The Cincinnati Bengals have had an up and down history over the years. They have experienced some very good seasons that saw them make Super Bowl appearances and go deep into the playoffs. They have also had some down years where they ended up at the bottom of the league in terms of win – loss records.

One of the best quarterbacks the team ever had was Boomer Esiason. Esiason came out of college and made an immediate impact on the Bengals. He played with them for a number of years before moving on to the New York Jets and eventually the Arizona Cardinals. He would also find his way back to Cincinnati before he retired from the league.

The Bengals with Boomer at quarterback were known as a passing team and they did put up good numbers. Together they won some big games too. Since then, he has moved on to the broadcast booth and has done a great job on both television and the radio, but who though was Boomer Esiason’s favorite receiver during his NFL career?

No player caught more touchdown passes thrown by Boomer Esiason during their career that the great Bengals wide receiver Eddie Brown. Brown and Esiason teamed up for 39 touchdowns during the time they played together as teammates. Some of those were very memorable too, especially for Bengals fans. This is less than ten ahead of the player in second place in that category.

Boomer’s Bengals were a fun team to watch and he was a great player. The team also featured some very good receivers around him, and they deserve some of the credit for Boomer’s good career numbers too.

Sunday, February 6, 2011 at 6:30pm, the Green Bay Packers kicked off the Super Bowl allowing Pittsburgh Steelers to receive the football. Unable to put any points on the board, Steelers were forced to punt the football, setting the tone for an obvious disastrous game. Reoccurring mistakes from both teams, such as missed catches and forced turnovers, set the pivot for the game- not allowing the teams to show their full potential.

In the first half, within twenty for seconds, Green Bay scores two touchdowns. This really put a strain on defense as frustration begins to set in for the Steelers. Not wanting to unravel, Steelers offense scores a touchdown with forty seconds to go before halftime, decreasing Packers lead by eleven. Cornerback, Charles Woodson of Green Bay Packers, suffered from a broken collarbone, leaving the game early.

During Halftime, a special performance by the Black Eyed Peas really got the fans going. Performing a melody of their hits, the Black Eyed Peas included a futuristic performance, decorating the sold out Cowboys Stadium with strobe lights and hundreds of dancers. National recording artist, Usher, also made a surprising appearance, performing his hit song, “OMG”.

Second half, Steelers manages to quickly score with Rashaad Mendenhall pounding the football inside the goal line and scoring the second touchdown. Third and seven, Harrison of the Steelers makes a big play by sacking Aaron Rodgers, forcing Packers to punt. After halftime, Pittsburgh seems more focused, but still wasn’t able to take the edge from the Packers. This young team was ready and could feel the championship getting closer. Big Ben threw for two interceptions leaving Steelers with three turnovers.

Picked four to one by Sports Center, Packers wins Superbowl XLV 25-31. Many celebrities came out to the game, including former President George W. Bush.

The West has always been fascinated about football. In America, they call it American football. Europeans dub it as soccer. But whatever it is, football per se is one of the attention-getters in sports arena aside from basketball, wrestling, boxing and softball. Screaming fans are also crazy about football memorabilia, gears and jerseys that have their favorite players’ names on. OJ Simpson football jersey is one of the sough-after items among football followers.

Cheering for their most favorite player on field, fans from different states are shopping here and there to get the best deals of football stuff. In the history of American football, does retired running back O.J. Simpson ring the bell? For sure, you’d remember him as the first-ever NFL player to rush beyond 2,000 yards in a season. He was formerly playing for Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers. But even if he’s given up his pro-football career, OJ Simpson football jersey collections are still making a big hit.

OJ Simpson football jerseys are sold via online shopping sites as E-bay and Amazon. They vary in sizes and designs. To name a few of them, there’s OJ Simpson Signed Autograph Jersey, Simpson Auto Buffalo Bills TB Jersey, Retro 1969 Throwback Jersey, OJ Simpson Signed Authentic Jersey, among others. These jerseys are brand new ones and never been worn. All logos and figures are designed with 100% truly authentic USC football jersey.

