Basketball Fool's Gold Have You Been Hooked?

Fool's gold is defined as unlike the real stuff, relatively worthless. When a mirage rises above the horizon in the desert, it appears as if there is a fountain of refreshment ahead. Once at the site, nothing but heat and sand exist. This same scenario is illustrated in any basketball game, regardless of level.

The same goes for the game of basketball in many ways. Parts of the game appear glamorous or fancy to the average fan or coach. What is fool's gold in the game of basketball? Are you a fascinated fan or a flavor-of-the-day coach? If so, the following list will surprise you.

1. The Slam Dunk---The dunk is a great part of the game only when kept in perspective. The shot counts the same as a lay-up, 12-footer, or two free throws. It is beneficial because of the message is can send and momentum is can create.

The slam dunk is fool's gold because: 1. It is linked to player ability. Many times the ability to dunk has NOTHING to do with the players' ability to understand and play the game properly. 2. Kids spend an inordinate amount of time working to dunk the ball and a pathetically minimal amount of time working on fundamentals, shooting, and working on their game the right way. 3. E.S.P.N. dictates a lot of basketball knowledge to American viewers and dunks always make the highlights. Because of this fact, purists have labeled the dunk, The Idiots Delight.

2. Blocked Shot---The blocked shot can be a momentum changer and a defensive weapon. It is a part, albeit a small part, of a defensive system of play.

The blocked shot is fool's gold because: 1. It is associated with playing great defense. Good team do block shots occasionally, but there are many awful defensive teams that block shots too. 2. By rying to block shots, players give up position, rebounding advantage, and usually remove themselves from the play once the block is not made. In other words, for what you gain, most of the time you put your team at a disadvantage when trying to block shots. 3. Many times the attempt to block a shot is nothing more than excuse to disregard a solid defensive effort and bail out on your team. 4. A majority of blocked shots go out of bounds, giving possession back to the offense.

3. Three Point Shots---The three point shot is an incredible offensive weapon. Many teams have built their offensive attack around the rifecta. College coaches recruit players for their sharpshooting ability. Not only is the three-pointer a potent weapon, it has added greatly to interest and excitement for the game.

The three point shot is fool's gold because: 1. Teams that see the shot as their ticket to the promised land often fall short of victory. Live by the three and die by the three as they say. 2. Taking a three can be a cope out for persevering through the 35 second shot clock. It is often a bail out shot, meaning the team or player are willing to settle for taking the easy three. 3. Do your homework and check out three-point percentages. A little math will prove why this shot can be fool's gold. 4. It is seen as a way to get back into a game, but many times by launching too many threes, a team will dig a hole too deep to get out of.

4. Tattoos---Tattoos are as common as Chuck Taylor's used to be. There may be messages hidden in these human art pieces, but I'm not sure it adds to the game.

Tattoos are fool's gold because: 1. When tattoos first surfaced on the basketball floor, they brought an air of toughness with them. Now any ol' wimp can wear a tattoo! 2. Pistol Pete Maravich didn't need a tattoo to score 44 points a game throughout his college career.

5. Hustle---By all means, the game needs players that hustle all over the floor. The trained observer can spot a player that seems to be playing hard but in actuality gets nothing positive done.

Hustle is fool's gold because: 1. There is smart hustle and dumb hustle. Many coaches can not distinguish between the two. There is a huge difference between the two. 2. The game should be played hard AND smart. Some players equate hard play and hustle with productive play. 3. A great example is a player that attempts a steal. The play appears to be good hustle, but this attempt actually hurts the team. Why? A player will steal the ball about 1 of 5 times. In 4 of 5 situations, the player puts his team in a 5 vs. 4 disadvantage situation. This disadvantage is known as outside looking in and usually creates a foul or points for the opponent.

6. The Ball Handling Wiz---We all love the player that controls the ball as if an extension of his hand. Good ball handlers are commonplace in today's game. Great ball handlers are few and far between.

The ball handling wiz is fool's gold because: 1. Over-dribbling is one of the common offensive killers in basketball. It shows the dribbling ability of the player but little else. The dribble is best used purposefully and three dribbles is usually a good rule. 2. When a player is dribbling, he is not passing. Too many baskets are bypassed because of excessive dribbling. 3. A player with the ball is much easier to guard than a player without the ball. That's why Dr. James Naismith invented the game to include the dribble and the pass!

