Sports Fan Blog Network Posts

FOAMHEADS

beaston26 — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:12:25 +0000

We are very excited to announce that we have added Foamheads and their exciting line of goods to our ever-growing product list. The addition includes the Tradtional Mascot Foamheads, Helmet Foamheads, and the brand new Warface Masks! The Traditional Mascot Foamheads feature your team’s mascot that you can wear on your head. Always a fan favorite, these Foamheads let everyone know you are a serious fan, but at the same time, they can be downright hilarious. The Helmet Foamheads are a much softer and comfortable fit than your traditional helmet. With a fleece lining on the inside, your head will never feel uncomfortable. Feel free to sport these at a football game in any weather as they water resistant and keep your head warm in the elements! The facemask is also detachable for a clear view of the action. The Warface Masks are one of the newest Foamhead products and will put fear into your fiercest rival! The masks emulate the “Jason Mask” style with your teams colors and logo on the front. The Warface Masks are an awesome look for any big game atmosphere! FOAMHEAD PRODUCTS Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook

MORNING ENERGY BOOST!

beaston26 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:54:47 +0000

Get an additional boost out of your morning coffee with our NFL Team Mug Sets! Each set comes with a ceramic mug as well as a stainless steel travel mug so you can enjoy your beverage of choice on the road. With two logo styles and a helmet design to choose from, you can’t go wrong for under $30 (not including shipping). The thrill of drinking out of these mugs will make decaf feel like it has an extra kick of caffeine in it! Coffee Mug Sets Like QWebstores on Facebook or follow on Twitter

PLANNING A SPRING TRAINING TRIP?

beaston26 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:34:47 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2012 baseball season will be underway shortly as pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in a little less than 3 weeks. Fans looking to make the trip down to see how their teams look coming out of the off-season will certainly need some luggage. We have just thing for the ultimate fan travel experience with our MLB Roadblock Style Duffel Bags and MLB Back Packs! These bags in team colors with multiple team logos and plenty of room for your belongings. Pricing ranges from $29.95-$39.95. Get yours now and start traveling in style! MLB Roadblock Style Duffel Bags MLB Back Packs Like QWebstores on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Winning Streak Banners are in Stock!!

beaston26 — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:35:01 +0000

Need an emotional boost to get you through the day? How about being reminded of your team’s championship glory every day? With our new dynasty banners you’ll never forget the thrill of being on top! The banners are 24 in. x 36 in. and made of wool. Dynasty banners displays your team’s colors, logo, and each championship year. Heritage banners show the evolution of each team’s logo over the years. This item is available in all major sports and college teams as well! These items are a must own for every true fan! Check out banners here Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook

Chicks Dig the Long Ball

beaston26 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:45:08 +0000

Having trouble pumping out the home runs now that the steroid era has come to an end? You’re in luck! We have just added a very exciting new line of product that will not only get you the on-field results, you will do it while looking like you belong in the MLB. Our new collection of customizable Louisville Slugger wooden baseball bats, the official lumber of Major League Baseball, can help you take it to the next level. There are so many ways you can customize your personal Louisville Slugger bat.!Youth (26 and 30 inches) and adult sizes (34 inches) are both available. Are you an alumnus of Oklahoma State University? You can get your own name printed on a bat emblazoned with the Oklahoma State logo! Are you a fan of the New York Yankees? Get your name on a bat with the Yankees logo just like you were a member of the Bronx Bombers! Our team licensed bats only come in the natural tan color, but we do have a variety of colors for non-licensed bats. Available are black with silver and gold lettering, baby blue, red, and several two-tone patterns. Some bats can cost upwards of $100! The best part about your personalized Louisville Slugger is that it will only cost you $53.99 (not including shipping and handling) for the team-licensed bats while the non-licensed ones will only run you $48.99 plus shipping costs. The only caveats in the deal is that we are not permitted to engrave the names of actual professional baseball players, MLB team names, or other registered trademark names. This is to prevent fraud for autographed bats. Once you are all set, place your order on autograph-supply.com. The bats are custom made upon your order. This means that there is a 2-5 business day period that will be added on to the transit time to manufacture and personalize your bat. Click on the links below to start your chase of the home run record!! MLB Team-Licensed Bats NCAA Team-Licensed Bats Custom Non-Licensed Bats Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook to get all of our product updates!!

