LSU Tigers 2012 Football Predictions

2011 was a great year for LSU. The Tigers finished the regular season with an undefeated 12-0 run, including impressive wins against then No. 3 Oregon, No. 3 Arkansas, and No. 2 Alabama. They would finish with an impressive 13-0 with a 42-10 thrashing of No. 12 Georgia in the SEC Title Game, setting up the much anticipated rematch with Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game. It ended up being a cakewalk for Alabama though as they just decimated the Tigers 21-0 in their second meeting. LSU was unable to make it past midfield until the 4th quarter and were outgained 384-92 in total yards.

2012 will be another year where heavy expectations are set in Baton Rouge. Les Miles will have 13 starters (7 offense, 6 defense) back from last year squad. While the expectations may be high, there is plenty to be excited about in the new season. Despite the fact that they will have a new quarterback and will have to replace some big names on the defensive side of the ball, this year's team is arguably better or equally just as talented as the team that went 13-1 in 2011.

Nfl 2012

Offense

The Tigers averaged 35.7 points per game behind a powerful rushing attack that averaged 203 ypg on the ground. The running game looks to be the main focus again in 2012, as they are extremely talented at the running back position and are very experienced up front on the offensive line.

What many fail to realize is that the running back corps were all relatively young last year. Their top four rushers were all freshmen and sophomores. They also boast one of the more balanced attacks in the country. Spencer Ware received 2nd-Team All-SEC honors with 707 yards and eight touchdowns and looks to be the starter heading into 2012. Michael Ford (756 yards, seven touchdowns), Alfred Blue (539 yards, seven touchdowns), and Kenny Hilliard (336 yards, eight touchdowns) will look to help out Ware on the backfield.

All of that talent in the backfield will only benefit from one of the top offensive lines in the country. Despite them losing 2nd-Team All-American guard Will Blackwell, they do have some capable starters returning to fill the void in starting tackles Chris Faulk and Alex Hurst, guard Josh Williford and center P.J. Lonergan. They also get back injured starting guard Josh Dworaczyk. Dworaczyk was the projected starter head into last season, but a season-ending injury thwarted that chance last August. Hurst, Faulk, and Williford are each considered to be one of the top 15 players at their respective positions in the country.

The quarterback position is where there will be a huge change on offense. The Tigers lost their quarterback rotation last year in Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson. It seems that junior college transfer Zach Mettenberger is the projected starting quarterback in 2012. But he will face some stiff competition in a couple of highly recruited red-shirt freshmen in Stephen Rivers (brother of NFL QB Phillip Rivers) and Jerrard Randall.

Passing hasn't been a huge emphasis in the Tiger's offense in recent years despite them sporting a strong core of receivers that have come through the program. They lost 1st Team All-SEC wide out Rueben Randle and his team-best 53 catches for 917 yards and eight touchdowns. But they do have two highly recruited receivers in Odell Beckham (41 catches, 475 yards, two touchdowns) and Russell Shepard (14 catches, 190 yards, four touchdowns) coming back. Sophomore Jarvis Landry is also someone who the Tigers are expecting huge things from over the next three seasons.

Defense

Defensively, the Tigers were superb last year. They help opposing offenses to just 11.3 points/game and 262 yards of total offense. They were outstanding in forcing opposing teams into mistakes, as they finished the year +20 in the turnover department. They were able to capitalize on those mistakes and turn them into scores.

LSU has been widely known for producing NFL talent on the defensive line, as they have had at least one defensive lineman selected in each of the last nine drafts. This year, they lost top defensive tackles in the country in Michael Brockers, who was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the first round. But despite that, LSU still figures to be one of the top units in the trenches in 2012. Sam Montgomery and Barkevius Mingo, two of the top defensive end in the SEC, are set to return. Starting defensive tackle Bennie Logan and 1st Team Freshman All-American tackle Anthony Johnson round out the team.

There is also a lot to like in the secondary if you are a LSU fan. While the Tigers lose 1st Team All-American corner Morris Claiborne, starting strong safety Brandon Taylor, and backup corner Ron Brooks. They also return 1st Team All-American corner Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu and one of the elite free safeties in the country in Eric Reed. They also add in one of the top safety prospects in junior Craig Loston to fill the void left by Taylor, and will have another great player at corner in Tharold Simon.