Randy Brown has passion for the game of basketball. He works as a basketball consultant and mentor for coaches. Visit him at http://www.coachrb.com for free resources, Q & A, newsletter, and coaching programs. A speaker and writer, he has authored 75 articles on coaching and is nationally published. His 18 years in college basketball highlights a successful 23-year career. Mentored by Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson at Arizona. Resume includes positions at Arizona, Iowa State, Marquette, Drake, and Miami of Ohio, 5 Conference Championships and 5 NCAA apprearances. His efforts have helped develop 12 NBA players including Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, and Jaamal Tinsley. To contact Randy, email him at rb@coachrb.com.

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Promotional Marketing Five Suprising Benefits of Waterless Tattoos

The car ride was library-quiet despite having a 10 year-old daughter and an 8 year-old son in the back seat. The peaceful respite from the calamity that usually takes place behind me should have been my clue that something was up. But I was enjoying the rare serenity to the point that I was actually lost in my thoughts ? until this strange popping air sound elbowed its way to the forefront of my consciousness.

Turns out the popping air sound was the two of them spitting on a temporary tattoo and themselves and my upholstery in an attempt to apply a water type temporary tattoo. The police officer ? to whom I first related this story by way of explaining a series of questionable lane changes I made during my discovery of the drama in the back seat ? agreed with me that perhaps we need to rethink this whole temporary tattoo thing.

The event caused me to look deeper into a new promotional product just introduced at the time called waterless tattoos. My research over the next several months brought to light five distinct benefits of waterless tattoos over the conventional temporary tattoo (CTT) that required water to apply.

Sanitary

By and large, I believe eliminating the need for kids to spit on each other is the single biggest benefit of waterless tattoos. Germs and bacteria in saliva can spread all kinds of diseases from the common cold and the flu to Tuberculosis and Meningitis. Waterless tattoos are heat-activated thus eliminating the need for water ? or in the absence of a clean water supply ? spit.

Less Mess

Because there?s no water involved, waterless tattoos are less messy. This is a great benefit especially when you have little kids at an indoor event. You don?t have to worry about spills or water on the carpet.

Less Planning

In order to effectively use CTT's during a promotional event, you must plan for water. With waterless tattoos, water is one less thing for which you need to plan.

Cold Weather Comfort

Application comfort in cold weather is another benefit of the waterless tattoos. Here in Michigan, there?s a nip in the air during football season. It was at one of my son's games on a chilly Saturday in November, I watched a mom apply a CTT on her kids with a wet paper towel. The cold sorta took the fun out of it for the kids. With waterless tattoos, children enjoy the warmth of mommy or daddy?s warm hand pressed against their cheek.

Positive Image

An important benefit of waterless tattoos for corporate promotions involves corporate identification policies. Because of the way CCT's are applied, the image and words appears backwards prior to being applied. Waterless tattoos on the other hand, make a better presentation because everything ? company logo, picture or wording is right-reading, right from the start. That also makes it easier to proof the artwork. What you see is what you get.

One thing to be mindful of with waterless tattoos regards the fact that they are heat-activated. Storage in direct sunlight, near a high-heat source such as a radiator or in a sun-soaked car is discouraged. When stored at high temperatures the tattoo may adhere itself to the cover sheet. For that reason, storage in a cool place in an airtight container is recommended. If the tattoos will sit around at an outdoor event or in a car prior to distribution, keeping them in an insulated lunch sack or small cooler will preserve their integrity.

I remember as a kid, my friends and I would do just about anything, including behave, for a sticker. Today, temporary tattoos are the stickers of the 2000's. Kids love 'em. But as adults, we must recognize that kids will be kids. And as marketers of our brands, company's and events, we need to make appropriate promotional product choices for their sake ? and our image.

Michael Merrick Crooks is a 23-year advertising veteran, copywriter and founder of Crooks Advertising Alliance. His firm, based near Lansing, Michigan (USA) is a creative strike-force that provides advertising, creative problem-solving and promotional marketing services to a diverse client base. His fresh thinking is the result of maintaining the insight of a 7 year old. Always questioning. ... asking why? From logo development and brochure writing, design and production to targeted, promotional concepts, Crooks has an uncanny ability to look at the same thing everyone else does and see something different. For more thought-provoking marketing articles and insights visit http://www.crooksadvertising.com or http://www.waterlesstattoos.com

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Getting Beat By A Girl

Why is it that the vast majority of men are afraid to approach women they are attracted to? Maybe the truth is that guys aren't afraid of the women themselves, but rather of a much more primal, instinctual risk that is involved...