Chicks Dig the Long Ball

beaston26 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:45:08 +0000

Keys to Victory for the NY Giants

gamesetmatch — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:02:01 +0000

This Saturday, January 7th, 2012 the Giants will take on the Falcons in the first NFC wildcard matchup. Since 2001 the Giants and Falcons have played six times while splitting the series 3-3. While the Giants have taken the last three from the Falcons. Offensively both teams are similar in yards per game with a slight edge going to the Giants but defensively the Falcons are better in yards allowed per game. I believe the main key to victory for the Giants will be there offensive passing game. Looking at the match up between the Giants receivers and the Falcons defensive backs, the Giants have a huge advantage in exploiting the Falcons. Falcons defensive backs are looking suspect and Eli has the weapons and tools to take them down. Once the open up the field with the passing game, the running game will be there for them to mix it up. Now defensively it is going to be a little struggle for the Giants. The Falcons are very talented offensively with one of the best in the league in Tony Gonzalez. If the Giants can put pressure on Matt Ryan and limit Michael Turner then they will have the game in the bag. The Giants are an underestimated team that had a couple of screw ups during the season but now they are entering the second season where its win or go home and after the last game against the Cowboys, the Giants do not look like they are ready to pack up and end their season.

2011 MLB Postseason Awards

beaston26 — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:07:26 +0000

AL Rookie of the Year – 1B Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals Hosmer might not be the man who actually wins this award, but this is probably because his team, the Kansas City Royals, have not been on the national radar for approximately 20 years and did not even sniff the postseason again. The two men he is competing with, starters Ivan Nova and Jeremy Hellickson, both play in the most hyped division in all of baseball and were on postseason teams. The highly touted first basemen did exactly what he was expected to do upon earning his promotion in early May. Rake, rake, and rake some more. Hosmer finished with a .293 average, 19 home runs, and 79 RBIS. Oh yeah, he’s also a burner on the basepaths in regards to first basemen (11 steals). Hosmer’s numbers compare very favorably with the rookie years of other slugging first basemen like Prince Fielder (.271, 28, 81) and Joey Votto (.297, 24, 84). Hosmer looks to be a star in the making. With a lot of other young pieces around him, Hosmer may finally be the player who leads the Royals back to postseason glory. NL Rookie of the Year – RP Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves Unlike the American League honors, the National League Rookie of the Year is a no-brainer. Atlanta Braves closer Craig Kimbrel should be the hands down choice over teammate Freddie Freeman and Phillies starter Vance Worley. Kimbrel burst onto the scene with a blazing heater and was entrenched as the Braves’ closer from the beginning of the season. Kimbrel had a sensational campaign compiling a 4-3 record, 2.10 ERA, 1.65 Ks per inning over 77 innings, and converting 46 of 53 save opportunities. While he ultimately cost the Braves a shot at the postseason with his blown save on the last day of the season, it was against the Philadelphia Phillies, the team with the best record in the NL. In fact 4 of his 7 blown saves came against the St. Louis Cardinals, Phillies, and Diamondbacks, all playoff teams. Kimbrel will need to step his game up against the top flight competition, but that will come with experience. The Braves look to be set at closer for the foreseeable future with Kimbrel in place. AL Manager of the Year – Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays Early in September the Tampa Bay Rays looked to be dead in the water. On September 1^st, they trailed the Boston Red Sox by 9 games for the division and the New York Yankees by 8 games in the Wild Card. Fast forward 4 weeks later and the Rays had a chance to sneak into the playoffs with a Boston loss and a win against the Yankees on the last day of the season. Following a loss by Boston, the Rays, down by 7 runs in the 8^th inning, rallied to come back and win in extra innings, propelling them to the postseason in one of the most unlikely postseason bids ever. Tampa earned this honor by grinding the entire season. Evan Longoria missed extended time, B.J. continued his career of erratic play, runs were scarce, but they were able to hold it all together with their exceptional starting pitching. Maddon coaxed a great year from rookie Jeremy Hellickson and great seasons from James Shields, David Price, Jeff Niemann, and Wade Davis. Great defense also played a huge part as Maddon is one of the games leading minds for employing various defensive alignments depending on the batter and situation. The end result should be Maddon winning Manager of the Year honors by continually doing more with less than everyone in baseball. NL Manager of the Year – Kirk Gibson, Arizona Diamondbacks If someone were to tell you the Arizona Diamondbacks