Super Bowl - Did You Know

The ultimate achievement of any NFL team is reaching the Superbowl - held traditionally on a Sunday which has become known as Super Bowl Sunday. It has become one of the most viewed television events of the year with viewers tuning in from al over the world to see two of the years best teams battle it out for the championship and be awarded with the golden Super Bowl trophy (The Vince Lombardi Trophy). With the number of viewers tuning in for this across the US it has also become the second highest food consumption day in America after Thanks Giving.

The first championship game of this style was the AFL-NFL World Championship Game, played on 15th January 1967 prior to the NFL being formed of the two leagues. Since then it has gone on to become known worldwide as the Super Bowl. The trophy took it´s name from the Green Bay Packer´s coach who won the first two of the Super Bowls and then a further 3 from the preceding five.

Super Bowl 2012

As for the TV coverage of the Super Bowl, so far it has been spread across ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC with CBS set to cover the 2010 Superbowl at the end of the next season. The coverage generally includes the half time entertainment which has included many stars through the years including the controversial appearance of Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson in the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show.

The Super Bowls halftime entertainment show has also included Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones and Prince amongst a huge range of others, but this provides you a guide as to how the Super Bowl is so highly rated and has been since it commenced back in the 1960´s.

The Super Bowl is played at a neutral venue each year, with the three leading arenas being New Orleans, Louisiana, The Greater Miami Area, and then the Greater Los Angeles area. Miami is set to host the 2010 Superbowl which will then make it the arena to have hosted the Super Bowl the most times, a total of 10.

Prior to the Super Bowl fans go crazy for apparel, gifts and memorabilia which can now be purchased all year round from QuarterbackFan, they provide official merchandise from an undisputable retailer at great prices and have something for everyone whether your team, or loved ones team makes the next Super Bowl, or appeared in the previous Super Bowl.

Super Bowl - Did You Know

As much as the Super Bowl is the highlight of the NFL season, QuarterbackFan should be the highlight of any NFL fans shopping adventure, and being able to do it from the comfort of your own home and online makes it swift, and easy to find the ideal gift or present whether it be for yourself, a friend or a loved one - Love the NFL, love QuarterbackFan [http://www.quarterbackfan.com]

Jobs in Indianapolis

For those seeking employment as well as a reasonable cost of living, searching for potential jobs in Indianapolis should be at the top of the list. Home prices are very inexpensive and there are plenty of activities to suit nearly any individual or family. Spacious homes can be purchased for as little as 4,000, far less than many other parts of the country. On sunny, warm days, many people like to walk on the Monon trail (open to bicyclists, joggers and even those walking their dogs) or check out the Indianapolis Museum of Art. But it is the large number of employment opportunities which causes people to seek out jobs in Indianapolis,probably after hearing about the benefits of the city and potential employers.

What about employers in Indianapolis? Eli Lilly is world famous in the pharmaceutical industry and consistently wins awards for having an employee friendly work atmosphere as well as attractive benefits packages. Jobs in Indianapolis for those working at Eli Lilly include careers in engineering, finance, human resources, medical research, marketing and sales. Pay is extremely competitive with similar jobs around the country and retirement packages are also very appealing. The company attracts thousands of potential employees each year looking for excellent jobs in Indianapolis.

Super Bowl 2012

The city is also a central area for those seeking working in the trucking industry when checking out jobs in Indianapolis. There are well over 340 trucking companies listed in Indianapolis. As might be expected, truckers need supplies so there are many companies which also sell trucking supplies and need employees in this area as well. Plenty of truckers' families live in Indianapolis and love the city.

Indianapolis also is a great place to live and work for sports fans, partially because of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and its world famous annual race. Indianapolis is also home to the Indianapolis Colts, a team which has won the Super Bowl Championship in recent years. There are plenty of youth sports, including soccer, football,baseball and swimming offered through local schools, athletic centers and private teams.

