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Ten NCAA men’s basketball championships (including 7 consecutively), 16 Final Four appearances, 88 consecutive victories and Thirty-eight straight tournaments. Those are all records which will possibly not be broken and all of those records belong to UCLA basketball squads led by John Wooden. If that is insufficient evidence to tell you of Wooden’s legendary reputation, then how about the point that he’s among only three people to be elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. There’s really no doubt that Wooden was ahead of the game. But what was it, exactly, that made him considered one of sports very best stories of success?

In 1948, Wooden accepted the unfilled coaching position at UCLA. At the time Wooden accepted the coaching job in California, UCLA had not had much previous success. Actually, they were thought of as one of the the weakest teams within the Pacific Conference. Many felt the addition of Wooden would have no affect on the team. Nevertheless, they were quickly proved wrong. In Wooden’s first year as coach, UCLA went 22-7. The year after, the Bruins put together a 24-7 record and earned the conference title.

They’d continue on to win the title again in 1952, 1956, 1962 and 1963. However, it was not until 1964, almost 16 years after Wooden was hired, that the Bruins would win their first title. Not only did they win the title, but they managed it in perfect fashion, winning all the games they took part in that year. The Wooden-led Bruins would win the title again in 1965.

From 1967 to 1973, the Bruins amassed 7 NCAA basketball title banners for their stadium’s rafters. No team before, or after, the UCLA Bruins of the late 1960′s and early 1970′s has ever been capable of matching such a historical run of prominence. The fact is, you will be hard-pressed to uncover any team, from any sport, to match the success that the Bruins had during their run.

1974 was the 1st year in seven seasons that the Bruins did not win a title. Nonetheless, between the ’73 and ’74 season, UCLA established an NCAA record by winning Eighty-eight straight games.

In 1975, in Wooden’s last year, the Bruins yet again went back to the national spotlight and seized their last title in the Wooden era. At the end of his career, John Wooden had accumulated 885 wins and produced an .813 winning percentage.

Wooden never spoke with his teams about winning or losing. Rather, he only spoke on trying to win. He was not as interested in the result of the games he coached, as he was with the way his players managed themselves. All Wooden wanted from his players, was that they give the team their very best. With 10 championships over a 12-year time frame, I’d have to say that that philosophy paid off pretty well.

To study about the life and principles of a man who was so respectful but still found a lot success was amazingly motivating to me. Wooden had such a significant affect on his players and on individuals around him. It’s interesting, because, while I have never been in John Wooden’s presence, you can feel what those who did encounter him must have felt, by simply reading through some of his work. Regardless of the praise he gets from past players and rival coaches, it’s made obviously clear in his writing that he was a man of incredible ethics. Clearly, there is a lot about achieving success that can be learned from the legendary coach.

The legend of a coach, nicknamed “The Wizard of Westwood” was perhaps one of the greatest coaches in all of sports. His style of leadership is still being emulated today. For additional reading on John Wooden and his life, follow the link to continue reading on.

Notice those basketball starts dunking on the television shows? Wish to be one of them? Well, I will tell you this, it truly is actaully really hard; however, I will tell you this, it’s totally possible if you have the right exercise program and you train very hard.

Let me start off by asking you this question: how many people play basketball, and how many of them can dunk? Precisely what makes dunknig a basketball so great is that while there are many people who play basketball all the time, there are not that many individuals who are capable to totally dunk a basketball.

Picture girls watching as you play and all the sudden you steal that basketball and go all the way to the end and slam dunk that basketball. The girls are undoubtedly going to scream for that.

At this point, one are probably very fired up about learning how to dunk a basketball. To master how to dunk, you first need to be tall. Yes, you’ll need to be tall enough to dunk. Do not be disappointed if you are not tall enough. Although it’s kinda unfair that you cannot control your height because it’s based on your genetics, there’s another factor that can help you dunk that basketball. That is, an insanely high vertical jump. Look at Nate Robinson, who’s only 5’9″, yet he is capable of do all those fancy crazy dunks, and I think he won a dunk competition, too. Yes, enven if you are not tall enough you can still dunk a basketball, if you have a incredibly high vertical jump.

How is he able to do it? Well, he has a ridiculous vertical jump. How ridiculous? A 43.5 inch vertical jump! Not fascinated enough. Look at Kadour Ziani, who is only 5’10″ and has a vertical jump of 60 inches!!

It seems like if you wish to dunk that basketball and are not very tall, you need to have a extremely high vertical jump. Height cannot be controlled because it is genetics, but vertical jump can be trained and improved.

