10-breakout-players-fantasy-football

For the most part, few rookies make much of an impact in fantasy football even in normal seasons. This is no normal NFL season due to the NFL lockout. So, with one exception, ignore rookies when drafting your fantasy football team in 2011. Here are ten NFL who I believe will become fantasy football studs in 2011.

10. Emmanuel Sanders WR, Pittsburgh
Forget Sanders' meager stats from 2010, the Steelers' young receiver was playing more and more toward the end of the 2010 season. With Hines Ward seemingly in the NFL since the leather helmet days, look for Sanders to catch a lot of passes in 2011 with opposing defenses focusing on Mike Wallace.

9. Sam Bradford QB, St. Louis
What, a #1 NFL draft pick on a breakout list? Yeah, that's right. If you took Bradford in a fantasy draft in 2010, you are either a diehard Rams fan or a fantasy football novice. Rookie QBs seldom make any impact on fantasy leagues in their first year. Bradford is a rookie no more. With some injured WRs back this season and a couple of new targets, look for Bradford to take a big step up in fantasy football.

8. Matt Stafford QB, Detroit
The only question about Stafford is can he play 16 games without an injury? Stafford took big strides in 2010 when healthy and with a much improved team around him, Matthew Stafford is a legitimate starting QB in fantasy football leagues.

7. Jacoby Ford WR, Oakland
One of the fastest players in the NFL, Ford as a rookie last season showed he was not just a sprinter as he showed ability to make tough catches and fight for the football. With former 1st round pick Darius Heyward-Bey still seeming lost much of the time and the Raiders having few options for the long passes preferred by Al Davis, Ford could make a move in 2011.

6. Mark Ingram RB, New Orleans
The one exception to the no rookie rule in fantasy football 2011 is this guy. Playing in a pro like atmosphere at Alabama under Nick Saban and being the son of a former NFL player by the same name has prepared Ingram much moreso than your typical rookie. The Saints, in spite of their passing prowess, get more rushing touchdowns than most teams in the NFL with Pierre Thomas formerly benefitting the most. Now it's Ingram's turn.

5.Jimmy Graham TE, New Orleans
Jeremy Shockey is gone, Lance Moore has a bad groin, and Robert Meacham is inconsistent. Look for Graham to benefit the most in the Saints pass-happy scheme.

4. Jerome Simpson WR, Cincinnati
With divas T.O. and Ochocinco departed, this guy will benefit the most. Simpson had a big game or two late in the 2010 season. However, the Bengal QB situation keeps Simpson from being ranked higher with Carson Palmer retired, at least for now and possibly a rookie under center for the guys in the (appropriate) stripes.

3. Beanie Wells RB, Arizona
Beanie has been kind of a weenie thus far in his NFL career. However, the team evidently feels this will be a breakout season for Wells with the trade of Tim Hightower (more on him later). Wells has been impressive in the preseason and finally appears to be ready to put up good fantasy numbers on a consistent basis. Especially if QB Kevin Kolb performs as expected.

2. Felix Jones RB, Dallas
Ever since high school, Felix Jones has been second fiddle to another back. Sharing the backfield with Darren McFadden at Arkansas and Marion Barber in Dallas along with injuries at the pro level have limited Jones' production. Jones appears to be in the best shape of his career, has had an excellent preseason and the team is confident enough in Jones to release Barber. Don't look for Felix Jones to take a backseat to anyone in the Dallas backfield in 2011.

1.Tim Hightower RB, Washington
The Shanahan zone blocking, one cut and go system has made fantasy football stars out of guys like Mike Anderson, not to mention Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis and others. Mike Anderson is the one most comparable to Hightower. Anderson put up huge fantasy numbers in Denver as a late round draft pick who started out at fullback. Hightower has apparently won the starting RB job in DC.

10-best-mexican-boxers-last

The history of prominent Mexican boxing champions is rich and storied. In Mexico it's hardly enough to be a great professional boxer, you must fight with the right style, showing the correct measures of ferocity and aggression in order to be heralded as a great. Over the last 20 years the lighter weight classes, typically below welterweight or 147 pounds, have been filled with Mexican champions. Here's a look at the 10 best Mexican boxers of the last 20 years.
1. Julio Cesar Chavez - 107 (86) - 6 - 2 - Even though the majority of his biggest accomplishments occurred more than 20 years ago, J.C. must still top this list of the best Mexican boxers in recent memory. He won the WBC super featherweight title and defended it nine times, then won the WBC lightweight title and eventually the WBC and IBF junior welterweight titles. Along the way he toppled Meldrick Taylor, ruining his career in the process, along with holding wins over Edwin Rosario, Jose Luis Ramirez, Roger Mayweather and a slew of other top fighters. In his first 98 professional fights, he officially lost only once, although an unfathomable draw with Pernell Whitaker and a retroactively corrected blemish from his early days occurred along the way.