Linebacker is the one spot where the Tigers may have problems defensively. They've lost two starters in Ryan Baker and Stefoin Francois, but returning middle linebacker can help fill the immeasurable void. Juniors Lamin Barrow and Tahj Jones may take over for the vacant spots, however, one or two of the five talented freshmen can swoop in and win the starting spot.

SEC Prediction - 1st SEC West

The Tigers can defend their SEC Title and go back to the Championship Game, but it's not going to be easy. While they get Alabama at home, they have to go and face Auburn, Florida, Texas A&M and Arkansas on the road. Most of their success will hinge on the shoulders of their new starting quarterback. With Alabama losing some very important pieces defensively and their star running back Trent Richardson, and Arkansas having to deal with the loss of head coach Bobby Petrino, it's looking like the Tigers will win the SEC West and finish the year with at least 11 wins.

LSU Tigers 2012 Football Predictions

Jack Jones posts his football picks at Betfirms.com as well as FootballFreePicks.com.

Baltimore Ravens' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

2nd Round (#35) OLB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

2nd Round (#60) OT Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State

Nfl 2012

3rd Round (#84) RB Bernard Pierce, Temple

4th Round (#98) G Gino Gradkowski, Delaware

4th Round (#130) FS Christian Thompson, South Carolina State

5th Round (#169) CB Asa Jackson, Cal-Poly

6th Round (#198) WR Tommy Streeter, Miami

7th Round (#236) DE Deangelo Tyson, Georgia

Analysis of Notable Selections:

Courtney Upshaw: The Ravens were able to add a 4th round draft choice by moving down six spots in a trade with Minnesota. Baltimore then selected Upshaw with the high 2nd round selection. Upshaw's lack of top athleticism did cost him a 1st round selection. However, the former Alabama defender is tough, physical and should fit in well with Baltimore. The team has been searching for an outside linebacker who can rush the quarterback to pair with Terrell Suggs for some time. Jarret Johnson (a better run stuffer than pass rusher) signed with San Diego. Paul Kruger has been average and Sergio Kindle may never recover fully from a fractured skull sustained in 2010. Upshaw plays the run well and with experience can be a decent pass rusher as well. Baltimore had to have been pleased to add Courtney Upshaw to their defense in the 2nd round.

Kelechi Osemele: This is another excellent fit for the Ravens. Ben Grubbs left via free agency for the Saints. Baltimore wants to run the ball with their best offensive player, Ray Rice. Osemele does not have the quickness to play offensive tackle in the NFL. However, his tremendous size and power are what Baltimore is looking for in a guard. Osemele is no Ben Grubbs at this point. He has to improve his technique and play tougher. The Ravens add a guard with excellent potential, but it may take him some time to reach it.

Bernard Pierce: The retirement of Ricky Williams led the Ravens to find a complement to Ray Rice. Pierce is a good-sized back (6' and 220 lbs) who can be a physical runner. His job will be to give Rice a breather. Pierce will have to improve his ball security and earn his coaches' trust. Lamar Miller has a superior burst to Pierce, but Baltimore was looking for a bigger and more physical back. Robert Turbin has a similar skill-set to Pierce. Turbin catches the ball more naturally than Pierce does. The former Utah State back may have been the better selection and Baltimore would not have had to trade up to secure his services. Bernard Pierce was a decent selection, but time will tell whether he or Robert Turbin was the way to go.

2012 NFL Draft Grade: B

Bottom Line: The Ravens added two starters (Courtney Upshaw and Kelechi Osemele) in the near future. The rest of their draft consisted mostly of adding potential backups at running back, offensive line and the secondary. Gino Gradkowski is the most appealing of Baltimore's 3rd day draft choices. The former Delaware offensive lineman played guard and center. His football IQ and dedication give him a chance to develop into a starting center down the road with a lot of work.

Baltimore Ravens' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches and players and mock drafts.