Body and sleeve parts of OJ Simpson football jerseys are 100% nylon made and are enhanced by spandex side panels. Football fanatics and their families don’t go dilly-dally in purchasing these kinds of jerseys that remind them of their adored player OJ. Others buy them as part of their collections.

Sizes of OJ Simpson football jerseys are of standard American fit that can suit both male and female built. Usually of bigger sizes, however, these jerseys can also be given as giveaways, birthday presents, sports festival tokens, Thanksgiving gift and Christmas souvenir. Others just merely display them at the living room or bedroom as decoration.

Those teenagers and aspiring NFL players wearing OJ Simpson football jerseys are inspired to play football in their most passionate way. They seem inspired to flaunt the OJ power of sportsmanship and dedication to excel on field. These jerseys are also sold in major shopping avenues aside from online stores. They are ensured to be of quality and are not priced too high. You can find discounts if you are just diligent to search and canvass.

OJ Simpson football jerseys have become popular not only among the NFL level of football but also high school and college leagues. As OJ Simpson used to play for the Buffalo or San Francisco, his big fans cheer wearing his jerseys.

Visitors to Las Vegas or online sportsbooks may come across some games on the betting board that will have special rules attached in the betting. Such games will be circled on the betting board. A red box means that the line is “circled” and subject to reduced betting limits.

Often time’s sportsbooks will circle games on the betting board due to injuries to impact players. NFL teams competing on Sunday’s must submit their injury reports on Friday and provide updates on Saturday. In recent years the NFL adopted a rule forcing teams to disclose on Wednesday through Friday who missed practice and who had limited work during practice. The best practice for sports betting professionals would be to browse individual team websites that post the injury and practice information about the health of their players.

The injury reports have been very accurate in recent years because the NFL wants to protect the integrity of the league because inside information on injuries could be exploited. So teams have been very forthcoming about the health of their players. Injuries to impact players like the starting quarterback, running back and impact wide receivers will cause Las Vegas and online sportsbook to circle the game on the sports betting board until their status come game time is determined. Sharp sports bettors follow the best practice of shopping individual sports books to shop for the odds that are best set on the side they want to bet on.

Sometimes Las Vegas or online sportsbooks may miss important injury information on teams and a smart bettor may bet into a good betting number that favors the bettor. Professional gamblers look for knee, foot and ankle injuries to running backs. A running back who is not 100% healthy and playing with ankle, foot or knee injuries will see their average yards per carry often fall well below their average. This puts the offense in second and third and long situations or what is known as obvious passing situations. Defenses who know the pass is coming can adjust into pass coverage creating less space for the wide receivers to run routes making a pass completion by the quarterback much more difficult which raises the possibility of a turnover. With a capable back up running back it is often better for a team to not play a running back that sports ankle, knee or foot injuries. Many professional sports bettors will look to play against a team who is starting an impact running back who is playing with an ankle, foot or knee injury.

If inclement weather is forecasted for the site of an outdoor game a sportsbook will circle the game and bettors will have betting limits reduced on the game up until about an hour until game time. Wind can factor greatly in the passing game and the best practice for professional sports bettors will look to play under in college and pro football if the betting line has not already been bet down. There are times when the professional has the inclement weather information before the Las Vegas or online sportsbook and this is a scenario when they make advantage bets.

Many sports bettors will find NBA games circled on the Las Vegas or online sports betting board. Often times an NBA team will report a mild ailment from a player in their rotation and list them as questionable or doubtful. Smart betting professionals will tune into NBA team’s pregame show 30 minutes prior to the start of the game to get specific injury information about teams impact players on their rotation. In the NBA if an impact player is lost to injury the replacement player will often step up and the team will have point spread success in the first game the team plays without their impact player in the lineup.

A line may be circled when factors other than game play (e.g., injuries or weather conditions) could affect the outcome of the game. As many bookmakers don’t have enough information on the game and can’t accurately balance the action as it comes in, circled lines can’t be added to a parlay. Some online or Las Vegas sportsbooks may have too much action on one side of the game and even with a line move they cant attract action on the other team. Most sportsbook business models are set to attempt to balance trade on all games and protect their bottom line. Most sportsbooks try to attempt to have all of their lines un-circled. The red box may be removed closer to the start of the game.

