Bye-Bye Bambi

With today being the first day of rifle season in Pennsylvania, it makes me feel a bit nostalgic writing this spending time away from my dear state.

Where I live, the first day of buck season is considered a holiday and we actually get the day of from school. The schools figure they might as well cancel for the day because most kids don’t come in anyway since they all come down with this odd disease called “buck fever”.

The real “sport” of hunting stems back to fathers who would hold contests for men who wanted to marry their daughters in ancient tribes long ago. Whoever brought back the largest kill and proved himself the best hunter was awarded the daughter’s hand in marriage for demonstrating he could provide for the family.

            But what all goes into hunting today?

Hunting requires both skill and knowledge accompanied by a lot of patience.

            Sport hunting as we know it today is done out of enjoyment rather than necessity. This means that there is no urgency to get a kill because it isn’t needed for survival.

            But many people (especially where I’m from) put in the same amount of time and preparation that athletes do practicing for their games.

            The definition of a sport is an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition, and that’s exactly what hunting is. You can’t just stroll into the woods, post up for a few minutes, and pray that a deer walks in front of you. Some people occasionally get lucky and this happens, but many wait years to finally bag that monster buck.

            Hunting requires going out and planting plots to attract the deer, setting out feed and salt licks, tracking, and setting up tree stands. That all necessitates quite a bit of physical labor. There is also the time and preparation needed to figure out where the deer are, their travel routes, and at what time they’re most likely to wonder by your spot. On top of that is when the big day arrives and you’re trudging up the mountain at 5:00 AM in 25⁰ weather wearing 15 pounds of gear to keep warm. Toting your gun along and trying to pick up your feet that are weighed down by hunting boots IS physical exertion.

            Let’s add on to the physical aspect of hunting by assuming that you’re going to be tracking your prey through the early morning, sunny afternoon, snow, rain, dusk, or whatever other elements you may face. And if you get lucky, dragging your trophy is no small task either. Also don’t forget that skinning and gutting are part of the fun too!

           

I haven’t exactly portrayed hunting in the best light now have I? So why do it?

I asked my cousin (the beauty queen pictured below with her trophy buck, and the following was her reply):

“There is no better trophy than seeing your prize up on the wall. I know at our camp if you get a shooter buck (what the camp qualifies as enough to mount on the wall there) you don’t have to pay the individual $200. There’s a certain amount of satisfaction seeing your prize mounted where everyone else can view it too. Today it’s as much a contest for personal records as it is between people. You’re competing with the rest of the world, or your camp group or family. It’s a competition just like any other sport because you’re competing for the ultimate bragging rights and the biggest trophy.”

A sport needs to have fans correct? Fans are what keep a sport and industry going. Well considering the number of hunting magazines available I’d say there is an awfully large fan base. There are also many shows on TV today that give the same amount of attention to hunting that it does to other sports. These shows also generate many major stars such as Michael Waddell and Don and Kandi Kisky. These professional hunters have a following that not only keeps them in business, but allows them to market to the hunting world different products, strategies, and shows.

Hunting may not take the same amount of athleticism as other sports, but by definition I think it most definitely qualifies as a sport. It’s something in which you’re competing and trying to win at. You work to be successful. For many, it defines them and is a part of who they are. Their lives revolve around hunting and whatever is in season.

Some may question whether or not hunting is ethical. I know many people here in New York frown on hunting because “it’s wrong”, but I was raised knowing some animals are overpopulated and this is an enjoyable way to take care of that problem. Whether or not you agree is your prerogative, but for this “hicktown princess” as I’m so lovingly refereed to here at school, hunting is a sport, a pastime, and a way of life.



Xoxo,

~Francesca

           

             

Hockey: Making Dentists Rich Since 1875

            Professional hockey may seem like nothing more than grown men looking for a chance to fight with and beat each other, but there is much more to the game than throwing punches and spending time in the penalty box.

            Hockey is played on an ice rink that is enclosed by Plexiglas. Two blue lines and a red line are marked on the rink and divide it into zones. The area where your goal is located and the one that you are trying to protect is the defending zone. This area is separated from the neutral zone by one of the blue lines. The red line simply divides the rink in half. The other blue line is the beginning of the offensive zone and is the area where you are shooting to score. There are also nine faceoff spots on the ice. A faceoff is what starts the game from the get-go and also what resumes play. It is when the referee drops the puck between opposing centers.