With so much to see and do, it is no surprise that many looking for jobs in Indianapolis is of interest to those who love sports. The Speedway is also a major employer and job seekers should check out employment possibilities there. Plenty of buzz and excitement is building for the 2012 Super Bowl hosted by Indianapolis.

Those seeking environmentally friendly jobs should be pleased to learn that new opportunities abound in Indianapolis, especially since the city received a million dollar grant to make companies and residences more energy efficient. The money will be spent on new jobs for those skilled in anything that helps businesses and homes save energy, from solar panels to companies built with the latest energy saving technology.

The city has also received more that 2 million to make specific neighborhoods more energy efficient. Older homes will receive retrofits to help them save energy while newer homes will be built using special eco-friendly materials and the latest technology to reduce energy use. The millions spent to fund these projects will also open up tremendous opportunities for those seeking jobs in Indianapolis. Workers will have the added reward of knowing that their efforts could save as much as 0 million in energy costs.

Low cost of living, excellent arts, sports and cultural centers and plenty of employment opportunities should make jobs in Indianapolis worth seeking. Those who move to the city will also find that long time residents in Indianapolis are friendly and welcoming and that this city is known for its Hoosier hospitality.

Jobs in Indianapolis

For more information on Jobs in Indianapolis

The Madden Curse

In the year 2000, the Madden video game franchise underwent an important change that has been talked about in the sports world. The idea to put a football player on the cover of the bestselling sports video game franchise seemed like a good idea initially but has led to numerous injuries, retirements, and drops in statistics the season an athlete graces the cover.

In 2000, the Electronic Arts franchise chose Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders grace its video game cover. Before the game was released, Sanders would retire from the NFL and the team he had played for his entire career, the Detroit Lions. The Madden franchise had enough time to substitute out Sanders from the cover and replace his image with Green Bay Packers Dorsey Levens. Levens would experience a mediocre season playing for the 8-8 Packers and would retire the year after he graced the cover.

Nfl 2012

Levens and Sanders would represent the first players involved with the Madden cover who would retire shortly after. Marshall Faulk, who graced the cover in 2003, experienced a decrease in statistics and retired in 2005. Brett Favre was the most recent athlete to have a "Madden Curse" involving retirement. Similarly to the initial cover of Barry Sanders, the game replaced Brett Favre on the cover of the game with a new player. The difference on this 2009 cover was the fact that Favre was replaced by himself in a new uniform. Favre had retired in the offseason and was being honored by the Madden franchise with a cover spot in his Green Bay Packers uniform. The new game featured Favre in a New York Jets jersey.

Several football players have experienced strong declines in statistics the year they are on the cover of the Madden video games. Sports writers and analysts have argued that while this is considered part of the Madden Curse, it should be expected since the players who grace the cover are experiencing career years and are likely due for a decline the following year. Eddie George, Daunte Culpepper, and Shaun Alexander all saw their statistics decline the year they were on the cover and were never able to recover.

Injuries suffered by Daunte Culpepper, Michael Vick, Ray Lewis, Donovan McNabb, and Troy Polamalu were experienced during the season they were on their respective covers. The biggest impact of the Madden Curse is the injury bug that seems to plague the athletes on it. These athletes received boost in pride and popularity with the cover of video games but suffered injuries which cost them part or all of a season in the National Football League.

For the 2011 season fans got to choose the cover athlete for the first time. A vote came down to Philadelphia Eagle Michael Vick and Cleveland Brown Peyton Hillis. Peyton Hillis won the contest and was featured on the newest version of the video game. Time will tell if Hillis can avoid an injury or statistic downturn during the 2011-2012 NFL season.

The Madden Curse

View NFL Lines on the next player to be victim to the Madden curse! Also NFL Point Spread odds available on upcoming games.