2012 NFL Mock Draft (17-24)

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

With the loss of cornerback Leon Hall to a torn Achilles' tendon, look for the Cincinnati Bengals to use one of their picks to address the hole left in the secondary. They added Jason Allen and brought back Adam "Pacman" Jones, but they still need to add more depth in the draft. With two first-round picks in the draft, the Bengals have the luxury of picking Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick, who would've landed much higher in the draft if it weren't for his questionable behaviour. Kirkpatrick certainly has the potential to be something great, as he has the size at 6'2" to match up against big receivers and the speed to keep from getting burnt deep. Despite a few character concerns, he is definitely worth the Bengals taking a risk on, and not waiting to see if he will fall to them at No. 21.

Nfl 2012

18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois

Another team that is in desperate need of improving their pass rush is the San Diego Chargers. The big reason they struggled against the pass last year was because of their inability to put pressure on the quarterback. Larry English was supposed to be their guy, but it's becoming more and more apparent that he will never turn into the player they were hoping him to be. Whitney Mercilus was the most productive pass rusher in college football last year, and he might just be San Diego's answer if he is still on the board. Mercilus has the uncanny ability to get to the quarterback and force turnovers, and that is definitely something NFL teams are looking for. He led the nation with 16 sacks and nine forced fumbles last year.

19. Chicago Bears: Cordy Glenn, OT/G, Georgia

By trading for Pro Bowl wideout Brandon Marshall, the Chicago Bears has finally took care of their biggest need. They can now use their first-round pick to further bolster their already-improving offensive line. It seems as though Chicago is going after Georgia's Cordy Glenn, and if he is still available, could form a solid combo alongside offensive tackle Gabe Carimi. Despite starting at left tackle for Georgia, he could very well be moved to guard in the NFL. He can certainly shine at guard in the NFL, especially being a powerful run-blocker. They could go for someone like Stanford's Jonathan Martin, should they be interested in adding a tackle. The main thing here is that the Bears should be addressing the offensive line with this pick.

20. Tennessee Titans: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

The Tennessee Titans have pretty much covered all their biggest needs this offseason, and will now look into boosting their secondary after watching Cortland Finnegan leave for the Rams. Despite having a disappointing season last year, Stephon Gilmore is making a lot of noise on the draft boards. He certainly has the ability and the potential to be a star in the NFL and if he is available, Tennessee will be more than happy to draft him with its pick. Not only is Gilmore capable of making plays on the ball, he is also extremely strong against the run.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Once the Bengals have selected Kirkpatrick with their first pick in the first round, it seems as though their next pick would be a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. They have lucked into acquiring an elite wideout in A.J. Green, but could use an upgrade at the No. 2 spot. He didn't show much at the combine, but Baylor's Kendall Wright certainly has the skills to burn defenses deep. Wright could force defenses to keep a guy over the top, allowing more room for the rest of the receivers to work in the middle of the field. Another reason why the Bengals will end up picking this guy is that he would be a major upgrade in the return game for Cincinnati.

22. Cleveland Browns: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

After taking receiver Justin Blackmon with their first pick in the draft, the Cleveland Browns now have another shot at improving their offense. Quarterback Colt McCoy needs to be better protected than he was last year so that his potential can be fully achieved in Cleveland. The biggest need for the Browns is to find a replacement at right tackle, and Stanford's Jonathan Martin definitely fits that bill. Martin is a dominant run blocker, but he still has a ways to go in pass protection. That makes him a perfect fit at right tackle early in his career and he will most definitely be the guy the Browns target with this pick.

23. Detroit Lions: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

In order for the Detroit Lions to take that next step and contend for the NFC North title, they need to improve their secondary. They need help at both corner and safety. They could take a gamble on oft-maligned player Janoris Jenkins out of North Alabama, but I believe that the organization has enough troubled pieces in the locker room. The best fit for Detroit is Alabama safety Mark Barron. The draft class is incredibly thin at safety, so the Lions must use this pick if they want to upgrade at safety. Barron has incredible instincts and is really strong and powerful when he tackles. He would make opposing wideouts think twice about going across the middle and he would help tremendously against the run.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

The Pittsburgh Steelers could definitely go a number of ways with this pick. They could use the pick on the offensive line, corner or nose tackle, but I believe that they will not pass up the opportunity to grab Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower. The Steelers just seem to have the knack of grooming players on the defensive front seven, and Hightower is one of those players whom they love to go after. He is phenomenal against the run and can put pressure on the quarterback in passing situations. The situation fits perfectly for Hightower, since the Steelers just let go of inside linebacker James Farrior, so they need him to fill a void for them.