would make the postseason prior to the 2011 season, you would promptly ask them for the phone number of their drug dealer. The Diamondbacks finished dead last in the NL West in 2010. They were one of the most undisciplined teams at the plate and had a dreadful pitching staff. In just his first full season, manager Kirk Gibson was able to change all of that. Boasting a roster that was largely the same as 2010, their major acquisitions were signing Willie Bloomquist and J.J. Putz, the Diamondbacks climbed from worst to first in the division. Led by career years from outfielder Justin Upton and catcher Miguel Montero, the D-Backs finished 9^th in the league in runs scored, very impressive considering they faced the San Francisco Giants’ and San Diego Padres’ pitching staffs for a quarter of the schedule. Gibson showed he was a very capable manager in close games going 28-14 in 1 run affairs. Arizona trailed the defending champion Giants by 4 games at the end of the July, but rolled to win the division by 8 games despite losing starting shortstop Stephen Drew to a broken ankle. Gibson did more than just lead the team to more victories, he instilled a new attitude and demeanor to the ball club. He made them believe they could and would compete with every club out there, and that may be the most important achievement of the season for Gibson going forward. AL Cy Young – SP Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers Justin Verlander’s 2011 season was one of the most impressive seasons we’ve seen in recent years. Verlander was unquestionably the Tigers’ best player all season and willed the Detroit Tigers to the postseason en route to a 24-5 record, 2.40 ERA, .92 WHIP, and 250 strikeouts in 251 innings. The highlight of the year for Verlander came in May against the Toronto Blue Jays. He struck out 4 batters while throwing a no-hitter, the second of his career. With this signature moment combined with his overall statistics, Verlander is a slam dunk pick for the American League Cy Young. NL Cy Young – SP Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers The 2011 season was a disappointment for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Despite being in the midst of a ownership struggle between Frank McCourt and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig following an ugly divorce with McCourt’s wife, the team believed it had enough talent to compete for the division. The Dodgers quickly fell out of contention, but not because of Clayton Kershaw’s effort. Kershaw pulled off the pitching crown leading the National League in wins (21), strikeouts (248), and ERA (2.28). Kershaw also threw a career high 5 complete games with 2 shutout efforts. The Dodgers were 23-10 in Kershaw’s starts, but only 59-69 in games started by other pitchers. Add in the fact that Kershaw outdueled 2-time Cy Young winner and World Series Champion Tim Lincecum 4 times over the course of the season, and you have your 2011 Cy Young winner for the National League. AL MVP – OF Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees The AL MVP race is most likely the tightest race in all of the postseason awards with 4 candidates all having a chance to win. They are Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez, Curtis Granderson, and Justin Verlander. All four players had tremendous seasons, but the nod can go to none other than the “Grandy Man” himself. This is not as much as a testament to what he did as an individual as opposed to what the other candidates failed to do. Justin Verlander had a tremendous season, but only pitched one out of every 5 days limiting his impact. Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez also played very well, but they each played a role in the Red Sox collapse down the stretch that caused them to miss the playoffs. Another factor is that these 2 players will also likely split the votes of those believing a Red Sox player should win the award. That leaves Granderson as the sole survivor, but a very strong one. Despite hitting only .262, Curtis led the league in RBIs with 119 and finished second in the league in home runs with 41. He led the New York Yankees to an AL East crown when a lot of predictions had them missing the playoffs entirely. Granderson finally settled into New York and the Yankee organization to have one of his finest years. He finally became the player the Yankees expected when they traded for him 2 years ago. NL MVP – OF Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers Coming into 2011, the abilities of Ryan Braun were overshadowed by Milwaukee Brewers' teammate Prince Fielder. If you were one of the pitchers who overlooked the “Hebrewer”, you were sure to pay dearly for doing so. Braun finished second in batting average (.332), sixth in home runs (33), fourth in RBIs (111), second in runs (109), and seventh in stolen bases (33). Factor in Braun's solid defense and the Brewers' trip to the postseason and that's one helluva resume. Not bad for a player who was second fiddle on the team. Our apologies to Matt Kemp who had truly sensational numbers, but was on a team who was not playing meaningful baseball for any duration of the season. With Fielder possibly on the way out and Braun coming off his best season, the spotlight will be on him in Milwaukee.