There's a lot of talk about approach anxiety, and for good reason. It has been optimistically estimated that over 80% of all men are terrified of approaching attractive women they have ever met. And let's face it: without overcoming this fear it's all but impossible for a man to experience any success whatsoever in meeting great women, let alone attracting and keeping them.

Most of the information I've read on the subject centers around teaching men to sack up and get over it, using any manner of Jedi mind tricks designed to help us deal with rejection, visualize success, use indirect openers, etc. But I've read relatively little on the subject that dives beyond the surface of the issue. Most of us are or were at some point in our lives afraid to approach women. Instead of being given a pep talk, I'd rather know WHY we as men are almost universally affected by this, and HOW we fell into this trap. From that position of understanding, it makes sense that we can better figure how to dig ourselves out.

And it is absolutely a trap. It's an irrational fear for a man to be afraid of women. After all, most of us as men are not catatonic basket cases sucking our thumbs in a fetal position when it comes to other aspects of our lives. We play football in high school. We go downhill mountain biking, surf hurricanes, get concealed weapon licenses, street race muscle cars, ask customers for high-dollar sales orders, train pit bulls, get full-sleeve tattoos, do third-gear wheelies on GSXR-1000s and remove offending garden snakes from backyard sheds. Some of us even DAYDREAM about things like making high-pressure 20-foot putts for birdie on the 18th green at Augusta National.

Yet, we cannot bring ourselves to go talk to an interesting woman at a bar, an airport or even in our own dormitory at college.

To further underscore how bizarre this phenomenon gets, I remember running with a crowd primarily composed of United States Marines back when I lived in Yuma, Arizona. We'd park our sportbikes somewhere to grab a bite, see an attractive woman and NOT ONE OF US would talk to her. We're talking about guys who had VOLUNTEERED to risk their lives for this country, and furthermore had just finished a pavement blistering canyon run five minutes before.

What is going on here?Here it is: it's not the WOMEN themselves we are afraid of. It's our own egos that hamstring us. Allow me to elaborate.

We as men are competitive beings. When we're out with our buddies it's one contest after another. That's all well and good, and we like it that way. But deep in the soul of every man is a mortal repulsion against getting eat by a girl. Whether women like it, understand it, think it's silly and/or can deal with it is actually irrelevant. It's a fact. The archetypal shame associated with it is wired into our XY genetic code.

Remember back in sixth grade when the girls were maturing and the boys were, well?still looking like little boys? Remember in gym class how some of the girls could run faster and throw harder? It was a drag, wasn't it? When we as guys got older that problem took care of itself for the most part?except in two notable areas: the business world and, of course, the dating world.

In the business world women are going to get promotions and ascend to positions of power with or without any input from YOU in particular. If a woman eats you in that arena, you can either accept it and stick around or find another job.

But dating is another story. The competition is mano-a-mano when it comes to approaching a woman. And THAT, my brethren, is where we as men let our egos betray us. We tend to see approaching women as a COMPETITION. If you or I approach a woman with this mindset, we believe someone is going to WIN and someone is going to LOSE. If she REJECTS us, we lose-and we've been eaten by a girl! And even if we DO get a smile and a phone number, if she doesn't answer the phone when we call her we STILL are getting eat by a girl. Given this situation, it's a no-brainer to see why most men don't even bother to talk to women AT ALL. The risks to ones psychological well being are just too great. Getting eat by a girl is more painful than crashing and burning anywhere else.

So what's the solution?The discussions I've heard about reframing the approach so as to involve a QUALIFICATION PROCESS are the closest to hitting the mark. Our problem as guys typically is that we've PRE-QUALIFIED women before we've even met them based on their looks and/or how they appear to handle themselves from afar. Having already decided we like a woman before even meeting her, the insidious contest is on. Every time.

Instead of approaching women with our approval already sewn up, we need to start putting women to the test in the same manner they famously test us.

Men are typically the CHASERS and women the CHOOSERS in this society as a result of how men tend to view this stuff. Men who deserve what they want and who refuse to settle need to start raising the bar, refusing to offer up immediate approval to women we meet until they have proven to be as attractive AFTER we meet them as they were BEFORE we met them. Women instinctively evaluate us when we approach them, as we know all too well. It's time for us to start doing the same-which we have every right to do as fellow human beings.