2012 NFL Mock Draft (17-24)

Beat the NFL odds this year when you sign up for the NFL picks offered by handicapper Jack Jones.

Character Development: Questions for Creating Character Facts and Personalities

An author who wants to create a realistic character needs to know everything possible about that character, not only to keep the facts straight, but also to understand that character's motivations. While critics often differentiate between a plot-driven and a character-driven story, a writer who does his or her work well will find that the character's motivations will drive the plot, and understanding the character's past is the key to understanding his or her motivations for the present and the future. Asking the character a series of questions not only helps to create a realistic character, but often the oddest or seemingly most random questions will result in new information about the character that can help a writer to overcome writer's block.

Creating a character questionnaire for each major character can lead to richer fiction and greater focus. Following are some sample questions to ask your character. Envision the character sitting in the room with you and telling you about him- or herself. Then fill in the answers to the questions as they are provided. Depending on your character, you might find many other questions to ask that will provide you with an additional understanding of the character and more material for your story.

Super Bowl 2012

FACTS:

1. What is your full name?
2. How did your parents decide on your name?
3. How tall are you?
4. What color is your hair?
5. What color are your eyes?
6. How much do you weigh?
7. What is your birthday (month, date, and year)? (Note: It's important to pinpoint this date so you can figure out details about the character's past and how old he or she would have been during certain events. It might be a good idea to create a character timeline.)
8. What is your father's name?
9. What is your mother's name?
10. What are your grandparents' names?
11. Do you have any siblings? What are their names, birthdates, and birth order?
12. Where were you born?
13. Where were your parents born?
14. Where were your grandparents' born?
15. Where do you live now?
16. Do you have any medical problems, diseases, injuries?
17. Do you have any distinguishing marks on your body (a mole, a birthmark, a missing finger, a tattoo, etc.)?
18. What religion are you, and why?
19. What is your annual income?
20. How much money do you have saved?
21. What kind of house/apartment do you live in?
22. What kind of car do you own?
23. Do you have any pets?
24. When will you be able to retire?
25. Are you married? If so, what is your spouse's name?

(Note: You can make a new character sheet for the spouse if the person is significant and ask that character all of these questions as well. Depending on the main characters in your story, you might also do the same for the parents, grandparents, siblings, children, etc. It might be interesting to ask your characters to describe a specific event that happened to the family to see how they might all describe and respond to it differently).

HISTORY:

1. Where did you go to school?
2. How many times have you moved in your life?
3. When did you move to where you live now?
4. Did you attend college, trade school, etc. and where?
5. What did you study in school?
6. When you were a child, what did you dream of being when you grew up?
7. What jobs have you held and what years? (What does your resume look like?)
8. What is the first historical event you remember? (The Great Depression, Kennedy's assassination, the moon landing, September 11^th)?
9. How did you feel/react to (Princess Diana's death, Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, the Columbine shooting, Michael Jackson's death, the O.J. Simpson Trial, Betty White's 90^th birthday, the Fall of the Berlin Wall, The Super Bowl in 1989, 2004, 2012, etc.)?
10. Who did you vote for in the (1960, 1972, 1980, 1992, 2008) presidential election?
11. What places have you visited on vacation?
12. Have you visited any interesting places for work?
13. Who was your best friend as a child?
14. Who was your best friend in high school?
15. Who was your best friend in college?
16. Who is your best friend now?
17. Who are all of the people whom you have dated?
18. Why did your relationship with each person you dated not work out?
19. What is the worst thing that ever happened to you?
20. What is the best thing that ever happened to you?
21. Who was your fourth grade teacher and what influence did he/she have on you?
22. Who did you take to the prom in high school?
23. What groups, organizations did you belong to in high school, or what sports did you play?
24. How did you meet your current significant other?
25. Who important to you has died in your life and how did you cope with their deaths?