Mid-Season Division Predictions

davidomansky — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:59:14 +0000

With the NFL season about halfway over, here are teams that you will likely see winning their division at the year’s end. NFC East: New York Giants Eli Manning is playing the best football of his career. And despite many injuries, the Giants have players stepping up at all times. At a 6-2 record, and the only team above .500 in the division, it will be hard to see anyone catching up. At 3-5, the Eagles are all about done. For the Cowboys to sneak ahead, they would absolutely have to go 2-0 against New York. NFC North: Green Bay Packers This one is easy, as they have looked untouchable so far. The Bears and Lions could also very well make the playoffs as well, and I would expect Chicago to finish in second in the division. NFC South: Atlanta Falcons Both the Falcons and Saints have looked underwhelming at times. There is only so much that Drew Brees can do with this team. Every year (aside from their Super Bowl win), the defense has stopped the Saints from reaching their true potential. NFC West: San Francisco 49ers They’re 7-1, and nobody else in the division has even three wins. Nothing to be said. AFC East: New York Jets This one will come down to the wire between the Jets and Patriots, but the Jets have been playing at a more consistent level. They struggled early on, but are starting to mesh well. AFC North: Baltimore Ravens This is a legitimate three-team race, but one cannot help but assume that the Bengals will falter off. Pittsburgh is within legitimate striking distance, but Baltimore has that intimidation factor on defense, and look hungrier than ever. AFC South: Houston Texans The Texans have to win the division this year. At 6-3, the division is theirs for the taking. There are simply no excuses on their end if they fail. AFC West: Oakland Raiders This division continues to be mediocre at best, but the Raiders have to be the favorites to win. Different players constantly step up, and they finally have a good quarterback. Philip Rivers has just been missing something this year, and the Chiefs are not talented enough (and Charles has been out for the season). So there are the predicted division winners, and I would expect the Bears, Saints, Steelers, and Patriots to also make the playoffs.

Papelbon Has Landed

davidomansky — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:56:45 +0000

The Phillies have signed closer Jonathan Papelbon. The deal is worth $50 million over four years, and is the biggest deal ever for a relief pitcher. While he had a down year in 2010, Papelbon quickly bounced back. Mariano Rivera makes more per season, but the contract did not have this length (or amount). This means the end of Ryan Madson’s tenure in Philadelphia. After having many years of underwhelming closers, the Phillies enjoyed Brad Lidge’s success as they won the World Series. However, Lidge was never the same after that magical season. Since then, Phillies fans have been clamoring for an elite closer, and their prayers were finally answered.

Pujols Or Bust

davidomansky — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:55:45 +0000

It is no secret that Florida does not really care about baseball. Even while enjoying success, the Tampa Bay Rays struggle to garner a respectable crowd. And while the Miami Marlins will attempt to create interest in the MLB in Florida, only one man can do it: Albert Pujols. If Jose Reyes went to Miami, he would not be the biggest star on the team. However, Pujols is (arguably) the biggest star in the league, and his presence in Miami would be huge. If the NBA had no season, that would help Miami as well. And if Pujols was on board, all of the comparisons to the Heat would be there. At this point, it is best if Miami were to go all out. Offering Pujols nearly $30 million per season may seem like a rip-off, but it is worth it. The contract may look bad in five years, but it will create serious interest in a lacking market. At this point, it is either “Pujols or Bust”.

Soaring Struggles

davidomansky — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:54:35 +0000

With a 3-5 record, the Philadelphia Eagles seem as if they will be watching the playoffs on television this year. Even though they lead the division in point differential, they are looking up at the 6-2 Giants. Four out of the five losses that the Eagles have suffered this year were within a touchdown. Down the stretch, nobody is converting on the plays that they need to. Whether it is a fumble, or an offsides penalty, or an overthrown ball. The lockout certainly did the Eagles no favors. With limited time to prepare for the season, that is not good for a team that had so many new players. By the time the Eagles fully mesh, the season will be over. So they are not a “dream team”, but who honestly expected them to be? Nobody should take a third-string quarterback’s perspective on anything. But they will be more of a dream team next year, but it will come with a cost. That cost is watching the playoffs on television, and having the Eagles know that they are more talented than some of the teams that they will be watching.

Not The Same

davidomansky — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:53:28 +0000

The Chargers look to be in serious trouble this year in terms of missing the playoffs. The blame has to go on their star quarterback, Philip Rivers. In addition to key fumbles, Rivers has 15 interceptions this season, to just 13 touchdowns. To put it into perspective- last season, he had less interceptions while enjoying 30 touchdowns. With Carson Palmer looking good, it would be tough to see the Raiders not taking the division. San Diego usually gets better as the season progresses, but that does not seem to be the case here. While Rivers is heavily to blame, the offensive line is not exactly doing him any favors. He has been sacked 25 times already, which was the same amount as the entire 2009 season. The Chargers have been at the top of the division for many years, and that is partially due to weak competition. But with the Raiders looking good (not great), and the Chargers looking not-so-great, Rivers may have a longer off-season than usual.

Ten Reasons Lesnar Wins

davidomansky — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:50:02 +0000

Next month, Brock Lesnar meets Alistair Overeem in what will be one of the biggest heavyweight collisions in UFC history. Many people are proclaiming that Overeem will easily win if it stays standing, and Lesnar will win if it goes to the ground. But here are ten reasons why Brock Lesnar will be victorious, regardless of where the fight goes.

1. Brock Lesnar won the eight-man, King of the Ring tournament in 2002; and two of the fights were even on the same night. In the eight-man Strikeforce Grand Prix, Overeem stopped after round one.