What would you dare to dream if you knew you would not fail? Several weeks ago I was watching the NFL Draft. This is an annual event where the best College Football players in America are selected by the NFL to play professional Football at the highest level. As I watched this there was one player in particular who stood out to me. He was six feet five inches tall and weighed in at two hundred and sixty five pounds. This was a big tough guy! That’s why his response to being selected grabbed my attention. He began to cry! He was so emotional that he could not stand up when his name was called. What would make this tough guy cry? He had achieved the impossible dream.

This was a dream that he had since he was a small child. This was a dream that kept him up at night. This was a dream he thought about every day. What is your impossible dream? I have discovered that all impossible dreams have one thing in common. To achieve it you have to overcome what I call the “Staggering Statistic”. The staggering statistic is in place because often on the journey to your dream you encounter a large number of people that share the same aspiration that you have. This large group becomes a staggering statistic. For example, there are 9,000 people that play College Football at its highest level. Of that 9,000 there will only be 215 that will be drafted into the NFL. That is a staggering statistic. Your dream may be to become CEO of a fortune 500 company. The average fortune 500 company has over 100,000 employees but only one CEO. That is a staggering statistic. So the question becomes how do I achieve my impossible dream and overcome the staggering statistic? I will share with you the two things you need to achieve your dream. I call these the” two rights” of dream achievement.

The first right to dream achievement is the right philosophy. The right philosophy is the belief that all things are possible. The right philosophy is needed because the staggering statistic will make your dream look impossible. The key to having the right philosophy is to know and embrace your purpose. Your purpose is what makes your dream possible. We were all born with a destiny and a purpose to accomplish. You are the only one that can achieve your specific purpose. Knowing and embracing your purpose will move you to the front of the line and allow you to overcome the staggering statistic. That reminds me of an experience that at the airport when I was attempting to make an early flight. I arrived at the terminal only to find many people in line ahead of me that were trying to do the same thing I was. I was sure that I would miss my flight! Then I saw my friend good Paul near the front of the line. He motioned for me to come forward. We embraced, he let me in front of him, and I made my flight. Our purpose is like my friend Paul. When you know it and embrace it, you will move you to the front of the line and ahead of others trying to do what you are doing. Knowing and embracing your purpose will allow you to have the right philosophy.

The second right to dream achievement is the right perspective. The right perspective will come by selecting a mentor that has done what you are attempting to do. Finding a good mentor has two advantages. First, you benefit directly from the mentor’s experience and perspective. Secondly, they will help you to change your perspective. This is important because sometimes our delayed dreams are a direct result of our failure to change. I am reminded of you-tube video I saw the other day about a blind man who was homeless and begging on the street. He had a sign in front of him that read “Help, I’m blind”. People would walk past him every day without giving him any money. This became a consistent pattern. One day, a lady walks up, turns his sign around and writes something on it and walks away. All of a sudden, people would read what she wrote and donate money. His cup was now filled with money. I watched this video in amazement and I asked myself; “what is on that sign?” Suddenly, the camera panned on the sign that was changed to read “It’s a Beautiful day, and I can’t see it”. The lady was an effective mentor for the blind man because she helped him to change his perspective. Once he changed is perspective he was able to change his result. When we have the right perspective, we will move closer to our dreams.

The first right to dream achievement is the right philosophy, the second right is the right perspective. As I close I am reminded of the story of a young man named Craig that brings these two points home. Craig had a difficult childhood. He spoke with a lisp and he slurred his words. He was constantly getting teased by the other kids about they way he spoke. Then things went from bad to worse for Craig. When he was ten years old, he was told by a friend of his father that when spoke, he sounded like Daffy Duck and that he should be quiet. This event had a dramatic impact on him and he made every effort to avoid speaking in public. Well, this sad story has a happy ending. In 1999 Craig went on to win the Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking and today Craig Valentine is a successful motivational speaker who speaks all over the world. What was Craig’s secret to success? First, he had the right philosophy. Craig’s dream was to win the world championship and believed that it was possible even when everyone made fun of him. Secondly he had the right perspective. Craig wanted to be the world champion so he selected a mentor who was a previous world champion. The mentor helped him to change his perspective, overcome the staggering statistic, and achieve his dream. I have good news for you today. If it worked for Craig, it will work for you. If you have the right philosophy and the right perspective, you can achieve the impossible dream.