PERSONALITY:

1. What is your favorite color?
2. What is your favorite place to vacation and why?
3. What is your favorite book?
4. Who is your favorite actor?
5. Who is an actor you can't stand?
6. What is your favorite movie?
7. Which movies do you absolutely hate?
8. What is your favorite TV show?
9. What is your favorite food(s)?
10. What is your favorite restaurant?
11. What most annoys you about (your mom, dad, brother, sister, wife, son, daughter, best friend, boss, co-worker)?
12. How often do you exercise? What are your exercise goals?
13. Which of your buttons does your mother (sister, brother, son, wife, girlfriend, etc.) like to push that sets you off?
14. Do you believe it's okay to tell a lie and under what circumstances?
15. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
16. What things might you be asked to do that you hate doing but do anyway (attend birthday parties, weddings, do chores for your elderly aunt, etc.)?
17. Have you ever been arrested and why?
18. Who would you lay down your life for?
19. Who would you really like to tell off?
20. What are your spending habits?
21. Do you enjoy hot weather, or do you prefer colder temperatures?
22. What kind of relationship do you have with God?
23. If you could describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?
24. If your (best friend, wife, daughter, boss, neighbor etc.) were to describe you in one sentence, what do you think he/she would say?
25. What do you think is the meaning of life?

Hopefully, those are enough questions to get you a start in developing your character. Some of them may be irrelevant, but I suspect a lot of them will trigger more ideas and questions for you to ask.

It's important to spend some time getting to know your character. Hang out with him or her. Envision the person riding in the car with you, spending time with you, going to dinner with you. After all, you might be spending the next several months or years writing about this person, so you want to get to know him or her as well as you can. I find that asking questions and letting the characters answer in their own voices can take a story to new and exciting places and make both the characters and the plot richer as a result. Don't be shy. Ask your characters these probing questions and you'll discover enough about them to fill many books.

Character Development: Questions for Creating Character Facts and Personalities

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.

2012 Michigan State Spartans Football Predictions

Michigan has been a powerhouse these past two seasons. It earned a share of the Big Ten title in 2010 finishing the year at 11-2, and won the Legends division last year, finishing 11-3.

Michigan State's success has them among elite company, as are one of just seven BCS schools to have won at least 11 games over the past two seasons. The string of 11-win seasons could very well come to an end in 2012 as they must replace a plethora of offensive stars.

Nfl 2012

Offense

Without a doubt, the loss of quarterback Kirk Cousins will sting as the Spartans will miss his play and leadership abilities. He led Michigan State to rank second in the Big Ten in passing offense last season.

Junior Andrew Maxwell is expected to take over under center, but he won't have the same proven playmakers to throw to that Cousins had last season. Wide receivers B.J. Cunningham, Keshawn Martin and running back Edwin Baker have all moved on the NFL.

Junior running back Le'Veon Bell is the team's top returning receiver. He hauled in 35 passes for 267 yards last year. He also rushed for 948 yards and 13 scores.

Bell has the opportunity to really show his skill this season with four returning starters on the offensive line. However, Maxwell will need to be able to stretch the field in order to keep defenses from loading the box in an attempt to slow down Bell.

Defense

The Spartans are so good defensively that they will have an opportunity to contend for a second-straight Legends division title.

Michigan State welcomes back eight starters from a unit that led the Big Ten in total defense, run defense, sacks and interceptions.

The defense is led by menacing end William Gholston, who plays the run as well as the pass and imposes his will against opposing offenses.

The Spartans are stacked at linebacker with anchors Denicos Allen and Max Bullough. Allen is the team's primary line of defense against the quarterback, having recorded 11 sacks in 2011. Bullogh is the team's top returning tackler, having recorded 89 stops last year.

The secondary looks to be strong as well with corners Johnny Adams and Darqueze Dennard and safety Isaiah Lewis showing potential this spring. Lewis is a big time hitter who also picked off four passes a year ago.