2. Ricardo Lopez - 51 (38) - 0 - 1 - The rare fighter who was able to retire undefeated, Lopez is occasionally overlooked because of his tenure in the extremely light weight divisions, from 105 to 108 pounds. He made 22 successful defenses of his minimum weight title belt before capturing a second crown at junior flyweight.

3. Oscar De La Hoya - 39 (30) - 6 - Ostensibly a six division champion, the Golden Boy was dominant from the lightweight to welterweight classes as he progressed in his prime. His career best win however came at junior middleweight, knocking out mouthy challenger Fernando Vargas. His resume includes what should be a win over Felix Trinidad and wins over Ike Quartey, Genaro Hernandez and aged versions of Pernell Whitaker and Julio Cesar Chavez.

4. Erik Morales - 48 (34) - 6 - El Terible lost five of his last six professional fights, diminishing the gleam of his once stellar 47-1 record. However his accomplishments cannot be hidden, including nine successful defenses of his super bantamweight title, including wins over Marco Antonio Barrera, Junior Jones and Wayne McCullough; a 6-1 record in featherweight title fights besting Kevin Kelley and In-Jin Chi; a title in his third weight class at super featherweight and a last hurrah win against Manny Pacquiao. Along the way he epitomized the Mexican warrior mentality, engaging in epic battles including trilogies with Barrera and Pacquiao.

5. Marco Antonio Barrera - 65 (43) - 7 - Barrera had a 14-3 record in super bantamweight title fights, including wins over Kennedy McKinney and Agapito Sanchez. After losing twice to Junior Jones, he retuned his game and went on to capture titles in two more weight classes, beating Prince Naseem Hamed and winning his trilogy against Erik Morales. While he holds the 1-on-1 edge against Morales, Morales arguably accomplished more against other top competition while suffering fewer setbacks in his prime.

6. Juan Manuel Marquez - 50 (37) - 4 - 1 *Still active - Before his career is over he could easily skyrocket past the two names above him, his more famous contemporaries that never met him in his prime. Not gaining momentum until relatively late in his career, Marquez has wins over Derrick Gainer, Juan Diaz and the past-due remnants of Marcio Antonio Barrera and Joel Casamayor. Most fans believe he has at least one win against Manny Pacquiao.

7. Michael Carbajal - 49 (33) - 4 - Carbajal was a champion for the better part of a decade in the junior flyweight division. He won his first world title in 1990 and his last fight was a title winning effort against Jorge Arce in the same division in 1999. Along the way he piled up a 15-3 record in title fights.

8. Israel Vazquez - 43 (31) - 4 *Still active - El Magnifico is the fighter you can never count out of a fight. He won a trilogy with Oscar Larios and narrowly edged out Rafael Marquez in their trilogy, one of the best in boxing history, adding to the lore of all-Mexican trilogies such as Morales-Barrera. With an 8-2 record in title fights, he also came from behind to stop Jhonny Gonzalez.

9. Rafael Marquez - 38 (34) - 5 - Marquez lost the trilogy with Vazquez, but it wasn't by much and he was the naturally smaller man against the career super bantamweight. Marquez was a dominant bantamweight champion, beating Mark Johnson twice then winning his title from Tim Austin and defending it successfully seven times prior to the Vazquez bouts.

10. Jose Luis Castillo - 58 (50) - 9 - 1 *Still active - Toiling away for years as Chavez's chief sparring partner, Castillo eventually got his own shot in the lightweight division his mentor had once ruled. After besting Steve Johnston for a lightweight strap, then drawing with him, Castillo defended his title against Cesar Bazan. He lost to Floyd Mayweather twice, although most feel he won the first contest, then regained a lightweight title and beat Juan Lazcano, Joel Casamayor and Julio Diaz before engaging in his Fight of the Century with Diego Corrales. Since, he has struggled to grab a foothold in the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions.

