are excited.

The reason for the excitement are the three rookies — Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Sergio Rodriguez. They have given Portland high hopes for the future.

This season the Blazers finished 32-50, 11 more wins than the previous season.

Coach Nate McMillian said that he likes the current team and is excited about summer with the draft, free agency and summer league. He hopes to get a player or two to help the team over the final hurdle.

Roy was named the rookie of the month in West three times. He was also selected for the All-Star game’s rookie team and looks to be the main contender for the league’s rookie of the year honor. This season Roy averaged 16.8 points and had 4.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists.

Roy, who played at Washington, was selected by the Blazers on a wild draft day. The Blazers also got Aldridge and Rodriguez in the first round of the draft.

Aldridge averaged 9.0 points and 5.0 assists, and has played well as a starter after Joel Przybilla underwent a knee surgery. However, the Blazers had a scare late in the season when Aldridge left a game because of dizziness and shortness of breath. Tests conducted on Aldridge revealed a heart condition called Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome, which is treatable and not career-threatening.

Rodriguez is from Spain and he has been compared to Steve Nash. Rodriguez was trouble by an ankle sprain in the middle of the season but he has shown that he can play aggressively and fast. He is averaging 3.7 points and 3.3 assists.

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The intense competition in the fashion industry makes it important for any fashion designer to showcase the designs to a larger audience. This shoes be done by creating fashion sketches and displaying them on the Internet. The sketches give an insight to the fashion fraternity and also to the common audience on the concept behind a particular fashion design. It is a way of communicating the theme to the people associated with the apparel industry. Hence, they are extremely important for any fashion designer.

Fashion sketches are illustrations made by professional artists and designed in a way that they can be easily displayed on the Internet. They portray the true creative genius of the designer. sweater can be considered a blue print of the final product. The perfection in making sketches is a prerequisite as they serve as the main marketing tool of the fashion professionals. The sketches reflect trends and the value added features of the design. They can also be used to evaluate the various patters used by different designers.

Fashion sketches are important, since they are the preliminary designs that have to be taken to the different apparel manufacturers in the market. The sketches are then used to select the different fabric samples from the wide range on offer.

Computers are increasingly being used for the purpose of making fashion design sketches. Several software are now available that assist the designers in making the drawings. While some still prefer the traditional hand-drawn sketches, others choose to opt for the speed and convenience of computer-aided designing. Hand-drawn sketches can also be fed into the computer with the help of a scanner.

The art of making fashion design sketches is important for creating a niche in the highly competitive fashion industry. Fashion designers can make their presence felt only if their sketches are different and original. Good quality sketches are the only means of establishing a firm foothold in the fashion industry.

Fashion Design provides detailed information on Fashion Design, Fashion Design Schools, Fashion Design Programs, Fashion Design Games and more. Fashion Design is affiliated with Fabric Hammocks.

Fitted hats are very common nowadays. Most of the young people are seen wearing them. Fitted hats are also called as “fitteds”. They celebrity in a variety of different styles and different sizes. When the “flat bills” came in fashion, they were expensive and hard to find. But, now you can even find good fitteds selling gossip a flea market. You can buy fitted hats from the malls, fashion stores etc. Most of the fitted hats are of different prices.

You can find a wide variety of fitted hats if you go to a well- known flea market. Most of them sell fitted hats at unbeleivable prices. Some of them are fake too. But, if you look at these hats closely, you will find that there is no base within the hat. That means, the hat will be uncomfortable when you wear it. A good advice for that could be that better check for the base within the hat, and try it on before you pay. I have seen vendors selling fitted hats just for $11 at flea markets. And, most of these hats are very good quality and people do come back to buy more.

Fitted hats are in fashion for sure. Young people usually dictate fashion. If a person of high recognition is seen wearing a particular style of a fitted hat, most probably, his style will be copied. It is usually a “follow the leader” game. Usually people like buying “flat billed fitted hats”. These kind of hats are usually seen worn by famous rappers. The latest syles include “skulls”, “NY”, “bling bling”, “dollar signs”.

At this point of time, even school students are seen wearing “Fitteds”. I have also seen girls buying “fitteds” for themselves and their boyfriends.

There has been a big influx of fitted hats coming in from China. There is a wide variety of fitted hats which have their origin from China. Usually chineese fitted hats are much cheaper than the hats that are made in U.S.A.

http://www.thefancystuff.com/fitted-caps.htm

In 1898, Johnny Campbell put the “leader” in cheerleading by leading
the first cheer, or chant, at a football game being played at the
University of Minnesota. This caught on as a great way to promote team spirit
and although almost all original cheerleaders were male, females
quickly caught up and passed that coco chanel quotes While still not officially
considered a sport, cheerleaders are still exceptional athletes. In order to
perform their activities, they must be as strong as any football
player, as graceful as any dancer and as flexible as the best gymnasts. They
are athletes by every definition of the word.

Nowhere does this athleticism standout more than in competitive
cheerleading. It can be difficult trying to separate the initiation of
competitive cheerleading from the origin of cheerleading itself. If you think
about the situation for college females at that time there was truly
limited opportunities for them to compete in athletics, so cheering
became a venue in which they could truly compete against one another in a
setting, which included athletic skills (tumbling and gymnastics). It has
just become more prominent and accepted as well as encouraged.

If you or someone you know, has an interest in competitive cheerleading
its fairly easy these days to get information on the subject.
Naturally, the first place to start would be the school being attended. In
addition, a great way to check out possible competitions is through cable
sports channels. Since it has gained so much in popularity, it is shown
on a regular basis through many of the cable TV channels. You may also
want to consider getting in touch with the Collegiate Cheerleading
Championships organization.

If you would like a first hand glimpse at this type of competition
check out The United States All Star Federation (USASF) competitions. This
organization only hosts two competitions a year, The Dance Worlds and
The Cheerleading Worlds. This event also showcases international teams
from all over the world; sponsoring companies allocate substantial
resources to support the coco chanel that participate in the respective Nationals.

Experts tell us that many of our youth are succumbing to a “couch
potato” type lifestyle. Competitive cheerleading has proven to be a healthy
and fun activity. The term healthy referring to both the amount of
exercise involved as well as the importance being able to work as a team.
Both of which are very important life lessons that will help them to
grow and mature.

http://www.thecheerleadingsource.com

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“Wear It’s All About The Attitude”