Golf Around the World

Candid Interview with Stephanie Wei and the LPGA’s Paige Mackenzie … golf lpga pro Stephanie Wei Paige Mackenzie

Do you enjoy crappie fishing? These huge sunfish that reside in freshwater grow to about a foot in length, and 1-2 pounds in weight. Crappies exist in two varieties: black and white. If you enjoy eating lean fish, then the crappie is an ideal fish for you! It is particularly tasty when sauted or broiled. If you want to dine on crappies for breakfast, then consider crappie fishing at night. Here are some tips to make your fishing session successful:

Do You Have a Submersible Light or a Headlamp? When you are thinking about going night fishing, take a look at getting a headlamp or a submersible light. Look for one that can be placed above the fishing line above the bait that you are sending down. A good light can actually trick the fish into believing that it is day time and time to eat!

Look for Shallow Water With a Lot of Cover. Remember that unless you have a special spot in mind, you should look for something very specific. Take some time and look for an area that is near the bank or in the shallows at the dock. Look for places that are no deeper than twenty feet. A dock will let you hang up your light very effectively and it can also help you bring in the plankton, which in turn bring the minnows, which in turn will bring in the crappies that you are looking for. This is an impressively easy way to bring the crappies towards your area and you’ll find that it is very effective as well. Make sure that you don’t underestimate the importance of picking a good spot.

Use a Good Fishing Rod Holder. This is true for fishing at any time of day, but at night, you are going to find that a fishing rod holder is essential. Remember that above all, you do not want to lose the fishing rod that you brought along. Take some time to paint the tip of your fishing rod white. This will let you see when you have a crappie taking the pat.

Use an (electronic) depth finder for deep-water crappie fishing.If you do decide to go deep-water fishing for crappies, then you definitely should use this tool to make your search for crappie more effective. Choosing a quality model can give you a vivid view of the crappie and its surroundings.

Fish Like You Would During the Day. If you have a good headlamp or submersible light, remember that you can just fish for crappie the way that you would during the day. Make sure that you are using a blend of light and dark colored jigs and make sure that you have minnows to use as bait, especially if you see a swarm of them in the water below you. When worst comes to worst, just drop in lines of various depths and see what you can do to to get the crappie that you are looking for; it really is that easy!

Crappie fishing during the day is fun, but crappie fishing at night can be terrific. Use these tips to get a jump on bringing some crappie in for breakfast!

Born in West Baden Springs, Indiana, Larry Joe Bird was raised in the nearby community of French Lick. Even as a youth it was apparent that Bird had an incredible talent of the game of basketball, being the all-time scoring leader at Springs Valley High School. His record in high school won him a basketball scholarship to the University of Indiana.

Bird felt intimidated by the size of the campus and dropped out immediately. After taking a year off, he returned to college at Indiana State and became part of their Sycamore team. As a senior in 1979, he led Indiana to the NCAA Championship, where they faced off against the Magic Johnson-led Michigan State Spartans. Indiana State finished this season with a 33-1 record; while at Indiana State, Bird was the 5th highest scorer in NCAA history with a 30.3 points per game average.

Larry Bird was the number one draft pick of the Boston Celtics in 1979 - he joined the team, earning a then-record of $650,000 annually. He averaged 21.3 points per game with the team and won a NBA Rookie of the Year award. Bird led the Celtics to a 61-21 record and himself to great popularity with Boston’s fans.

The following year, the Celtics relocated to the Robert Parrish Center and took on Kevin McHale. Bird and McHale are considered by many to have been the best frontline in NBA history. In the 1980-1981 season, the Celtics made it to the NBA finals, where they defeated the Houston Rockets six times to take the championship. In the 1980’s, the Celtics made it to nearly every NBA final, often facing off against the Lakers.

Now at master playmaker, Celtic’s coach Bill Fitch gave Larry the nickname “Kodak.” Of this nickname, Fitch explained, “it’s for his ability to picture how a play would unfold. He can turn a play into points.” Bird’s defense was also recognized and one season saw 59 triple-doubles in the regular season and ten more in the playoffs-his tallies for the 1981-82 year would reach the double digits. In the 1982-83 season the Celtics would revamp their team again when KC Jones was announced as coach and guard Dennis Johnson was acquired-this would set the stage for a winning team that would last for several years.

The end of the 1983-84 season brought victory to Bird and his Celtic teammates with a seven-game series and win over the Lakers; they won the seventh game in a close but exciting 111-102 score. Larry averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds during this amazing series and won the coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the NBA’s regular season MVP for the 1983-84 season. A loss to the Lakers in the 1984-85 season still brought Larry the NBA’s MVP award. Fans of basketball everywhere still feel the match-up of Bird versus Magic was and is the best match-up in basketball and the most exciting to watch.

The 1985-86 season also brought the Celtics back to the NBA Finals with a record season of 67-15; they defeated the Houston Rockets in just six games. Bird saw his third championship victory and was named the series MVP with an average of 24 points per game, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. He also won the league’s MVP award, being only the third to do so behind Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. Indeed Larry was becoming a synonym for basketball. Season 1986-87 would see the Celtics champion the Lakers once again, beating them in six games.