That does it for this list of the 10 best Mexican boxers of the last 20 years, there are certainly plenty more greats in the pipeline, ready to make their own mark. It was hard enough to make this list of the best Mexican boxers as is, when you consider that fighters like Fernando Vargas didn't make the cut.

7-tips-winning-singing-contest

Practice exactly the way you will do it for real each and every time.
1. Hold a microphone, (or hairbrush if you don't have a microphone), so it will be a natural transition for the real deal. Try to find out ahead of time if they will be using a wireless microphone, one with a cable, and if you have a choice to use a microphone stand or not. If given the choice, DO NOT use a microphone stand. Be sure to check for an on/off switch the moment you get the microphone and be sure it's on. Always familiarize yourself with the equipment you use. Don't assume they turned it on before handing it to you.

2. Pick three locations on the wall in front of where you will be practicing. Shift your focus to a different spot at different parts of the song while you sing. Try to memorize the order so it is natural. This will make it look like you are focusing on the entire crowd when in reality; you are oblivious to them being there at all. Pick a simple pattern such as left, right, center, and repeat.

3. Practice spoken parts such as introductions and answers to questions while holding a microphone. Example- "Hello Missouri! Thanks so much for all of your support today." Never admit you are nervous in words or action. If asked if you are nervous, reply "These are the most supportive people I've ever seen…I feel right at home." Keep answers short and direct to avoid rambling. Prepare something to say to fill the awkward gap of song introductions.

4. Expect distractions such as Sound or Lighting problems, a noisy audience, and worse. A strong vocalist always takes the lead. When using a live back-up band, the band follows you…not the other way around. Be assertive in every part you sing and they will be able to "lock on" to you a lot better. If using background tracks, be sure to edit (or have edited) your music so it is the correct length and by all means, have a spare ready in case something happens to your primary copy.

5. Dress accordingly. Remember, the audience and judges are probably going to be eye-level with your feet so match socks and shine shoes.

6. Stage-fright or nervousness is most often the result of poor preparation. Eliminate as much of the fear-of-the-unknown as possible by choosing music that fits you. For those that suffer from stage-fright on a regular basis, Psychology 101 suggests wearing a rubber-band around your wrist. When you feel nervous, snap the band slightly. This jars your mind back to focus. After a few times, just think about snapping the rubber band when you're nervous and eventually, wean off of wearing the band at all and just go through the process mentally.

7. Singing is only part of the performance. The performance is not over until after the final judging. Be outwardly supportive of other contestants. You should be "on" from the moment you leave your car in the parking lot to the moment you get back in after the contest. Remember, you can drive up the originality points by doing your own material when allowed.

Many of these things seem like common sense after you think about it. But next time you watch a contest, watch how many of these tips are missing from the majority of contestants. Don't be one of them. Every bit of your preparation will be rewarded in kind.

5-nba-free-agents-signed

There has been a few players that have been traded this offseason. But there are a few players that are not stars but still can be helpful to a team. Mo Williams, Gary Neal, and DeJuan Blair are three players that are still free agents. They are not guys that will have people talking like the Dwight Howard trade but they are three players that can still help a team.

• Mo Williams is a guy that can play both point guard and shooting guard. Williams played for the Utah Jaz z last season. He is only 6'1 but still can play. He is a guard that is good on offense. Last season, Mo Williams averaged nice numbers. He averaged 12.9 points per game, 6.2 assists per game, and shot .882% in free throws. Mo Williams is a guy that can start as a guard or be a backup for a starter. Either way, he is a guy that can score and help a team.

• The second player is Gary Neal. Neal played for the San Antonio Spurs for the last three seasons. Although he is not an amazing scorer, he is a decent shooter. In the Finals last season, Neal made some big time three point shots. He averaged 9.5 points per game last season so not great but still okay. He is not great but still can be a back up guard on a team that needs one.

• The last one may be a bit of a surprise but it is DeJuan Blair from the San Antonio Spurs. His minutes from last season went down to 14.0 minutes per game when he played 21.3 minutes per game the season before. Blair is a guy that does not have big games or a lot of big moments but he still produces what a power forward should do. He only averaged 5.4 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game. Blair is capable of doing more like he did in past seasons. In past seasons, Blair has showed that he can be a good back up power forward. He can rebound, play defense, and has good shooting percentage.

• These are three players that a lot of teams are trying to get but they are players that can be a good back up player or possibly start. They are players that may not have big moments but can help a team in a few ways.