2. Did you know? Brock is a former NCAA Division I Champion.

3. Brock has defeated two Olympic Gold Medalists (Kurt Angle & Mark Henry).

4. In Overeem’s last fight against a Light Heavyweight, he lost to Shogun Rua. In Lesnar’s last fight against a Light Heavyweight, he beat Shannon Moore.

5. Brock has a record of 2-0-1 against The Undertaker.

6. MMAMath: Lesnar beat Mir, who beat Antonio Nogueira, who beat Sergei Kharitonov, who beat Alistair Overeem.

7. Amount of former (major) World Heavyweight Champions that Overeem has beaten: 0. Amount that Lesnar has beaten: 17 (Frank Mir, Randy Couture, Jeff Hardy, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Ric Flair, Mark Henry, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Randy Orton, John Cena, The Undertaker, Eddie Guerrero, Big Show, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Rey Mysterio).

8. In 2003, Brock Lesnar won the Royal Rumble, which means he outlasted 29 other superstars on one night.

9. Brock has a hotter girl to get on top of.

10. Lesnar’s F5 has finished off more opponents than Overeem’s Uberknees.

2011 Season in Review: Arizona Diamondbacks

beaston26 — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:05:21 +0000

The Arizona Diamondbacks were one of the biggest surprises of 2011 going from worst to first in one year. The 2010 version of the Diamondbacks featured sloppy defensive play, poor pitching, and a lot of strikeouts at the plate. Manager Kirk Gibson and former San Diego Padres GM Kevin Towers instilled an entirely new attitude in his team that had them competing 9 innings every night. This led to a decrease in runs allowed by 152 runs! The organization has assembled a bunch of young players who will get to grow together alongside their manager in an organization with a clear direction so they will continue to be a team to watch out for years to come. The makeup of the Arizona Diamondbacks team was constructed in a similar fashion to their NL West counterpart Los Angeles Dodgers. Starter Ian Kennedy, acquired in a 3-team deal last year, emerged as the team’s ace and a Cy Young contender. Kennedy led the team in strikeouts, wins, and ERA. During a stretch from July 8^th through the end of the regular season Kennedy received winning decisions in 13 out of 15 starts. Joe Saunders and Daniel Hudson did a solid job backing up Kennedy to provide an adequate 1-2-3 rotation. The duo combined for a 28-25 record with a mid 3 ERA. Rookie Josh Collmenter also kept opponents off-balance with his unorthodox delivery. While Kennedy set the tone for the pitching staff, Justin Upton did most of the damage for the offense. Upton led the team in home runs, RBIs, stolen bases, and is developing into one of the best outfielders in the major leagues. Miguel Montero was an all-around contributor from catcher. He provided excellent protection for Upton hitting behind him and played great defense as the backstop. Gerardo Parra,a defensive replacement most of his career, developed into a starting outfielder and led the team in batting average. Paul Goldschmidt, a late-season call up, looks to be the real deal at first base and should be a fixture in the heart of the order for years to come. Manager Kirk Gibson did an excellent job making the most out of his entire roster night in and night out to get the results he wanted. Gibson is a leading candidate for Manager of the Year. If the Diamondbacks are truly going to be contenders for the foreseeable future they will have to further improve their infield. Veteran second basemen Aaron Hill did a nice job when acquired mid-season from Toronto and third basemen Ryan Roberts was a surprise, but neither is a long-term answer. Shortstop Stephen Drew was hurt in July but has not lived up to his draft status. Willie Bloomquist did OK filling in for him, but is nothing more than a stopgap. Also the back end of the rotation needs to be shored up. Jason Marquis was acquired at the trading deadline, but got hurt in his first start with the team and was out for the year. Chris Young has underperformed almost every year and the organization would be wise to prepare a contingency plan if he continues to underwhelm. Bright Spots: Ian Kennedy, Justin Upton, Miguel Montero, Paul Goldschmidt, Ryan Roberts, Gerardo Parra, Daniel Hudson, Josh Collmenter, J.J. Putz Disappointments: Chris Young, Jason Marquis, Stephen Drew, Kelly Johnson, Aaron Heilman, Armando Galarraga