However, it was his performance in the 1987-1988 season which would make the name Larry Bird a synonym for basketball. This season saw him earning a 29.9 point per game average with a field goal percentage of .527 and a free throw average of .916. Due to surgery for a bone spur, Bird was sidelined in the following season. He returned for the 1989-1990 season, but Bird knew that it would soon be time to retire. This basket ball legend was part of the 1992 US Olympic basketball “Dream Team”, along with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. Bird holds a career average of 24 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists per game, his 49.6% field goal average and an incredible 88.6% free throw average, a 37.6% three-pointer average and has played in no less than twelve All-Star games. Larry Bird’s name is truly legendary and the man is a living synonym for basketball, holding a special place in the hearts of basketball fans everywhere.

Golf Putting Lesson #8 with Denis Pugh - Putting FAQ’s - Marking the Ball

When you hardly notice the weight in your hands while you are watching some curious little warbler in the brush, you know you have purchased a good pair of binoculars for yourself. With good binoculars you sometimes feel like you are looking with your own eyes only the view is closer, magnified and clear. How big do you want that image to be? Well, that will depend on many things. How heavy will the binoculars be with extra magnification? Can you hold the binoculars steady if they are magnified more than 10 times (10x)? How heavy will the binoculars be with extra magnification?

So tell me, how much of the area can you see around the bird? That is your field of view. Field of view refers to how much you will see through the binoculars in relation to a fixed distance from the object you are observing. It will be helpful to have a wider field of view to be able to find small birds in the brush and across wide expanses of ocean or desert terrain. In addition to weight and magnification and comfort in the field, you want to keep in mind how much you can see. What is the field of view for those binoculars?

Adults would do well to heed in selecting binoculars for their own use, particularly if they have any number of eyesight problems, including uncorrected cataracts and macular degeneration that make using a higher magnification level binocular problematic. You really want steady hands while watching wildlife. It is easy to shake and lose focus with the larger binoculars .You are likely to need a tripod stand for using the heavier binoculars due to the weight of the larger objective lenses.

You will notice a set of numbers that describe the binoculars you are considering. The first number refers to the level of magnification, how much closer will the bird appear to be? 8x means 8 times closer. 10x means 10 times closer and so on. The second number is simply the size of the objective lens in millimeters. So if the lens is 25 mm in diameter, and 10 times closer than the naked eye, the label will read 10×25. The size of the objective lens is directly related to how much light can enter your binoculars to allow you to see clearly.

The very next most important characteristic for me is whether the binoculars are waterproof binoculars and durable and sturdy. Or when they are dropped from the edge of an overlook onto the rocks below? Of course, if you wear your strap around your neck all the time they are less likely to fall, but, just in case, are they sturdy? I have lost a lot of lens covers at overlooks. I also prefer compact binoculars.

The binoculars you buy are intended to enhance your field trips or birding expeditions, so don’t stress out over them. Take your time and read some reviews. Every manufacturer has a website full of detailed information and there are plenty of reviews online for you to compare while you are still looking. Buy the best binoculars that fit you that also fit your budget and you will be a happy birdwatcher and even have some cash in your pocket for lunch, maybe.

I have found Leupold binoculars 10×32 are a nice compromise size for me. They are a little larger than my compact Bushnell Binoculars at 8×25 that I carry with me wherever I go, just in case I see interesting birds, butterflies or flowers in the field. I know I have a fine pair of excellent quality binoculars that are waterproof, fog proof and guaranteed for life.

When you get right down to it. If your binoculars fit you, and you can see clearly with plenty of light and magnification and they are not too heavy to hold, you probably have found the ones you need to buy. Just remember to check the field of vision and depth of field, too, if you are comparing types of binoculars so you get your best view for the best value.

Curiously enough, Kobe Bean Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard is named after the Japanese beef. Along with Shaquille O’Neal, this All-Star player led the Lakers to no less than three consecutive NBA Championships (in 2000, 2001 and 2002).

When Shaq left in 2003, Kobe Bryant became the star of the Lakers, leading the NBA in scoring in 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. Kobe is an 11 time NBA All-Star, 3 time NBA Champion and voted the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2008. This basketball hero won a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics for the US Men’s Basketball team.

Bryant has spent his entire life around the sport; his father was a player for the Philadelphia 76′ers and also coached the Los Angeles Sparks while Kobe was a child. Basketball almost lost Bryant to soccer when the Bryant family moved to Italy and he took an interest in soccer.

When they moved back to the States in 1991, he gained recognition during his high school years with his basketball career. He earned a SAT score of 1080, but decided to go directly into the NBA at the age of 17, having his parent co-sign his contract with the Lakers since he could not sign on his own until he turned 18. He became the youngest player to play and start in an NBA game.

In his first season with the Lakers, Bryant secured a spot in the NBA Rookie all second team and won the 1997 Slam Dunk competition. By 1998, he was already acknowledged as one of the NBA’s best guards; the following year, he became a shooting guard as well and started to be compared to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

Kobe Bryant averaged 30 points per game and posted 40 or more points in nine consecutive games during the 2002-03 season. He was voted to the All0NBA and All Defensive 1st teams for the first time in his career. Before the next season would start, Kobe Bryant went through arrest for sexual assault and his reputation was badly damaged.