It is obvious who ought to take the first snap for the Washington Redskins next fall. The answer is so clear, anybody that thinks otherwise needs to have their brain examined. Maybe new head coach Joe Gibbs should order Patrick Ramsey get a CAT scan before mini-camp takes place.

Mark Brunell should not only be anointed starting quarterback right now, he should not have to compete for the job until at least 2005. Simply put, Brunell is a proven NFL quarterback, and Ramsey is not. Brunell has started for eight seasons (excluding 2003), while Ramsey has yet to start 20 games. Owner Dan Snyder gave Gibbs an unspoken mandate to get to the Super Bowl within the next three seasons. Who is more likely to accomplish this?

There is no legitimate argument that anybody can give for Ramsey to start ahead of a healthy Brunell in 2004. Let’s break down a few of the reasons given why Ramsey should start:

-Ramsey is the quarterback of the future – There is no question Ramsey has the potential to solidify the Redskins’ quarterback situation for years to come. If the organization believes that Ramsey is the guy for years to come, he will have to assume the starting job someday. However, he will have growing pains to endure if or when he does assume the job. Ideally, a third-year quarterback who has started parts of his first two years should be ready to start seasoning his game. In Ramsey’s case, everything he has learned in his first two seasons needs to be discarded. The coaching staff needs to handle Ramsey as if he were a rookie. This is not an ideal situation to claim a starting quarterback job. With up to a third of the roster changing, the new players need to be transitioned in with a proven quarterback.

-Ramsey has a great upside – If this is a reason to give a quarterback a starting job, then Browning Nagle, Rick Mirer, and Heath Shuler should be starting in this league. Ramsey has potential, but he is hardly sure thing. Although he posted good statistics when he was playing at Tulane, he did it in a pass-friendly offense against mid-major competition. He cannot be fairly evaluated on his first two seasons, because he did not get legitimate NFL coaching and was not in an adequate offensive system. A year from now, after he has been evaluated by an offensive staff with about 70 years of NFL experience, how much upside he actually has will be determined. This determination should be made on the practice field, not FedEx field.

-Ramsey’s toughness earned him the right to lead the team in 2004 – Since when were NFL games won on the ability to take a beating? There is much more to being an NFL quarterback then sitting in the pocket and taking a whipping. While his attitude and competitiveness were excellent in a very bad situation last year, it does not mean he can be an effective NFL quarterback. Ramsey’s toughness endured his teammates to him, but to maintain that respect, he is going to have to produce yardage, points, and wins. He will be in a much better position to produce in 2005 when he has a year under this coaching staff.

What has not been mentioned is how Ramsey’s response to this situation clarifies that he is not ready to lead this team. After the Redskins announced that they were acquiring Brunell, Ramsey’s agent publicly campaigned for a trade, where Ramsey could start. Since he can earn nearly $2 million in incentives, it is understandable why he wants to start somewhere in the league. However, he did agree to the contract when he signed it, and he may not want to risk his image over $2 million when he could make between $30 and $100 million before his career is up. Any dispute should have taken place behind closed doors. The fact he tried to force this publicly calls into question his ability to be a professional. Taking a beating does not make a quarterback a professional. There are thousands of people that would have taken the same physical beating for his base salary last year.

Snyder has been scrutinized for many personnel moves since he has owned the Redskins, and justifiably so. Brunell could be the most expensive backup quarterback in the NFL by next year. At least Ramsey will likely get one year to rest his body and learn how to be an NFL quarterback. Maybe he should learn how to bite his tongue while he is at it. If he is going to be the quarterback people think he can be, it will be a good lesson.

There were some truly terrible beats with this past weekend’s College football betting and NFL betting. A recap can be found below.