2011 Season in Review: Los Angeles Dodgers

beaston26 — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:27:46 +0000

The Los Angeles Dodgers season opening win over Tim Lincecum was marred by an ugly incident with the beating of a Giants fan in the parking lot. This incident seemed to be a bad omen and coupled with other distractions, hung over the team’s head the entire year. With a core of strong young players, the Dodgers were expecting to be a strong team competing for a division title. The divorce case of the owner Frank McCourt and underperformance of key players In light of these circumstances, a few players had some monster individual performances. Unfortunately the team was not able to build on the momentum generated by those individuals and the team struggled to an 82-79 record. Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp seemingly had to carry the rest of the team on their backs from start to finish. Kershaw outdueled San Francisco ace Tim Lincecum 4 times over the course of the season and each was a tightly contested contest. Kershaw finished with the pitcher’s version of the Triple Crown (strikeouts, wins, and ERA). Matt Kemp was equally as dominant in the batter’s box. Kemp was simply awesome. He nearly finished with the Triple Crown, but finished third in batting average. The performance by the rest of the team ranged from wildly mediocore to hardly inspiring at all. While Kemp had 39 home runs, the second highest on the team was Rod Barajas with 16. Andre Either, the player supposed to be second fiddle to Kemp, hit only 11 home runs and was a shell of his former self. The same could be said for starter Chad Billingsley, the number 2 starter behind Kershaw. Billingsley had the worst season of his career. His strikeouts dropped for the 3^rd consecutive year and recorded the highest ERA and most hits allowed of his MLB tenure. Dee Gordon, son of former pitcher Flash Gordon, came up to play shortstop for spurts and was electrifying on the basepaths. His game is very raw right now, but he could be a great sparkplug at the top of the lineup in the near future. The bullpen was also very strong minus the efforts of injured Jonathon Broxton and Hong-Chih Kuo. The key for the Dodgers to have a more successful season in 2012 is to upgrade the lineup. Andre Eithier and James Loney are solid pieces, but not hitting in the middle of the order. Rod Barajas is an abomination at catcher, and veterans like Casey Blake and Jamey Carroll fail to strike any fear into opposing pitchers. The starting rotation must also be improved upon. Hopefully a settlement to the McCourt divorce case will allow the owner to set forth a direction for the team. Bright Spots: Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp, Bullpen, Hiroki Kuroda, Dee Gordon Disappointments: Andre Ethier, Casey Blake, Rod Barajas, James Loney, Chad Billingsley, Jonathon Broxton

2011 Season in Review: New York Yankees

beaston26 — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:27:13 +0000

Even though they exited in the first round playoffs, the 2011 has to be viewed as a successful campaign for the New York Yankees. Prior to the season, everyone and their mother had the Boston Red Sox winning the AL East. The Yankees were not even a lock to secure a Wild Card bid. Armed with a makeshift starting rotation (C.C. Sabathia, Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, rookie Ivan Nova, and the erratic A.J. Burnett) a few slumping players (Jeter, Swisher, Teixera), and injuries (A-Rod, Jeter, Soriano), the Yankees managed to overcome the odds to win the division. The 2011 season was special for reasons other than the division crown. Two of the franchise’s most celebrated players recorded signature moments over the course of the year. Derek Jeter went 5-5 in a game in which he hit a home run for his 3,000^th career hit. Mariano Rivera converted his 600^th save as well as the career mark for saves with 603. All players that endured lengthy slumps managed to right the ship. Mark Teixera’s batting average was a far cry below his career average, but he managed to tie his second highest mark for home runs with 39 and was a run producing machine. Jeter broke out of his slow start in a big way to finish just shy of a .300 batting average. Nick Swisher also bounced back in a big way after seeing his average sit in the low .200’s in June. Curtis Granderson rebounded strongly from a disappointing 2010 season with MVP caliber numbers. Granderson lead the AL with 41 home runs on the year. Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia delivered very impressive years disproving the critics who said they were done. Ivan Nova burst onto the scene going 16-4 and is a top candidate for AL Rookie of the Year. The 2012 season could be the beginning of a transitional period for the New York Yankees. Jorge Posada was slowly phased out during the course of the year and Jesus Montero appears to be the future at catcher. Despite the revivals of Garcia and Colon, they are not at all long-term answers in the rotation. Pitching is definitely a necessity this off-season. Nova should not be counted on to deliver the same performance in his second year and Phil Hughes has a history of injury concerns. The Yankees appear to be set with their current roster of positional players, but someone to spell Alex Rodriguez in the field should be brought in as he moves closer and closer to a full-time designated hitter. Bright Spots: Curtis Granderson, Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon, Mariano Rivera, Nate Robertsom Disappointments: Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Rafael Soriano, A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain

2011 Season Review: New York Mets

beaston26 — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:18:36 +0000

Despite missing the postseason for the fifth consecutive season, 2011 was a success for the New York Mets. A change in club culture has set the Mets on the right path to have success in the near future. Entering the season, the club’s pitching staff was in complete disarray and there were question marks all around the diamond outside of David Wright and Jose Reyes. Even they weren’t rock solid with their injury history in recent years. The Mets managed to hang around .500 for a majority of the year despite not having Carlos Beltran, David Wright, and Jose Reyes for stretches. The result was optimism at the end of the year when they finished 77-85. The emergence of some young players on the team shows signs of a new beginning. New General Manager Sandy Alderson and Manager Terry Collins definitely put their stamp on this Mets team. Alderson made some crafty moves in acquiring Chris Capuano be an innings eater and prized young arm Zack Wheeler from San Francisco in a trade for Carlos Beltran. Collins managed wonderfully, getting the Mets to play hard and focused throughout the season, something not associated with the organization in recent years. With Collins at the helm, Jose Reyes enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career. Reyes had over 10 triples by July and was lead the league in batting. He may have finished with better numbers had a reoccurring hamstring injury not forced him to miss extended time. Several young players had breakout seasons for the Mets. Ike Davis and Daniel Murphy were tearing the cover off the ball, but both had their seasons end prematurely with injuries. A position must be found though for Murphy as he continues to struggle wherever they put him on the field. Also providing a spark were middle infielders Ruben Tejada and Justin Turner. They often worked counts, got on base at the top of the lineup, played sound defense, and filled in for Reyes admirably when he was on the shelf. Lucas Duda also found his stroke, but it remains to be seen where he projects in the field (outfield seems most likely). David Wright missed a prolonged period of time due to a stress fracture in his back, but came back strongly at the plate when he finally returned. The main focus for the 2012 Mets is ensuring that the dynamic Jose Reyes is penciled in at shortstop and leading off for the foreseeable future. Tejada is a decent replacement, but he is no Reyes by any means. The Mets are strapped for cash because of owner Fred Wilpon’s involvement with ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff, but Reyes should be brought back by any means. Returning some injured players to health coupled with further development of young players could make this lineup a very potent one (especially with the fences at Citi Field being brought in). Upgrades in the starting rotation and bullpen are a necessity if this team really wants to compete, but financial limitations may postpone that for another year or two. Bright Spots: Lucas Duda, Daniel Murphy, Jose Reyes, Ruben Tejada, Justin Turner, Chris Capuano, Ike Davis Disappointments: David Wright, Jason Bay, Angel Pagan, Josh Thole, Bullpen, R.A. Dickey

2011 Season Review: San Francisco Giants

beaston26 — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:23:00 +0000

Winning the World Series in 2010 brought high hopes for the 2011 San Francisco Giants. The Giants returned almost everyone from their championship team and most thought they would be primed to return to the fall classic. A huge rash of injuries, including a season-ending ankle injury to budding star catcher Buster Posey in late May, were too much for the offensively-challenged Giants to overcome. Not even the mid-season acquisition of Carlos Beltran was enough as they became the first World Series Champion to miss the playoffs the following year since the St. Louis Cardinals in 2007. The pitching was fantastic for most of the season, but the offense was the exact opposite. Tim Lincecum finished with a record under .500 (13-14) despite almost dropping his ERA a full run from the year before (3.43 to 2.74). Journeyman Ryan Vogelsong filled in magnificently for the injured Barry Zito. Pitching in the majors for the first time in 5 years, Vogelsong went 13-7 with a 2.71 ERA and made the NL All Star team. The pitching staff set the tone for San Francisco as they finished second in the ML in runs allowed. After struggling mightily with his weight last year, slugger Pablo Sandoval showed up this season in fabulous shape. He carried that over into the regular season where he had a very strong campaign and also made the All Star team. Despite Sandoval’s efforts, San Francisco finished dead last in runs scored in the NL. There is a lot of uncertainty moving forward for the Giants. They have huge question marks to answer at first base, shortstop, second base, centerfield, and one of the corner outfield positions. Aubrey Huff was absolutely dreadful, but has alternated great years with awful years throughout his career and is a good candidate to bounce back (not to mention he’s in the final year of his contract at $10 million). He will be competing with some youngster who got valuable playing time this year in Brandon Belt and Brett Pill. The Giants hope Freddy Sanchez can return strongly from his shoulder injury that forced him out of action for the season in June. It is unknown where the players for the remaining positions will come from, but free agency is a strong possibility. All in all it was a disappointing season by the bay, but with a little better luck on the injury front, the season could have been a lot different. With their extremely talented pitching staff, a little help offensively could go a long way and a return to the postseason is very possible. Bright Spots: Pablo Sandoval, Ryan Vogelsong, Madison Bumgarner, Sergio Romo, Nate Schierholtz Disappointments: Aubrey Huff, Cody Ross, Miguel Tejada, Barry Zito, Brian Wilson

Power Outage in Union, NJ

sportsfan1 — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:53:34 +0000

Due to the recent snow storm this past weekend, our offices in Union, NJ have been left without power. Our staff will be working remotely and monitoring all emails coming in to our websites so the best way to get in touch with us until power is restored is by our email address: autographsupply at gmail dot com. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you and hope to have power restored soon.