            Goals are how points are accumulated and whichever team has more goals at the end of the three 20-minute periods that make up a game, wins. If time expires with a tied game, the game moves into five minutes of overtime. If there is still a tied game, the teams are sent into a shootout. Three shooters will go one-on-one with the goalie from the center faceoff spot. If there is still a tie after both teams shoot, the game moves into “sudden death”. Each team must take the same number of shots for it to remain fair. Please note though that a shootout is not used in the Stanley Cup playoff. Instead, teams will continue to play until one scores to come away with the win.

            Both teams have six totals players on the ice, one being a goaltender. The red median line, also, is a line the goaltender cannot cross. Goalies commonly don’t leave the crease (the area in front of the net), but in hockey, regardless of what position a player is assigned, he is permitted anywhere on the ice.

            Many are confused by hockey because there seems to be players jumping on and off the ice at any given moment. This is because substitutions can happen at any time and don’t require a pause in the game such as a timeout. Substitutions are also unlimited.

            The positions in hockey are forwards, defensemen, and as previously mentioned, a goalkeeper.

            Forwards can further be separated into center, right wing, or left wing. Note that there are three positions meaning that there would be one player for each slot and then two defensemen.

            A right wing, as you may have guessed, plays on the right side of the ice. These players need to be able to fish the puck out of the corner and be aggressive enough to make his way in front of the net to get better position.

            Left wing players use to be predominantly left-handed shooters, but more NHL players who are right handed have been playing this position in recent years. They play on the left side of the ice and have the same responsibilities as right wing players.

            Centers are commonly referred to as “the quarterback on ice”. They are the ones who usually generate the offense and lead the attack on the opposing team’s net. 

            The goalkeeper’s job is obviously to keep the puck out of the net so to prevent the other team from scoring.

            Two defensemen, one on the left, and the other on the right, round out the team on the ice. The defense tries to make the goalie’s life easier by breaking up passes, blocking shots, and just keeping the puck away from the net. They also aid the offense by getting the puck to their own team members.  

            There are three main rules that referees will look out for outside of penalties which I’ll talk about shortly. The first is offsides. This is when a member (usually offense since they are most likely to be attacking the net) is in front of the puck over the defending team’s blue line. In the elementary playground days this was referred to as “cherry picking”. It prevents players from camping out in front of the net and waiting for an easy pass in front of the goal. An offside pass is when a player sends the puck up to his teammate who has already crossed the red center line. The last main rule is icing. This is when a player shoots from his own side of the rink and if it remains untouched and travels across the red center line as well as the opponent’s blue line. There is no icing though when defending a power play.

           

            Now into the fun of hockey - the contact and penalties!

Body checking, please realize now, is considered okay but only to an opposing player who has possession of the puck. Body checks that target the head are illegal. A player can use his shoulder, hip, or torso to ram into an opponent.

There are three different types of penalties, minor, major, and misconduct and these penalties lead to power plays. Power plays are when a team is at a disadvantage because they are short a man (sometimes two) because of penalty box situations.

            Minor penalties have a few subcategories but all have the same outcome – two minutes in the penalty box with no substitutions. If the opposing team scores before the two minutes is over the penalty time still ends.

            Penalties that obstruct an opponent could include tripping, holding, or interfering when the opposing player doesn’t have the puck.

            Those penalties that are connected with the stick include spearing, slashing, high-sticking (hitting an opponent in the head or face) and cross-checking (hitting an opponent with the stick).

            Some other fouls such as elbowing, kneeing, and checking from behind can also lead to penalty time.

            Major penalties cause a player to be dismissed from the ice for five minutes. Fighting is the most major penalty and if both teams have players sent to the penalty box for fighting, substitutions can be made. If it’s only one team though, no substitutions are allowed. It is usually deemed fighting when a player drops his gloves and throws a punch or punches.

            Misconduct leads to ten minutes in the penalty box and can be called for different forms of unsportsmanlike conduct or if a player commits a second major penalty.

Penalty shots are awarded when a foul is committed that might otherwise had led a team to score. The team who was fouled now gets a chance to regain a shot on goal that was interrupted. The referee places the puck on the center faceoff spot and on his command, the player taking the shot will attempt to score – it is a one-on-one situation with the goalie. 