Northwestern sure looked like a good college football pick through three quarters at home against undefeated Michigan State. The Wildcats were 5.5 point underdogs on the betting line and quickly jumped out to a 17-0 first half lead and things looked absolutely great. Unfortunately, things did not end well. They were outscored 21-3 in the fourth quarter to lose the game outright, but it was the final Spartans touchdown that stung Northwestern bettors. Already up 28-27 thanks in large part to a converted fake punt attempt, Michigan State was able to take over at the Northwestern 31 yard line with just over one minute remaining after the Wildcats turned the ball over on downs. Rather than run the clock out, Spartans RB Baker broke loose on third down and scored a meaningless TD. Except it wasn’t meaningless for those who took Northwestern. After covering for the first 59 minutes of the game, the Wildcats now found themselves down 35-27 and did nothing on their final drive to break the hearts of everyone on the side of this bad beat. It’s now important to note that in their last two games, Michigan State has trailed at the half both times only to outscore both underdogs 51-10 in the second half while gaining nearly 500 yards total offense.

The worst NFL pick of the weekend had to go to anyone who had the San Diego Chargers minus three points over the New England Patriots, or if you bet it late you were probably able to get the Lightning Bolts minus just 2.5 points. This will become important later on. Well, as San Diego tends to do they played awful football through three quarters and found themselves down 23-6. Cue the comeback. After a quick score to cut the deficit to ten points, they recovered an onside kick and quickly scored again to trim the score to 23-20. With two minutes remaining, they held New England on a failed fourth down conversion attempt (typical Belichick) and this was after the Chargers thought they had returned a fumble for what would have been the game winning TD (officials got the call correct) and took over possession of the ball at midfield. They quickly advanced the ball to the Patriots 30 yard line only to stall. No problem though as they could kick a field goal, force overtime and still cover the spread. Of course, because this is the Chargers, there was a five-yard false start penalty and kicker Kris Brown boinked the ball off the upright.

For winning football picks, please visit vegasexperts.com.

Taking over a team with the tradition of the Green Bay Packers has got to be a daunting task.  This is especially true if you are following in the footsteps of one of the all-time greats like future hall of famer, Brett Favre.  Aaron Rodgers has not performed too badly, though it is still rather early, in his transition into the starting quarterback role for the Packers.  Here is a look at five things you may not know about Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

1.  His first NFL regular season touchdown pass was completed in his third season while he was still serving as the backup to Brett Favre.  It came on November 29, 2007 in the second quarter of the Packers game against the Dallas Cowboys and it was an 11-yard pass to Greg Jennings.

2.  His firs NFL regular season interception came during his rookie season in what would become a 48-3 Monday Night Football loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

3.  During his last year of college (2004) at the University of California, Aaron Rodgers while playing quarterback caught a ten yard pass.

4.  He was not widely recruited out of high school, in fact he received only one invitation and it was as a walk-on from the University of Illinois.  He started college at Butte Community College before transferring to Cal for his sophomore season, Rodgers’ first game as starting quarterback was against the same University of Illinois team that had been the only school to offer him a spot on their roster.

5.  During his second season in the NFL and still serving as the backup to Brett Favre, he broke his left foot while filling in for an injured Favre in a 35-0 loss to the New England Patriots.

Aaron Rodgers has shown some flashes of talent and a good amount of leadership during his short time as the starting quarterback of the Packers.  At the rate he is going, it should not be long before he is regularly thought of as one of the better quarterbacks in the league.  The better he performs, and the better he will be thought of by opposing players and fans alike.  This is the best way for him to escape the long shadow cast by former Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

If you are a genuine authority at making picks football can be a good sideline job for you! Odd as it maybe, but wagering football is gaining a stable ground at betting fields. It is one of the most sought after sports betting type and has given birth to careers of professional bettors.

Johnny who picks football can actually make himself an instant rag-to-riches story. If football is his life, betting can also be his salvation from unemployment. At these times when companies close down and downsize, betting football is not a bad option if you are focused at earning money for your family.