The average person probably has 20 inches. A 5’9″ person needs around 35 inches of vertical to dunk. A 15 inches gain in vertical jump is quite possible. If you do the physics, it will require your legs to produce about 1.5 times the current energy. Just look at how much a normal person can bench press, say 100 pounds. Can he bench press 150 pounds after training? Certainly. Same thing for your legs. After training your legs are definitely more than capable of producing 1.5 times the power. that will put an average person who has 20 inches vertical jump at 35 inches, which will make him a basketball dunker.

Wanna learn more about how to dunk and adding a few inches to your vertical jump? Visit Kevin Levin’s site at howtodunk.info

The rewards of sporting lightweight running shoes are many and complex. First of all when running a contest of any distance a weight difference of only a few ounces can make you run significantly faster. For regular weekly running a lighter shoe is unmistakably going to make things quite easier. Without a doubt, there are downsides to putting on super lightweight shoes that I’ll discuss, but over all lightweight running shoes are great!

In racing, any minimal asset you can get over your fellow players will be a benefit. Regardless of whether it’s a charity run, a road race, or a track meet, the weight of your shoes will be a factor in how your finishing time. A lightweight shoe will keep your legs fresh and will make the run seem easier by making your feet feel light as a feather. Switching to a lightweight running shoe is one of the best ways to shed time off your best race times.

During your weekly, non-race, runs, a lightweight shoe can be good. Imagine your toughest weekly workout. It’s definitely a speed activity of some kind, maybe mile repeats? Yep, now think about that exercise with lighter shoes. You’ll be running quicker and easier than you can imagine with a fresh pair of lightweight running shoes.

Most of the really lightweight running shoes don’t support your feet too well. So, if your feet tend to over or under pronate, you’ll need to ensure you’re still wearing a shoe that will furnish some amounts of support. The worst thing that could happen is getting hurt because of the fact that you put on the incorrect shoe.

Want to know what I think? Get a perfect set of running shoes specific to the sort of races you participate in. You’ll most likely want spikes of some kind for a track meet, while a wide range of shoes are available for longer road races. For your long distance development runs, you’ll want to be sure you’ve bought a good combo of ample support without adding a lot of extra weight. Your speed workouts?. You may want to buy some super-lightweight training shoes specifically for that purpose, or you could just wear your regular trainers. It’s 100% your choice.

Running is an excellent sport, and to make the most of it you need lightweight running shoes, read more at http://runningshoestuff.posterous.com/

Beginners find that sports photography MD can be a challenge because the photo subjects are moving fast and making quick actions. Learn how to take the best athletic event photos and avoid the flat or blurry results that plague even the most experienced photo taker. Follow these tips for better action shots.

Understand how to capture shots in the right timing by practicing because practice makes perfect. Get in a good location for the action shots because the right angle and distance can make a big difference. Do not settle for the common view find a unique spot to take photos no one else will take. The photographer who is familiar with the sport will have a good sense of where the most interesting action takes place.

The photographer who is familiar with the sport will know not only where the best action will occur but when the best action will occur. Timing is everything when it comes to action photos. Take a lot of photos and keep taking shots continually.

Some knowledgeable photographers use the fast shooting setting so that they could get that one special photo opportunity out of the many they are taking in a given time period. Use the slow shutter setting in order to create the best action shots. The slow shutter speed will display the most action and energy in the photos.

Make sure to include shots of the audience in the sports photos. Audience excitement adds to the drama of the sport and makes the photos more interesting. The sight of a cheering fan or a fan’s frown can be a winning moment in a photo archive.

Do not rely on the flash device for two reasons. First, most officials do not allow photographers to use a flash because the light can distract the players. Second, the flash will slow down the camera which could result in a lost moment that could be the play of the day.

Sports photography novices will discover that taking photos at an athletic event can be a challenge. However, with some practice a novice will become an exceptional photographer. Find the best location from which to take shots and know where the action will happen and when the best plays will occur. Take as many photos as possible and utilize a fast shooting setting so as to capture the special shots of the day. Do take photos of the audience because the audience adds excitement and drama to the event. And, remember to leave the flash at home because the flash will slow up the camera.

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The Truth About Quickness Insider’s System is the brain child of two speed training consultants: Alex Maroko and Kelly Baggett.

Alex is a younger instructor who is also creator of the Effective Ball Handling Program. Kelly is somewhat of a legend within the sports coaching community, also, his most well-known masterpiece is the Vertical Jump Bible.

Kelly is extremely educated and experienced in relation to speed training, however he’s not that good at communicating his thoughts. Alex makes up for his deficiency of expertise with excellent communication skills. Together, they provide an awesome coaching program.

I am not saying that Kelly cannot communicate or that Alex doesn’t know speed training. In actual fact, they each do that better than ninety nine percent of the trainers out there. What I am saying is that what one is missing, the other one makes up, and then some.