            Hockey really isn’t that hard to understand. It’s a combination of soccer (similar rules) combined with lacrosse (similar styles of play).

            With the National Hockey League (NHL) season opening on Tuesday, October 1^st, I hope you got a better understanding of the game and will know what you’re watching for now.

            See you in the faceoff ;)

(http://proicehockey.about.com/od/learnthegame/a/ice-hockey-rule.htm)

(http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/hockey-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html)

(http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=27011)           

Xoxo,

~Francesca 

Countdown to Kickoff

I’ve had today’s date circled, starred, and stickered on my calendar since February 3, 2013 (Super Bowl XLVII). It’s back to the gridiron. The National Football League (NFL) season officially kicks off tonight with defending Super Bowl champions, the Baltimore Ravens, taking on the Denver Broncos.

            I have so much to say about football because it’s my favorite sport so bear with me as we navigate all over the board.

            What’s the hype with football? What makes people flock to a TV all Sunday or even on Thursday and Monday nights? Growing up in a strict Italian family firmly rooted in togetherness, the only time the TV was ever allowed to be on during dinner was if the Steelers were playing.

            To me football is pure excitement. Whether you’re watching two incredible teams play and battle it out to the finish or a terrible team be dominated, or better yet, the underdog pull through with the victory, there is a constant rush.

            People watch football because there is always action. It’s a fast-paced game that’s unpredictable. You can bet on a game, but you never know when someone may get hurt or play badly enough to effect the outcome. Tuning in to American Idol is simple. You know what you’re going to get, a lot of singers who should stick to singing in the shower and some who deserve a record deal right then and there. With football though, you never know what to expect.

            Football is a game that is never over until the clock ticks to 0:00. Anything can happen at any given second and the momentum change can determine the outcome of a game. It is a game of strategy but can be simple as well. The difference between backyard football and the NFL? Well a couple million dollars and some extra X’s and O’s is about all. When it comes down to it, the object is still the same, get the ball into the end zone to score and make sure to release the beast on defense to prevent the other team from scoring.

            To get more into the game itself though. In the National Football League there are 32 teams with 53 active players each. There are practice squad players too, but we’re going to focus on the 53 who you’d see on the sidelines or field each week. There are 22 players on the field at a time, 11 from each team. Offense try to score and defense try to prevent them from scoring. Special teams are the players who are on the field during kickoffs, punts, field goals, and extra points.

            Let’s break that down a little more.

Each team gets four “downs” to go ten yards. If they do get ten yards, the downs are reset, if not, on the fourth, depending on where a team is at on the field, they can choose to “go for it”, punt it away, or attempt a field goal if they are in range.

If a team makes it to the end zone to score a touchdown, they receive six points. They are then given two options, kick the PAT (point after touchdown) or go for the 2-point conversion. 2-point conversions are rare unless a team is desperate for the lead or tie late in the game. PATs are almost automatic for a kicker so they’re the most logical choice.

When a team doesn’t quite make it to the end zone but are close, the field goal unit is sent in. A made field goal is worth three points and a missed is obviously worth nothing.

If a team doesn’t score a touchdown and isn’t close enough for a field goal, the special teams will punt the ball away, trying to get the ball down the field as far as they can to make it hard for the other team to score.

            In the barebones of the offense, there is a quarterback, usually the face of the team, running back, wide receivers, lineman, and tight end.

            Quarterbacks are the ones who “take the snaps”. Quarterbacks are the playmakers and in charge of guiding their team down the field to score. QBs usually take the most heat because they’re almost always the first to be blamed in the event of a loss.

(I get a rush when the center (offensive lineman) snaps the ball and the linebackers go for the blitz, I feel bad for the quarterback!)

            When a quarterback is throwing, his main target is a wide receiver. They’re the ones running down or across the field trying to shake off the defense to get open to catch the pass. These are normally some of the fastest guys on the team because they need to be able to run their route quickly since their quarterback doesn’t have much time.

            Running backs are the general term given to the players who are in the backfield with the quarterback. These players are usually versatile meaning not only can they hold on to a football and plow through defense, but they can also block in the event that a QB passes instead of handing it off to the running back. Some running backs are smaller and more agile, able to cut and reverse direction kicker, whereas some are big burly men who will drag half the defense along with him as he pounds out those extra inches.