5 mistakes that football fantasy owners make

Football season is back and that means fantasy owners from all over the world will be chomping at the bit to draft and manage the "perfect" fantasy team. However, many of these owners will make the same critical mistakes that are made year in and year out when it comes to drafting. Avoiding a few simple but fatal mistakes could make the difference in the length of your fantasy season. Here are 5 mistakes that fantasy owners make:

1. Priority drafting last year's top running back.

 Every year a new RB bursts on to the scene with a 1500+ year. And, every year it's not the one from the previous year. Take last year for example. How many owners took Adrian Peterson or Michael Turner first in their drafts? Answer: Most. No one thought that unknown sensation Chris Johnson would have the season he had. Or that Maurice Jones-Drew would be #2. Not only that but teams nowadays are more and more likely to use 2 or even 3 running backs in their lineups. Pick Advice: Frank Gore; or go for a tandem like Marion Barber and Felix Jones.

2. Undervaluing the QB. This is not 1995 when 4000 passing yards was rare. 

The NFL is now a pass happy league and teams are using multiple running backs. I won my league 3 years ago with Clinton Portis as my RB. Oh, and I had Tom Brady and Terrell Owens. Pick Advice: Manning and Brady are obvious but think of QBs who will pass a lot this season like Carson Palmer or Phillip Rivers.

3. Over-thinking the Bye Week. Just pick. Don't let the bye week make you overthink.

 Most owners get themselves into roster problems when they look too much at the bye week. Sure it affects some more than others. There are 32 starting QBs. Last year I had Payton Manning and Kurt Warner. The bye week didn't affect me at all. Advice: Pick 2 starters and keep them!

4. Not doing Your Homework. Just like the real draft, owners have to do some homework

 We all know that Ben Rothlisberger is suspended for the first 6 weeks. But it's good to know who else may be. Advice: Join a league like Yahoo! that makes it easy to keep up with NFL player news.

5. Drafting the entire offense of your favorite team.

This is by far the most common mistake made by fantasy newcomers. It's easy to get caught up in having all of your favorite players on your favorite team on your fantasy roster. But what do you do when the bye week comes? Remember, fantasy football requires team objectivity. Advice: If you're myopic when it comes to fanship then don't own a team!

4-easy-tips-for-running-beginners

Running, for beginners especially, is one of the most enjoyable habits one can acquire. It's a great workout for both the lungs and the heart and is one of the most affordable physical activities you can do in order to lose weight. Before starting a running habit, it's suggested you learn some basic information about running that can help you achieve the full potential of your workout and keep you away from injuries.

Here are some tips you should know to get started with your running routine.

1. Think Of Your Running Outfit.

 Before you start, you need to pick light and comfortable clothing as well as a descent pair of running shoes. What should you be wearing before you get yourself out and running? Know your size well. If you're in doubt, ask your friends' suggestion on shoes and clothing. Your outfit, specifically designed for running, will help you avoid further injuries. Your running shoes would help absorb the pressure you put on your joints and finding the perfect pair can really come in handy. You can replace your shoes after a year or two, depending on how many miles you do in a month.

2. Warm Ups and Cool Downs. 

Always do warm ups before starting your workout and cool down at the end of it. Warm-ups are essential in running especially for beginners. A good warm-up gives your muscles enough supply of oxygen which makes them more flexible and efficient. Warming up helps minimize stress and injury when you run. Cooling down will also benefit the same sets of muscles as they have been stressed out when you ran. Giving them the rest they deserve is just fair enough. This is one of the most neglected elements of running though.

3. Look ahead! 

Your eyes should be always focused on the ground 10 to 20 feet ahead. Staring at your feet is not a proper running habit. Looking ahead keeps your focus and can clear you from any forthcoming danger. When you're running on roads and highways, be at the road side where you'd be doing a counter flow. It's easier to keep track of what's coming in front of you rather than running along with the vehicles' natural flow. Keeping your shoulders relaxed will give you that natural sway in each stride. Lean slight forward but keep your body upright.

4. Follow a program.

Do your routine continuously. You will get all the benefits of running if you continuously endeavor with this physical activity even once or twice a week. Increase it accordingly as you learn the tricks in running.

If you're running as a beginner, listen to your own system. Follow your own pace and increase personal challenges naturally. Running for beginners may require a different set of discipline compared to intermediate or advanced runners but all the same, each day is a learning day. Focus on these 4 easy tips and you'll one day hurdle the beginners' stage.