Market Mechanics

Cycles have been repeating from the beginning of time. The use of our clock is a cycle. There are sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour, two twelve hour cycles or twenty four hours in a day. The ancients used the moon cycle which is a twenty nine day cycle. The four seasons are a cycle of roughly ninety days for each cycle or season. Cycles are endless and the ancients seem to have been most fascinated with time and cycles of time. This was their clock. The ancient Egyptians, Mayans, Greeks and countless other civilizations based everything that they did on cycles to keep track of time. They used the cycles for the planting of food, harvesting, and even reproduction. Since we know cycles repeat, do they effect the markets, or even sports? Perhaps they do.

Lets first examine the 17 year cycle (cicada cycle). In 1991, the United States of America was in a recession. The recession occurred after a long bull market run that started in 1982 and lasted 7 years until 1989. The president at the time was George H.W. Bush. The United States had just entered a Gulf War which was against Iraq. The NFL New York Giants football team won the Super bowl against the Buffalo Bills that were located in the north east part of the United States. 17 years later in 2008 the President is George W. Bush, the United States is fighting another war in the Gulf against Iraq. The NFL New York Giants win the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots(NE Patriots are located in the north east of the United States). Perhaps this is just a coincidence or maybe there is something more to the cycles.

Nfl 2012

In 1907 the stock market had a one year crash that was very similar to what we are seeing today. Please note that this is 100 years. The stock market peaked in October of 2007. We have now approached the one year anniversary from that 2007 high. In 1907 and 1908 the Chicago Cubs baseball team made the playoffs in consecutive years. The Chicago Cubs repeated that feat in 2007 and 2008 by making the playoffs in consecutive years, exactly 100 years later. The irony of the story is that a cub is is a baby bear. This market is a bear market. In 1907 it was JP Morgan who came to the rescue and in 2008, exactly 100 years later it is JP Morgan Chase who is again coming to the rescue.

The Mayan civilization used a very advanced calender and cycle system. As most of us now know the 2012 cycle is when all the Mayan cycles converge. This event signals the end of an age and a beginning of the next age. However, there is one cycle that stands out to me. It is called the 'Mayan long count'. This is a 52 year cycle that ends naturally in December 2012 with the rest of the Mayan cycles. If we subtract 52 years from 2012 we get 1960. This was a pivotal time in the U.S. If we subtract 104 (2*52) from 2012 we get 1908. As we all know this bear market is very similar to the 1907 stock market crash which ended in 1908. You can draw your own conclusions.

The last cycle that I will examine is the 10 year cycle. Ten is known as a perfect number, hence perfect 10. Therefore, I personally watch the 10 year cycle and multiples of ten. In the year 2000, major stock indexes began a new bear market. 2010 will be the 10 year anniversary from the 2000 bear market. The market also sold off in 1910 . This is also 100 years from 2010. Many times market tops are formed in the ninth, and zero, years of decades. For example 1929, 1910, 1920, 1980, 1990, and 2000 just to name a few. Realizing how important the 10 year cycle is I decided to multiply it to the Mayan 52 year cycle(10*52=520) and we get 520 years. The next Mayan 52 year cycle is completed in 2012. Therefore, if we subtract 520 from 2012(2012-520=1492) we get the year 1492. This is certainly a pivotal time in history as this was when Columbus discovered America.

Whats the conclusion? This is a severe bear market without question. Short term traders appear to be the only people benefiting from the volatile market. This type of environment should last for several years to come. If you are going to invest or trade it is imperative to know and understand the mechanics of the market and not the Wall Street Hype. Cycles are apparently one of the more important ways to understand when the major trends are about to change. Perhaps cycles can even predict who is going to win the next Super Bowl.

Market Mechanics

http://www.inthemoneystocks.com -- The Leader In Market Technical Guidance.

Taxing the Middle Class Family Barely Getting by to Pay People Who Won't Work - Won't Work

Many people are buying into this class warfare nonsense being purported by various podium pushing politicians coming up for reelection. The reality is; it's all nonsense, even if we tax the 1% up to 100% of their earnings, it would not be enough to make up for the budget deficit which the Obama Administration has proposed for 2012. In fact, it wouldn't even be close, it would literally be a drop in the bucket. Taxing the rich isn't the answer, but these politicians have a sneaky plan B. That is to tax the middle class more by getting rid of tax incentives, deductions, and even raising their taxes.