Big Ten Legends Prediction: 3rd Place

The defense will carry this team once again as their offense takes a considerable hit heading into 2012. With their suspect offense, it just seems unlikely for them to get another Legends title. They get a difficult stretch in the new season which will make or break their bid to repeat as division champs as they face Michigan and Wisconsin on the road. They'll also face a Nebraska team at home that defeated them 24-3 last year.

2012 Michigan State Spartans Football Predictions

Jack Jones posts his football picks at Betfirms.com as well as FootballFreePicks.com.

Youth Football Is Under Attack, How to Defend Our Game

Defending Our Game

If you haven't been camping out under a rock for the last few months, you know our game is under attack. The game we love and devote so much time to in order that our sons and players can gain the life lessons most of us learned from the game, is being viciously assaulted on many fronts. Some are calling for an out right ban on youth football due to the concussion issue or not allowing kids to play until age 13. One of the major problems in today's society is that perception is reality and that perception is shaped by those who are yelling the loudest and the most often.

Nfl 2012

In all fairness, there are football people who did offer up some kindling to get this firestorm started. The NFL and it's "Bountygate" scandal didn't do the game any favors. While the youth game isn't the NFL, many soccer moms think that youth football is a microcosm of the NFL and what happens in little Johnny's league is just a mini version of what happens in the NFL. We also had some youth coaches who didn't understand how to teach safe blocking and tackling or how to recognize concussions. While those coaches are rare today, their legacy lives on. And like it or not, soccer moms make a lot of decisions on whether little Johnny is allowed to play youth football or not.

As most of you are well aware, Bountygate is the least of our worries. The concussion issue is what is dominating the airwaves these days. Concussion diagnosis and prevention has been a point of emphasis for the last 2-3 years. More fuel to that fire was added when Hall of Fame player Junior Seau died of an apparent suicide last week. Speculation was that his depression and subsequent suicide was caused by concussion issues. The Seau suicide was a tragedy, by all accounts Junior was a solid citizen. However there is no evidence that concussions played a role in his death or even that suicide rates are higher among NFL players than the general population. It should be noted that Samoans have one of, if not the highest suicide rate in the world and the US has a very high suicide rate compared to other developed nations.

Another interesting scientifically verified statistic is that former NFL players live much longer than the general population. Did you have any idea that was a verified truth? Many would have you believe that all these former NFL players break down and die prematurely in their 50's. Well that isn't the case at all, they are OUTLIVING the general population. A study was commissioned by the players union to study this very topic.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh), began it's data collection in 1990 and released its findings in January, 2012. They studied 3,439 players who were in the N.F.L. for five seasons or more. They found a lower death rate among former N.F.L. players than among men in the general population - the institute had expected to find that 625 members of the group it studied would be dead based on estimates from the general population, but instead found that 334 of the retired players had died. Yes, those alive were almost DOUBLE the number compared to the general population. These numbers are amazing considering the number of 300 lb plus players and African-American players who are in the NFL, since these groups typically have much higher early mortality rates than the general population. So the next time someone spouts off that National Enquirer like "stat" that NFL players are all dying prematurely in their 50's, please set them straight with the facts.

When it comes to youth football, again it's an entirely different game. We don't have 300 lb players who can run 4.8 40 yard dashes and who can bench press 225 lbs 35 times. Statistics say that 70% of youth players won't play High School football, let alone be part of the 2-3% that go on to play College Football or be one of the 1 in 20,000- 30,000 to go on to play in the NFL. The NFL is the cream of the cream of the cream of the crop, genetic freaks who have honed their bodies into athletic machines capable of inflicting significant hits to one another. But the NFL players abilities have very little correlation to what the average 10 year old can do with his body and in turn to other players.

Mayo Clinic Study

In fact the Mayo Clinic did a study of 913 youth football players on 42 different teams age 9-13. Back in 1997 they found that "most injuries that occurred were mild and that youth football injuries were uncommon." According to Mayo Clinic spokesman Michael J. Stuart M.D the findings showed that "the risk of injury in youth football does not appear greater than the risk associated with other recreational or competitive sports." Most of the injuries were mild and the most common type was a contusion, which occurred in 33 players. Four injuries (fractures involving the ankle growth plate) were such that they prevented players from No player required hospitalization or surgery. Again scientific fact flies in the face of those who would want you to believe that you are somehow an irresponsible Neanderthal parent if you want your son to play youth football.