            Some of the positions most often overlooked are the offensive linemen. Their job is to protect the quarterback, block for the running back, all the while making sure they don’t create a penalty such as holding or a false start. They’re big and strong, but usually are some of the biggest teddy bears there is.

            Also in the offense are tight ends who are occasionally referred to as utility players. Occasionally a tight end will line up and do the same job as a wide receiver, but sometimes they line up as an offensive linemen. They’re overall role depends on the style of offense that a team runs, but sometimes they will be the huge playmakers when a quarterback is in desperation for a man to throw to.

            On to my favorite, the defense.

            I believe that defense is what makes or breaks games. They prove more than anyone else how badly they want it. Not only do they have the huge task of stopping the other team from scoring, but they also could create a turnover and score themselves.

            Defense is basically made up of defensive backs, defensive linemen, and linebackers.

            Defensive backs are the equivalent of wide receivers. The strong safety, free safety, and corner backs are all considered defensive backs. They are the ones who chase wide receivers down the field hoping to intercept or break up the pass.

            Defensive linemen are much the same as their counterparts. Their job is to go after the quarterback if he’s dropping back to pass and hopefully they can sack him (to sack the quarterback is cause him to lose yards by pursuing him until he’s tackled or completely blindsiding him – my personal favorite). They also try to stop the running backs right at the line of scrimmage (where the ball is snapped) so the offense doesn’t gain any ground.

            I like to tell myself that if I would’ve been a boy and played football I would’ve been a linebacker. They do a little bit of everything. Linebackers will sometimes line up on the line of scrimmage to stop a run play or perhaps blitz the quarterback (in short, blitzing is dropping all other responsibilities to try to sack the quarterback). They also have the ability to drop back and help cover receivers in the event of pass play.

            Now to the main event.

            I’m waiting for the day that the Super Bowl becomes recognized as a national holiday.

            Every year more people tune in to this national event that captures America’s focus for an entire evening. For weeks after people will rave about the commercials and the outcome of the game.

            According to Forbes, the cost of a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl in 2013 was $4,000,000. That’s a lot of zeroes for not a lot of time. I like to think that America is actually tuning in to watch the game, and not just the commercials, but sometimes it seems like the other way around.

(http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2013/02/02/even-with-record-prices-10-million-spot/)

            For Christmas this past year, my mom gave me Holly Robinson Peete’s book, Get Your Own Damn Beer, I’m Watching the Game. It’s subtitled “a woman’s guide to loving pro football”, but Holly is such an excellent writer that I believe anyone could get enjoyment out of the book. I highly recommend it because not only is it filled with football facts and information, but also stories and important events in football history.

            Good luck trying to get me to do anything on Sundays for the next 22 weeks because I’m going to be glued to my TV!

Xoxo,

~Francesca 

Welcome to the Big Leagues

            It’s that time of year again! Yes it is sweater weather, time for school, and apple picking time, but it’s also time for a little pigskin.

Along with football these days also comes fantasy football. Most have probably heard of fantasy football in some form or fashion, and many may even partake in a league, perhaps not even knowing what they’re doing. But what is this fantasy league exactly and how does it work? Why are people obsessed with fantasy football and why has it come to be known as more than a game, but also an obsession?

            In a nutshell, fantasy football is a virtual football league made up of real life players and their actual stats. If you pick the right players and they have good games your fantasy points go up. The better game that player has, the more points you get.

            There are several different types of fantasy football leagues, but for now I’m going to focus on the two most popular, total point and head-to-head.

            In a total point league, the fantasy team at the end of the regular season with the most fantasy points wins the league.  From week to week teams will earn points in different ways, I’ll explain that later on though. Wins and losses are meaningless in total points leagues.

            On the flip side, in a head-to-head league, at the end of the season it’s the fantasy teams with the best records that meet during the fantasy playoffs to determine the league champion. During the head-to-head league, two teams will meet up each week and the team who receives the most points that week wins the game for that particular week. The total number of points comes from the sum of all the player’s in the starting lineup who earned points.