And look what happens in that case. The competition factor has magically been lifted from the scenario. If we haven't yet reached our own conclusions when we approach a woman, she really can't eject us?or eat us, as it were. She can only pass or fail our own evaluation process. And as any man who conducts himself with dignity and refuses to settle knows, women who are rude and/or quick to dismiss us thereby fail the qualification process. The principle at play is much the same as when a pushy or otherwise socially inept man fails a woman's test?as well it should be. It's as simple as that.

Simple, maybe, but not easy. It may take some time to unlearn the poisonous habit of seeing the approach as a competition. But the fact remains that we as men have the power to view things in the more sober context of mutual evaluation rather than winning or losing. In doing so we overcome THE major contributor to approach anxiety. And I assure you the effort is well worth it.

Strangely enough, the women will even appreciate you MORE as a result. After all, women love real men.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Scot McKay's dating strategies for those who refuse to settle for anything less than the ULTIMATE relationship are found at: http://www.relationship-advice.us/. Stop by right now and grab a FREE e-book ($20 value) when you sign up for the X & Y Communications Newsletter, which is always packed with unique and practical dating tips.

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How To Earn Extra Income At Fairs Festivals & Craft Shows: How To Draw In More Customers

Once you are in work-mode and preparing for your first festival or fair, you need to decide how you are going to market your products. You will need to get together some ideas before you go to the show or fair so you know specifically how you will set up your booth to appeal to the masses.

Once you have set up your products and your displays are the way you want, make sure to set up a customer friendly atmosphere. Put your cash in a safe place that is easily accessible. I usually put my cash in a fanny pack and carry it around my waist.

The first consideration to drawing in foot traffic is to stand out in a crowd. Many shows are somewhat strict about what type of tents or displays you are allowed to use. Consequently, if you don't make an effort you are going to get lost in the crowd of vendors. Utilize wind spinners, flags and banners to create movement and color to catch the eye of your prospective customers.

Light it up! Especially if you are working a night time or indoor show. Adding light will draw attention and make your product appear more appealing. At night time you can utilize flashing lights to create even more attention.

Utilize good signage. I am constantly amazed at how many vendors overlook this simple but valuable strategy. Make sure your signage is large, clear and to the point. Your sign should state your product rather than your name. For example, if you are selling gourmet popcorn, your sign should read Gourmet Popcorn not Jody's.

Another fun way to stand out is to create a theme based marketing around your product. My specialty item for the last couple of years has been airbrush tattoos. My competitor had a much better theme than I did. They flew pirate flags and had a name that started with the word Captain. It's a fun theme that consistently made them stand out.

Use music to stand out. You can use this in conjunction with your theme. For example, one of my friends had a frozen drink stand and they play tropical Jimmy Buffett type of music. Just remember to watch the volume. Some customers are turned off by music that is too loud.

Learn to display your product for high visibility and attract the crowds with an eye-pleasing tent or display that is also viewed as a welcoming atmosphere for buying. Remember, you are after ?foot traffic? from the patrons of the fair. You want them to walk your way!

Carrie Copenhaver is an entrepreneur and home based business expert. She is also a long time veteran of the fairs, festival and craft show industry. Find out how you can generate extra income at www.weekendcashgenerator.com

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Do You Love Football? Do You Love Money? Want To Make Money With Football?

Are you a self-confessed sports fanatic?

Yes, I know how it feels to be one. I love going on and on about sports. From talking about my favorite player to talking about the politics behind the sports to talking about naming my future son after a football legend...

But, wait, are you satisfied with the current income you possess? Is being a sports fan making you become a millionaire. Not quite? Totally understandable.

However... What would you give if I told you that there is a way to just do everything about sports, AND yet gain enormous amounts of income? Sounds far-fetched? Not at all.

You see, in the internet era, basically everything is electronized. Information is rampant on the net, and millions of people search for information everyday.

How does this concern you?

Well, with a little bit of effort, and with a clear and focused mind, you could very well achieve financial freedom by doing something that you love! Keep in mind it doesn't HAVE to be sports orientated only. I was merely giving an example. You can make money even with your love for cats, or tattoos, or ancient Rome literature; anything!

This is how it works. There are many ways to generate an income online. From selling products (physical and software), being a distributor of products, being a content-driven webmaster, and so on.