Spending too much time at the football field as a viewer will give you enough information about the tactics of teams, styles of players and the gossips in between. Because as you all know betting for sports does not only require knowledge on statistics. Having the inside scoops give you the emotional climate within a particular team. Are there other factors that may affect the outcomes of the game? Is the management having problems with their players? Are the players under any kind of pressure or scandals that are often associated with them because of their status and popularity? These factors can be major determinants in the long run.

If you want a future in football, you don’t need to be a player. You just need to be well-versed with any kind of football info, build a system of identifying winners and losers and you can launch your career as a professional bettor. It might not sound as encouraging as being called a professional football player, but once you get the payout for a big time bet, you can erase all doubts and apprehensions at having a gambling career.

On the average, bettors have 40-50% success rate. Those who offer 70% are simply pulling your legs. If you know the real deal, you are aware that you don’t necessarily need to bet every game. If you ask any handicapper, they’d tell you that in order for you to be successful at making football predictions, extensive research is still needed. A good strategy and well-balanced betting system makes a handicapper stand out.

Search online and you’ll even find expert tipsters and bettors offering their services. There is really no shame at this type of career because it is very profitable and having technology at the forefront makes it even easier for anyone to engage in such activity. There are even some betting simulations where you can test your betting instincts. Some agencies also offer free football picks. However you want to learn football betting one thing is crystal clear; handicapping football is a very tempting offer.

Online betting is another opportunity for anyone who picks football. There are services over the internet and betting tips are readily accessible. Johnny did not waste anymore time staring blankly at football fields and wonder how he could earn extra bucks. He found the answer right in front of him. The answer is wagering football.

If I Only Had a Brain and Other Odd Sports Trivia

Do you consider yourself a sports aficionado? You may know all the teams, players and scores but did you know this odd sports trivia…..

1) Several former NFL players have donated their brains to the Boston University Medical School.

o True

o False

2) Which NFL team led the league in player arrests for 2003-2005?

o Atlanta Falcons

o Minnesota Vikings

o Tampa Bay Buccaneers

o Washington Redskins

3) In 2008, the Grand Prairie Airhogs offered which of the following as a stadium giveaway?

o 1% Ownership of the Team

o Air

o Naked Bobblehead

o Free Funeral

4) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played a substitute teacher on what sitcom?

o Facts of Life

o Growing Pains

o Different Strokes

o Family Ties

5) Which of the following sports has an organized unicycle association?

o Hockey

o Rugby

o Soccer

o Jai-Alai

6) Who invented 9 pin bowling?

o Queen Elizabeth

o Martin Luther

o George Washington

o Plato

7) Which of the following was formally an Olympic Sport?

o Tug-Of-War

o Rope Climbing

o Obstacle Race – Swimming

o Polo

Answers:

1) True. The Center for the study of Traumatic Encephalopathy is analyzing the long-term effects of concussions. Currently, this research can only be completed post-mortem. Many players state they suffer long-term effects from numerous concussions. However, the NFL is still researching these effects and expects to release a more formal report in 2010. Now, that is really odd sports trivia.

2) Minnesota Vikings. In 2005, several players boarded their own version of the “Love Boat” for an x-rated party. In 2004, three players were arrested after a bar fight in Minneapolis’s Warehouse District. Apparently, this team believes in playing on and off the field together.

3) Free Funeral. During their inaugural season, the Airhogs teamed up with another new-comer to town: Chapel of Roses Funeral Home. One lucky (?) fan received an all-expense paid funeral; at least this fan will be prepared for his third strike. If you think that was odd sports trivia, what until you try the next question.

4) Different Strokes. Although, Kareem had numerous cameo appearances, this was the first time he actually played a character other than himself. There was a stark difference between the 7′ Kareem and 4’8″ Gary Coleman.

5) Hockey. According to the International Unicycle Hockey Organization, there are numerous teams through-out the world including in the United States. The game is played similar to ice-hockey except the players are on unicycles.

6) Martin Luther. Bowling was a part of German religious life. If a person was able to knock down the pins, they were said to be of good character. If not, a person had to perform penance. What does your bowling average say about you?

7) All of the above: Tug of War, Rope Climbing, Obstacle Race – Swimming and Polo. All four events were Olympic events at one time during the 20th Century.

Hope you enjoyed this odd sports trivia!