This thought that we can raise taxes for those making over 0,000 a year, and that that will somehow balance our budget is also baloney. The concept of only taxing millionaires at a higher percentage rate isn't going to do it either. Lastly, taxing the middle class family which is barely getting by to help pay people who don't want to work, is a bad plan, it won't work, it can't work, the numbers are not there. I can recall when President Obama was elected, a football player in the NFL said; "Socialism is great, it's when everyone is rich, not just the wealthy."

Nfl 2012

Actually, socialism is when everyone is poor, except for a very few who are in cahoots with the leadership. Socialism keeps people down, capitalism pushes people up, especially those who are willing to work and perform. You can't get rich in a capitalistic society without creating productivity; either through your own laborers, or those who work for you. Those who work hard make more money, and those who organize those who work harder and spend more time doing that are also rewarded greatly. In doing so they provide jobs, abundance, and basically everything you see everywhere you go in our society and civilization.

Am I making a political statement that the Obama Administration's plans for America are horse crap? Well, I guess if that shoe fits they are welcome to wear it. It's not my fault they made those policies, or are attempting to control the production, labor, and capital in our free-market system, they have made those policies of their own choosing, based on their own political ideology. It's not my fault of socialism doesn't work, and has never worked in any country long-term in the history of humanity. I have nothing to do with that, I'm just stating the facts, don't shoot the messenger.

America needs to get back to doing what we do best. This sidetrack foray of wadding in the waters of socialism is liable to drown the next generation of Americans in a sea of economic stagnation. That in my humble opinion is the wrong direction, and continuation of such policies is unbecoming of such a great nation. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Taxing the Middle Class Family Barely Getting by to Pay People Who Won't Work - Won't Work

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Design Wins!

In the late 1990s, there was a collegiate football team with a losing record, low stadium attendance, and a dismal recruiting program. Two years ago, that same team, the Oregon Ducks, played for the National Championship and appeared in the Rose Bowl this past season. The natural question that follows is how? The answer may come as a surprise. The catalyst for this newfound success was not a new game changing coach or athletic director, but design.

Phil Knight, the co-founder and chairman of Nike, graduated from the University of Oregon in 1959 and today his net worth is estimated at over billion. In 1996, he wanted to help his Alma Mater's struggling football team and he asked the Nike staff, "How can we make teenagers who are good at football want to come to the University of Oregon?" Since then, he has spent more than 0 million on stadium additions, luxury boxes and new locker rooms.

Nfl 2012

More noteworthy than the stadium additions and locker room renovations, is what the team at Nike has done with the uniforms. Nike's designers were given free rein to do whatever they could dream up, and they dreamed big. They designed dark green uniforms with a modern wing design on the jerseys. The paint for the dark green helmets were even made from glass beads and costs ,400 a gallon. When the players enter the field, they look more like an army of futuristic soldiers than a football team. All in all, there are over 500 different possible combinations of uniforms that the team can wear. Too bad there are only 12 games in a season. Michael Smith wrote in the SportsBusiness Journal that this was part of "Nike's 15-year project to build Oregon football into a national power largely on the strength of marketing and branding."

After several years, it is clear that marketing and branding worked. Oregon is now recruiting players from all across the country due to the fact that teenagers want to come wear these amazing uniforms. I don't blame them! I've never played a down of organized football in my life and I want to wear those uniforms. Two seasons ago Oregon played in the National Championship game and this past season won the Pac 12 and beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

The investment is paying off for Nike as well. Thanks to the on the field Oregon showroom, college football programs all over the country are coming to Nike to rejuvenate their uniform designs so they can be cool like Oregon. Nike also takes their first shot at NFL uniforms this 2012 season.