The Truth About Quickness program is really simple to understand and easy to follow. It also helps that the workouts are actually short, and you’ll literally finish every workout in about 10 minutes. You additionally get videos of all the workout routines so you know exactly the way to perform them, and the charts allow you to maintain track of your workouts.

The only liability that I might uncover with the program was that the video quality appeared low. It was shot in a rugged gym, which looks like it has been used by lots of athletes. Nonetheless, simply because the movies were not taken in High quality does not do anything to lessen from the fact that the Truth About Quickness is a superb speed coaching course.

Listed here are three of my favorite basketball training workout routines for blazing on-court speed:

1. Low, On-Off Box Jumps

To do this exercise, find a low step or box about 2-6 inches in height. Then, stand before the box, and jump on and then off the box as easily and rapidly as possible. Do that for 2-4 sets of 10 repetitions (hopping on top of the box and then off of it is counted as one rep).

2. Lateral Line Hops

To do this training, draw a straight line on the ground or apply a piece of adhesive tape. Next, stand at one side of the line and jump horizontally forwards and backwards across the line. Do the hops as quickly as you can. If you’d like extra bounce in your movement, jump a bit higher above the line and concentrate more on rhythm and smoothness than just speed. Do that for 2-3 sets of 20 repetitions (1 jump over the line is counted as one rep).

3. Pogo Jumps

To accomplish this exercise, you need to leap as high as you possibly can, however focus on getting all your jumps out of your plantar flexors (ankles). To do that, maintain your knees and hips almost locked, and just use your ankles to propel yourself into the air. Really concentrate on bouncing off the ground, and decrease your ground contact time. Do this for 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps.

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Veteran point guard Jason Williams”nicknamed White Chocolate earlier in his career for his flamboyant play”is returning to the NBA after a season away from basketball. Williams announced that hes re-entering the league this season, and will do so in an Orlando Magic uniform. Williams is tentatively slated to be the backup for starting playmaker Jameer Nelson.

Williams signed a one year NBA contract to play for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2008, but walked away from it without playing a game. At the time, his wife was facing some complications during her pregnancy with their third child and Williams wanted to be able to spend time with her and his family. His attempt to be reinstated late in the season was rebuffed by the NBA, and he ended up sitting out the entire campaign.

When the Clippers relinquished their rights to Williams earlier this summer, he became an unrestricted free agent. Magic General Manager Otis Smith provided these comments on the signing:

“Jason provides depth and leadership to our backcourt. He is a veteran point guard that knows what it takes to help us reach our ultimate goal.”

When asked to reflect on his NBA and college career”marked by several suspensions and countless other controversies”Williams sounded a philosophical tone:

“Let me tell you this: If I could go all the way back [to the beginning], I wouldn’t do a damn thing different. I know I messed up here and there along the way, but those things I didn’t do right helped me become the person I am now.”

Williams played a crucial backup role during the Miami Heat’s 2005-2006 NBA championship run, and will be expected help the Magic win the sport’s ultimate prize. They’re expected to face a tough test in their own conference, with Cleveland, Miami and Boston all having upgraded their lineups during the offseason. Boston got an additional boost recently with the news that Kevin Garnett had returned to practice and is likely to be back in the lineup when the season begins.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and respected authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

In one of the stranger front office shakeups in recent NBA history, the Los Angeles Clippers have ‘relieved’ Mike Dunleavy of his head coaching duties effective immediately. He’ll remain on board as the Clippers’ general manager, and both he and the team cited the demands of the forthcoming trade deadline and free agent market as a catalyst for the change. Dunleavy leaves as the most successful head coach in the team’s less than distinguished history.

Not surprisingly, there is much speculation as to the back story behind the move. Some with knowledge of the situation suggest that Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling wanted to fire Dunleavy altogether, but relented due to the $5 million the team will owe him in the final year of his contract next year. More recently, a bizarre rumor has been circulating that Sterling has approached Isiah Thomas about taking over Dunleavy’s coaching position and becoming team president. While Isiah would bring a level of fabulousness never before seen on the Clippers’ sidelines, he hasn’t had much success either as a coach or executive in the NBA.

Despite the backroom drama, all of the relevant parties are keeping up appearances in public. Dunleavy issued this statement, playing along with the team’s insistence that the decision to give up coaching was ‘mutual’:

“I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the ideal time for me to direct my efforts toward the many personnel opportunities that lie before us, such as the trade market, the draft and the free-agent process. We fully expect to be active and productive on all those fronts.”