Let me give you a few examples. Mr A. loves football. He wants to use his love for football as a catalyst towards achieving financial freedom. So, he sits down, and thinks about what he could do. He spends days, weeks researching on the demand of surfers online on football. He analyzes the amount of websites providing answers to these people.

Mr A. then finds a niche (something of high demand by internet users but low supply in terms of websites providing the needed information or product), which is, rading rare football memorabilia.

He then proceeds to spend days reading up on how to build a web site specializing in dealing with rare football memorabilia and also hosting a discussion forum for all football fans interested in rare football memorabilia.

Months after, with thousands of people flocking to his website, selling football memorabilia online, and generating income through Google AdSense (where he gets paid by Google when someone clicks on a Google advertisement in his website), he manages to sustain a credible five-figure income every month.

Sounds great? It might to you, but I think Mr A. could have done much better. You see, unlike Mr A., I can spend just one week max to set up any web site of my choice, with any niche field I want! This is because many site builders are starting to automate all the steps that Mr A took.

A layman no longer has to do his own research on his niche field. All he has to do is just type in the niche he wants to create a website on. Voila! Everything set up for you. With site builders, you never need to learn how to use HTML or XML or JAVA! Just learn how to use a keyboard and you're all set!

How about advertising and promotion you ask?

Of course it's automated! All you have to do is just supervise the work and customize some parts to your liking.

In a nutshell, there are three kinds of people in the world.

1. People who love what they do but don't generate income from it

2. People who love what they do and generate income from it through the power of the internet and takes months learning how to build a web site

3. People who love what they do and generate income from it through the power of the internet and take as little as 1 week to create a working and attractive website ready to bring in income the second they click Build!

Question is, who do you want to be?

If you think you like being person 1, then close this article and forget about it.

If you think you like being person 2, start buying books from your bookstores or online books and start doing months of research!

If you think you like being person 3, get a sitebuilder that will automate all the hard tasks for you!

Hold! I know, I know, you are really hyped up about earning enough cash for a lifetime. Creating an online business related to your interest is a great way to do it. But, face it; if you didn't know about online business till you read my article, chances are you don't know much about the internet marketing world!

Fear not! I have summarized the basics of internet marketing so that you will get the gist of it. I will start explaining on how

* internet business essentially works.

* The jargon related to online business

* Important facts to remember

* Different types of online businesses and more..

Well, what are you waiting for? Click on the link to start reading! ( Don't worry, it'll only take 5 minutes or so, not months!). http://www.internetmarketingleader.com/learn-internet-marketing.html

For those who ALREADY understand the fundamentals of internet marketing and want to start but not sure about which products suit them best, please try out my recommendations. I promise you won't be disappointed! I wasn't!
http://www.internetmarketingleader.com/online-business-website-products.html

About the Author

Daniel Chua
Reviews of The Best Internet Marketing Products And Services!
Try all other internet marketing products first. Once they fail you, visit my website
http://www.internetmarketingleader.com

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Itchiness Flakiness and Peeling: The Healing Process

So I?m half way through the second week of healing after getting my second tattoo and all I want to do it scratch it. I don?t remember my first one itching so much. I wonder if the location has something to do with it, or if the fact that this one is color and the first one was black.

I do know that location can affect the rate of healing for any wound. The closer to the heart the better the circulation and the faster the healing. That?s probably one contributing factor to my first tattoo, on my abdomen, healing quickly. My new one is on my foot, so more than likely it?s going to take a while to heal.

I noticed most tattoo artists give the same advice for taking care of tattoos. I?ve been following my artist?s instructions as closely as I can and so far things look good. I just keep thinking about how much it hurt and how I really don?t want to have to get it touched up.

Pain is subjective and different parts of the body experience pain differently. I now know that the tops of my feet experience a lot of pain. I?m still glad I put it there. My thought is that you shouldn?t choose a location without thinking about it first. I chose my design and the top of my foot near my ankle seemed like the best place for it. And an hour of pain really wasn?t that bad---now that it?s over.

It?s just the damn itchy, flaky, peeling healing process that?s driving me crazy. After reading about the healing process and how to properly care for a new tattoo I still just want to scratch it. It?s like having an itchy nose and not being able to do anything about it. It?s torturous. Since it was self inflicted does that make me a masochist?

Scott Jones organizes Tattoos by Design Zine at www.tattoos-by-design.co.uk/zine/.

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