Most of us coach youth football because the game did something for us and we want to pass that same thing onto others. We want kids to experience being part of a team, teamwork, perseverance, selflessness, goal setting, commitment, hard work, making friends, being coachable, delayed gratification, humility, grace, overcoming obstacles, competition, having fun and much more. There are people out there who for whatever reason either don't understand what youth football is about, had a bad experience from a "bad apple" program or coach or simply oppose kids learning and embracing some of those traditional character traits listed above. Don't let the haters and naysayers dominate the "debate." Know the facts and Share the data so people can make legitimate and honest decisions about their child's involvement in youth football. An additional footnote, I've coached youth football for over 25 years and not a single one of my players have ever been diagnosed with a concussion from anything they did on the football field.

Youth Football Is Under Attack, How to Defend Our Game

Dave Cisar-
Dave is a Nike "Coach of the Year" Designate and speaks nationwide at Coaches Clinics. His book "Winning Youth Football a Step by Step Plan" was endorsed by Tom Osborne and Dave Rimington. His personal teams using this system to date and has a 132-18 record in 5 Different Leagues.

To Sign up for his free tips and drills newsletter or to view 500 free youth football coaching tips go to: Football Plays

3 Critical Strategies Every Home Based Business Owner Must Use (100% Free)

Are you starting a home based business, but not sure which strategies are a "must" and which ones are simply icing on the cake? Do you find yourself overwhelmed with options, and opinions and aren't sure which areas to implement right away? The good news is, if you are just starting a home based business in 2012, I can honestly say that there has never been a better or more existing time to launch a small startup than right NOW. (and on a bootstrap budget to boot!)

I'm going to give you 3 very simple recommendations on what I would do first.....and simultaneously, I'm going to also tell you what I'd avoid doing as well. (especially considering these are the most common mistakes MOST professionals make when migrating online, or starting something new from scratch as well)

Super Bowl 2012

1 - You MUST have a blog.

But, you've also got to be willing to update your blog often if it's going to be an asset for your business, and NOT an eyesore. There is nothing more off putting for me, as a potential client, than seeing a company blog that hasn't been updated in 3 or 4 months......or super sporadic posting across an extended period of time. The good news? You can literally update your blog with good resources in your area of expertise WITHOUT really having to do much writing at all. Simply find information that meets the needs of your potential readers, write a short excerpt, and then link to the source of the content and you're GOOD to go! Not only will this give you the appearance of "authority" very quickly, the search engines love this sort of liberal linking strategy as well. (I call this the "Google loves sites that love other sites" strategy!)

2 - You need a Facebook Page

Facebook is literally changing the landscape for doing business.....PERIOD. Don't let anyone tell you they're not, either. Did you know that 50% of the advertisers in the 2012 Super Bowl used their Facebook page as the destination page for the ad? That is an unbelievably powerful statistic, made more eye opening by virtue of it being done by biggest brands in the world as well. The truth is, social media content, especially Facebook is so incredibly easy to share and spread, that businesses that aren't reaping the beautiful benefits of viral marketing are losing out in a major league way.

3 - Classified Ad Sites

This is a bit more optional than the 2 above, but you can literally build your entire business on the back of sites like Craigslist, and leverage the many, many millions of readers they get each day. I placed an ad last weekend for a marketing related function and literally got 100 visitors to my site in less than 4 hours, of which 30 signed up to learn more. It took me all of 7 minutes to create the ad and post it, and I can republish it every 3 days simply by pushing a button and hitting renew. Very powerful, and I've worked with clients who have built 6 figure incomes from Craiglist in a matter of 12 months or less.

Remember...

You don't need to spend "big" money on a blog or a Facebook page to have tremendous success. You are FAR better off using a "free" blog than a fancy pants web design, and investing your time, effort and money in creating killer content your readers (and potential clients) will love!

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