In terms of your brand, take a lesson from Oregon and Nike. If your brand is struggling to attract consumers, take a look at your current brand design. Is it intriguing, unique, and for lack of a better world, "cool" or is it stale and bland? In today's world, consumers not only demand a quality product and attentive service, but great design as well. As Oregon's turn around has taught us, design, simply put, wins.

Design Wins!

About the author:
Craig Johnson is the chief strategist and co-founder of Matchstic, a premier branding agency. Matchstic helps organizations create passionate brands that are memorable, relevant, and lasting. Specializing in brand development through strategy, positioning, business & product naming, identity and brand audit services, Matchstic's brand architects forge positive change and accomplish business objectives through creative thinking and smart design.

NFL Playoff Winners 2012

The opening weekend of the NFL playoffs brought only one surprise! The Denver Broncos upset the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers! The other 3 games on wildcard weekend came as no surprise as the Giants manhandled the Falcons, the Saints kept their offensive train rolling, and the Houston Texans won their first playoff game in franchise history!

The first weekend, while only one of the games was competitive, it still was a fun weekend and a great warmup for divisional weekend! In the next several paragraphs, I will forecast the rest of the NFL playoffs through the Super Bowl.

Nfl 2012

In the AFC, the #1 seed, New England Patriots, will face the upstart and surprising Denver Broncos. The Broncos have been a great story and Tim Tebow is exciting to watch and incredibly popular. He deserves all the attention as he took his Broncos from the dull environment created by his predecessor and has inspired his team to play at a higher level and pull out wins when all seems lost. He has improved as the season has progressed. He now scrambles and keeps his eyes down-field, and is slowly becoming more accurate. His confidence will continue to grow as he firmly takes control of the starting job for the future. He will have a full off-season to prepare and will surely improve as he moves into next season! Now for the reality check! The Broncos are facing the suspect defense of the Patriots, but they are also facing one of the best offenses in the game, and Tom Brady will torch the Broncos secondary and the Patriots will put an end to Tebow roll to the Super Bowl! I do not expect this to be close. The Broncos have to put pressure on Brady, and the two Tight Ends will have big days. The New England Patriots will advance to the AFC Championship game!

In the other AFC divisional game, the Baltimore Ravens will host the Houston Texans. The Texans have grown up this year. They won the division for the first time. They made the playoffs for the first time. They won a playoff game for the first time, and now they will bow out of the race against the Ravens. The Ravens are a bit of a mystery themselves! They play great at home, and have lost to some mediocre opponents on the road. Joe Flacco is a good QB and despite all the unwarranted bashing he has taken, he will play well in this game. The running back match-up is outstanding. Arian Foster and Ray Rice will both have good games, but the difference in this one will be Joe Flacco versus Taylor Yates, and although Yates has been impressive for a young rookie, Flacco prevails and the Ravens advance to the AFC Championship.

In the NFC, we have two good match-ups on Divisional weekend. Green Bay Packers hosting the NY Giants, and San Francisco 49ers hosting the Saints.

The Packers are obviously on a roll and Aaron Rodgers is playing as well as anybody in the history of his position. He is an incredible athlete with a quick release, great scrambling ability, a strong arm, and accurate. What more do you need? Maybe just receivers, blocking, running game, game plan and special teams. The good news for all of the die-hard Packer fans out there is, the Pack has all of that. The only suspect part of this team is the defense. The defense has struggled at times this season and will have their hands full with Peyton's little brother. The Giants have found themselves over the past several weeks, and will play hard and likely keep this game close. Eli has been phenomenal in the 4th quarter this year, and if his defense can pressure Rodgers enough, or get some hits, they may have a chance to pull it out at the end. That being said, it will not be enough and the Packers will advance to the NFC Championship. A very nice run by the Giants and Tom Coughlin comes to an end. This Giants team is not on par with the 2007 team. It is nice to draw some parallels, but that is all, just nice.