Team President Andy Roeser added:

“We fully agree with Mike that this is the right time to make this change. It just seems clear that the team needs a fresh voice and we hope that our players will respond in a positive way.As we approach the trade deadline, the NBA draft and the upcoming free-agent period, our team is very well positioned from a salary-cap standpoint. Mike’s experienced input will be vitally important as we continue to develop our young talented nucleus and shape our team’s future.”

Dunleavy’s agent Warren LeGarie continued the same theme:

“This is something we’ve been contemplating for some time. There’s a shelf life to coaching sometimes. So you constantly have to keep measuring whether [the team's inconsistency] is because of injuries, because of you, or something else. And at some point you have to make a judgment call about what’s best for the team, and that’s what Mike did.”

The Clippers have lost 7 of their last 10 games to fall to 21-29 on the year. They’re 17 games behind the Western Conference leading Los Angeles Lakers and 8 games out of the final playoff spot. The schedule won’t get any easier for the Clippers after the break as they head to Portland’s Rose Garden Arena to take on the Blazers.

Ross Everett is a well known modern dance instructor and a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports. He provides Internet and broadcast media outlets with daily free sports picks when not working with Olympic bound ice skaters. He is a widely published writer specializing in sports handicapping, falconry, drag racing and wombat breeding. He lives in Las Vegas with his houseboy, three dogs and a wombat.

After extensive negotiations, the Portland Trailblazers have signed All Star shooting guard Brandon Roy to a five year contract extension. Roy will be in the final year of his rookie contract in the 2009-2010 NBA season, and securing the services of a player that did no less than turn around the franchise was the teams top summer priority.

Brandon Roy may have saved the Portland NBA franchise thanks to his on-court talent and off the court class. The Blazers slumped from their glory years of the 1970′s and 1980′s as the 1990′s progressed, eventually pulling together a roster consisting of character challenged reprobates that earned the moniker JailBlazers for their frequent legal transgressions.

With the Blazers fans staying away from the arena in droves, owner Paul Allen finally had enough and cleaned house. The new management was given the challenge to put together a roster that would not only win games, but win back the Rose City fans. The acquisition of Roy will likely be looked at as the turning point for this effort. The Blazers acquired Roy on draft day 2006 for Randy Foye, and would go on to win the NBAs rookie of the year award.

Since that point, Roy has become the face of the franchise. Roy has become the centerpiece of a talented young team had has not only become a force in the NBAs Western Conference but has gone a long way to winning back the Portland fan base. The current crop of Blazers is more likely to be found in the aisles at Home Depot or at Starbucks than in the police blotter, and the team seldom puts forth a substandard effort on the court.

Roy will earn $4 million dollars in the last year of his rookie season, after which his five year $82 million dollar contract will kick in. The first four years are guaranteed, while the fifth is at the players option. Roys agent Bob Myers strongly suggested that Roy wanted to remain with the Blazers for his entire career, noting that he “is one of the unique players to have a chance to have that sort of relationship with one team.”

The team will now turn its attention to signing a long term deal with forward LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge is also in the final year of his rookie contract and a key component to the teams recent success. At last report, talks between the two sides are progressing.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

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Everyone keeps asking Lebron James which jersey he will be wearing next season. The best question is what jersey the fans will have on next year? An even better question is what Lebron James jersey will kids wear next season?

There is an open market for Lebron James to choose which team he would like to play for next season in the NBA. There are a handful of teams that have paved the way and freed up money in order to obtain him and pay the large price. The New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat all have a fine chance at obtaining Lebron.

There is a number of NBA of teams that are trying to find ways to get Lebron on their team. Most owners and sports writers seem to think that it is all about the almighty dollar. Most people think that the franchise with the most money to offer him will be the winner.

What most fans don’t know about Lebron James is that he wants to win a championship more than money. Every season that finishes with him running off the court in dismay has to be eating away at his heart and mind. Do not be surprised if Lebron James ends up playing on a team that people seem to think is far too out of reach, the Los Angeles lakers.

Think about this, in his career so far, Lebron already has more cash than he can ever spend in his life. He is already loaded with endorsements from Nike, Mcdonalds, and many others. He can always buy a ring whenever he wants, but can he win one?

Think about it, where can Lebron join next season that can virtually guarantee him of being in the finals? Maybe, alongside his idol and veteran guard who wears a Lakers jersey Kobe Bryant. The Lakers can’t afford to pay him what he’s valued at but can they give him what he wants?

After seven years in the NBA, it’s time for Lebron to leave that red and gold Cavaliers jersey behind. He may never get paid as well playing for the Lakers but the Lebron James Lakers Jerseys, shirts, and merchandise will be flying out of stores to make up for it. Other franchises may have an advantage money wise but only the Los Angeles Lakers can offer championship rings.

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