            Fantasy football is based on a person’s ability to manage and recruit his or her team and scout other teams and players. It is about drafting the best of the best – BUT you can’t always pick the number one player in certain positions each and every week. For example, while you’re picking your team for the upcoming week and looking to fill the wide receiver spot, A.J. Green (Cincinnati Bengals) may have the best statistics, but if the Broncos are playing the Steelers that week , Green wouldn’t be a good pick to make. Why not you ask? His stats are superb and he’s a good player. The Steelers’ defense, under the direction of defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, traditionally has one of the, if not the best, defense in the league, particularly in the passing category. Instead, you would want to look for either a very good wide receiver playing a moderate pass defense team, or a halfway decent receiver playing a terrible pass defensive team.

            Points are earned when players from “your team” score touchdowns, field goals, gain yards, make sacks, interceptions, and more.

(http://www.nfl.com/fantasyfootball/help/whatis)

            The “general manager” (you) has the ability to draft, trade, add, or drop players from his or her roster throughout the season.

            Each fantasy football season starts out just the same as the real world football league, with a draft prior to the opening game. The players drafted will become apart of your team and will remain there unless they are traded or dropped. If that happens, in most leagues, another “owner” has the chance to pick up that free agent if the owner thinks the player would make a significant contribution to his or her team. Also, in most leagues a player can only be owned by one team.

            There are also two types of drafts. A traditional draft, often referred to as a “serpentine” or “snake” draft, is when owners go back and forth like a serpentine in their drafting of players. This meaning that whoever has the last pick in the first round would have the first pick in the second round. During an auction draft though, each owner must “purchase” his or her players using an imaginary budget in an auction format. The owners each have a fair chance of drafting whoever they please based on their budget and could end up with two or more of the best skilled positions (quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, cornerback, and safety) which is something that probably wouldn’t happen in a serpentine draft because the best players usually get picked first.  

            The fantasy leagues establish how many players each team is allowed to have as well as the maximum and minimum number of players at each position.

            The owners choose their lineup typically in the beginning of the week or else before a certain deadline (most often before the Thursday night game). Starters are determined by many things including as I mentioned before, the real-life team matchup, past performance, expected performance, and other strategies.

            The “starters” are the only players who have the ability to earn points for the fantasy team for that week. The most common fantasy team is made up of one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, one placekicker, the choice of one running back/tight end/wide receiver, and one team’s entire defense.

            A typical scoring system is based on the following:

            Offense (quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends):

·      6 points per rushing, receiving, fumble return or kick/punt return touchdown

·      4 points per passing touchdown

·      1 point per 10 yards rushing or receiving

·      1 point per 25 yards passing

Bonus Points:

·      2 points per rushing or receiving touchdown of 40 yards or more

·      2 points per passing touchdown of 40 yards or more

Penalty Points:

·      -2 points per intercepted pass

·      -2 points per fumble lost

Kickers:

·      5 points per 50+ yard field goal made

·      4 points per 40-49 yard field goal made

·      3 points per field goal made, 39 yards or less

·      2 points per rushing, passing, or receiving 2 point conversion

·      1 point per PAT made

Kicker Penalty Points:

·      -2 points per *missed field goal (0-39 yards)

·      -1 point per *missed field goal (40-49 yards)

*missed includes field goal attempts that are blocked, deflected, etc.

            Defensive/Special Teams:

·      10 points for 0 points allowed

·      7 points for 2-6 points allowed

·      4 points for 7-13 points allowed

·      1 point for 14-17 points allowed

·      0 points for 18-21 points allowed

·      -1 points for 22-27 points allowed

·      -4 points for 28-34 points allowed

·      -7 points for 35-45 points allowed

·      -10 points for 46+ points allowed

·      3 points per defensive or special teams touchdown

·      2 points per interception

·      2 points per fumble recovery

·      2 points per blocked punt, PAT, or field goal

·      2 points per safety

·      1 point per sack

(http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/football/ffl/story?page=fflrulesstandardscoring)

            All in all, you simply need to know that points are based on a player’s real world game. The better a player is the more points you will gain.

            Fantasy football is the diehard fan’s dream come true. It’s the chance to finally own, manage, and control your own team (well virtually!).

            Virtual wins and losses from week to week depend on your ability to get full use out of all the players on your roster. More points could be awarded for choosing a backup, but is it worth the risk? Do you have what it takes to be the head coach, general manager, and owner? Welcome to the big leagues.

Xoxo,

~Francesca