Out west, the Niners will host the Saints. Are you kidding? The Niners are in the playoffs! The Niners are the #2 seed and although they played in a suspect division, they are for real. Alex Smith has played well this season and has improved as the season has progressed. Drew Brees is incredible! How can the Niners compete? How can the Niners slow down the Who Da Saints? The Niners do have a great defense! They do have possibly the best middle linebacker in the game, and possibly the defensive rookie of the year. Is this the defense that can slow down the machine that is the Saints? It is possible. The problem for the Saints is they are not playing indoors. They are playing outside on grass, and if it were me, I would induce rain and slow down the track, and slow down the Saints. The Niners have a great defense and a solid offense. The only worry for me is the red zone offense. They kick far too many field goals, and that will not cut it against the Saints. If the Niners can be efficient in the Red Zone, they may take out the Saints. If they are kicking field goals, the Saints advance, and that is what I am predicting to be the outcome. Saints win a good game and advance to face the Packers in the NFC Championship.

On Championship weekend, we will have two great rematches. The Saints and Packers opened the season on Thursday Night, and the Ravens beat the Patriots in New England two years ago in the playoffs.

We will begin with the AFC. Ray Rice is outstanding! Joe Flacco can definitely play! The Ravens defense is always good and can pressure any QB. The Patriots have no defense. They can't stop the pass and can't pressure the QB. They allow opposing teams to go up and down the field with big plays. How can they beat any good teams! Everything looks like it is stacking up to be a Ravens victory and the Ravens go to the Super Bowl! However, come closer my friend. Look, over here, at the Ravens on the road! They were an impeccable 8-0 at home this season, but a mediocre 4-4 on the road. Yeah, but they play in a tough division, and they play a tough schedule. Yeah, but they lost to some powerhouse teams on the road, right? Let's have a look. they lost to Tennessee on their first road trip, but that's okay. They hammered the Rams which looked really good at the time, but the Rams were terrible this year, so that doesn't matter. They lost to Jacksonville, then beat Pittsburgh. How do you lose to the Jags and then beat the Steelers? They then lost to the Seahawks, from the weak NFC West. They did beat Cleveland, but who doesn't? They lost again, to the Chargers by 20 points! They then rolled to the playoffs by beating the Bengals, but I am not putting much stock in that win. The Bengals couldn't stay within 3 touchdowns of the Texans! The Bengals are a nice story, but not really that good, and with a rookie QB. Tom Brady is not a rookie and the Ravens are not very good on the road. The Patriots defense will have it's hands full with Rice and Flacco, but they will exact revenge for their embarrassing loss two years ago and will advance to the Super Bowl!

In the NFC, the Saints and Packers will square off. Two incredible offenses in what should be a fantastic shootout! The Saints are another team that sometimes is not as good on the road, and if the Packers get to this game, what will the temperature be? 15 - 25 degrees? This should be a cold game and that will not make the Saints happy. The Saints are a fun team and they are definitely a great team, but if the weather is cold, they will struggle. They struggle on grass anyway. They will definitely struggle on Tundra! I do love Darren Sproles, and the Saints will be looking to exact their own revenge, but the weather and the Packers will be too much. Aaron Rodgers doesn't care if it is cold, and the Packers love it! The Saints will say they love it, but let's face it. They are an indoor team that struggles on natural grass and if they are lucky enough to get by the Niners on natural grass, they will not do it two weeks in a row. The Packers will prevail and advance to the Super Bowl!

So, the Super Bowl is now set! The New England Patriots will face the Green Bay Packers in what should be an incredibly exciting game with two of the best offenses in the league and two of the worst defenses in the league. Who said defense wins championships? Not this year. I will not venture to truly believe that I will be right, so I will not bother to predict the outcome of the Super Bowl. I will wait until after the Championship games have been played. I will remind everyone if I am right, but will be back in late January to give a full write-up of the Super Bowl match-up!

Enjoy the playoffs everyone!

NFL Playoff Winners 2012

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