His coach complained that Kobe had become uncoachable in the 2003-2004 season. His stock further declined with the failure of the Lakers to make the playoffs, the first time this had happened in more than a decade.

Bryant underperformed in the next two seasons until breaking a franchise record of 81 points (!) in a single game and achieving the second highest career point total in NBA history. In the 2006-2007 season, his jersey became the top selling jersey in both the US and in China. In December 2007 when he was only 29, he became the youngest NBA player to score 20,000 points in his career.

Bryant’s appearance in the 2008 Olympics cemented his status as an international star. It was his first appearance in the Olympic Games, but Bryant was hardly a rookie when he became a gold medalist. Bryant has set and broken several records in his career.

Golf Putting Lesson with Denis Pugh #26 - Putting FAQ’s - Line on the Ball

Trek Madone 4.5 or Specialized Tarmac Comp Compact

If you are currently in the market for a new bike you will want to read this article. If you are a beginner but do not want an entry level bike this article will help you. It may sound dumb for a beginning rider to want a more advanced bike but if you keep riding you will eventually have to upgrade from a an entry level bike anyways. Two very good bikes that are both ridden by top professional race teams in the world are the Trek Madone 4.5 and the Specialized Tarmac Comp Compact. If you are debating between these two bikes or if you are considering either of these bikes then you have taken the first step toward buying a bike that will last you a long time. It may be tough to choose between these two bikes but this article will give you some helpful details.

Madone

First let us look at the Madone. This bike has a frame and carbon forks and aluminum constructed bars. It has a cartridge type bearing with an integrated headset. Most all of the rest of the equipment on this bike come from Bontrager too. The shifters, cranks, brakes, front derailleur and cassette all made by Shimano and the crank is available in either a double or triple model and rear derailleur from Ultegra. Thus is a good compilation of equipment to last you into the future at a great price. The best selling point for this bike is its frame.

Tarmac

Now let us discuss the Tarmac. This bike’s has a triple constructed frame. It has a compact design and the forks, legs and bars are of a full carbon design. This bike has mostly all the same equipment the Trek has but it has an Ultegra rear. The rest comes from Specialized. The Shimano R600 chain set is not as good as the 105. There is only a double option front derailleur with no other.

The Decision

This is a very difficult decision to make between these two bikes. If you want a triple the Trek is your only choice. If a double is what you are looking for the Specialized may be a better choice with the carbon bars. It does not matter which one of these bikes you decide to purchase, either one will be a great choice for anyone, but the Specialized Tarmac Comp Compact may be your best choice.

The Great Bike Riding

The Limited Bike Rides of the Past

For many years ordinary runners were able to join many marathons all over the world and joined some of the largest events known. London, New York, Paris, Madrid and more will among the many cities where these marathons were held for anyone interested in running. Cyclists on the other hand were not eligible for just any bike ride. Some events like Audax or Randonee’s had bicycle touring events but there were a lot of regulations regarding speed etc. that had to be followed or the rider would be disqualified. Things are turning around for the cyclists; however, as there are now more lenient bicycle events available such as Fondo’s, Marcha’s, Sportif’s and many others in locations near where you live.

Although these are not actually “races” per se, the cyclists like to think of them as races. It was not as easy in the past to enter these types of competition and if you did, there was all sorts of red tape that had to be taken care of first. Some of this involved being part of a team, having a racing license, paying an entry fee and hoping to get it in time before the races were filled. Now, because of the popularity of cycling and marathons all over the world, it is much easier to get into the bike ride of your choice without all the additional red tape.

Who Participates in These Bike Rides

Although we think of professional races when we hear Marcha, Fondo or Sportif, they are not all professional races, even though professionals are participating. Today you’ll see professionals as well as very competitive talented amateurs gearing up to ride in these great racing events. The unique thing about these riders is that most of these riders are competing against themselves, the elements; terrain, mountains and what have you. In the end, all that matters to them is how well they did in sticking with it to the end.

Some of the large cycling events get over 4,000 riders all ready to compete and hoping to get a lot more excitement and fun then they have in a typical road race. The Etape, which is run by the Tour de France, has over 8,000 competitors, all with the same hopes and goals. Wherever you would choose to go in the world you’d find some famous race sponsored by a well known organization. Tour de France also sponsors the Legend of the Tour rides, which is one of the most exciting racing events.

What About Cost And Prizes

The cost of these races isn’t as high as you might think. The European races cost around 25 Euros, which is approximately $38 in US currency. However, you get some of this back in a bag of “goodies” you get when you register. This bag may include health snacks, bottles, clothing, drinks, etc.

Prizes, obviously are based on the amount obtained from the entry fee and goes to those that finish in the top. They do give different kinds of other prizes as well so it’s important to bike ride as well as possible and not give up.

Golf lessons with Denis Pugh - Putting FAQ’s - Consistently Short