Jerry’s World Looking the Same as Ever

gamesetmatch — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:23:50 +0000

Heading into the 2011 National Football League season the Dallas Cowboys were among the sports betting favorites to contend for the NFC title. The hype around the Cowboys is always over the top and this year was no different despite the fact that the 2010 season that was touted as the first time a team would ever play a Super Bowl on its home field instead turned into ashes as coach Wade Phillips was fired in midseason, Tony Romo was injured for most of it, and the Cowboys finished in disgrace. Jason Garrett served as interim coach after Phillips was canned and got the full time gig because the Cowboys at least tried harder than they did under Phillips and because owner Jerry Jones would remain in total control of the team. And therein lies the real problem. Since “The Win Machine,” Jimmy Johnson, departed Jerry’s World after the 1993 season that ended with a second consecutive Super Bowl win the Cowboys have never been the same. Sure, Barry Switzer did win a 1995 title with the team that Johnson built but the team was in decline and has never reached the same level that they did under Johnson. Johnson simply couldn’t stand working for Jones anymore and left despite the fact that he had a shot at Vince Lombardi’s modern record of 3 consecutive NFL championships (1965-67). Dallas remains a maddeningly inconsistent team that one week looks “super” and the next week looks inept. The Cowboys have split their first 6 games on the schedule and are coming off a 34-7 annihilation of the hapless St. Louis Rams at Cowboys Stadium. The problem of course is that Dallas lost the two previous games prior to that and made costly mistakes in the process. Romo has been up and down with a 10/6 TD/INT ratio. He was spectacular in a Monday Night home win over then undefeated Washington as he rallied the team that was being killed by the mistakes of younger players. Then, just when everyone bought into the media hype about Romo finally maturing as a leader he went out and helped blow a 27-10 lead at home to the Detroit Lions in which he was intercepted 3 times and failed to engineer time consuming drives to protect the lead as Dallas was stunned in a 34-30 loss. So far for the Cowboys it has been the old adage about how the more things change; the more things stay the same. Jones is the same and until he hires a true football man to run things the results are unlikely to improve significantly, even in the weakened NFC East.

Big (L)East

beaston26 — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:58:33 +0000

On Tuesday reports began to surface that West Virginia was being offered a spot in the Big 12, which it would undoubtedly accept. Prior to the Big 12’s offer, the Mountaineers previously requested to join both the SEC and ACC in an attempt to desperately abandon the sinking ship that is known as the Big East. Joining brief Big East member TCU as the latest school to defect from the Big East to the Big 12, the conference looks to be as vulnerable and desperate as ever. Today new reports are coming in that West Virginia has been put on hold for the Big 12. Another Big East school, Louisville, is one of the front runners to join the Big 12. Either way it appears that another school will be poached from the conference. Prior to the start of the 2011 season, the Big East looked to be as robust as ever. New member TCU had just scored one of the biggest upsets in the BCS era with a win over the Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl. 11 of the 16 teams (not including TCU) received a bid to the annual March Madness tournament with the Connecticut ending up as the national champion. All of that momentum has been squashed as the conference hangs on dearly for survival. In September it was announced that the ACC was moving to a 14-team league with the additions of Syracuse and Pittsburgh, two of the “founding fathers” of the Big East. Just a couple of weeks later, TCU also left the Big East without ever competing in a single conference game. The newest loss of either Louisville or West Virginia would bring the number of football schools down to a paltry 5. The biggest issue is that the conference would lose its Automatic Qualifying status for a BCS bowl game and the millions of dollars of revenue that come with it. Losing its most successful members would all but ensure that of becoming a reality. Who is to blame for the entire debacle and downfall of the Big East? The answer falls squarely on John Marinatto’s shoulders. Marinatto is the commissioner of the Big East, but represents a small Catholic school in Providence that has very little relevance in either of the major money-producing sports. Providence does not compete in football at all and you could argue the same for basketball as they have been bottom dwellers in the conference for most of the last decade. Instead of building on their momentum and continuing expansion, Marinatto and the rest of the Big East brass chose to twiddle their thumbs while the other BCS conferences examined which schools to poach to their liking. This whole mess could have been avoided if the conference had taken the proper time and avenues to add 1 to 3 more schools among Central Florida, Southern Methodist, Boise State, East Carolina, Houston, East Carolina, Navy, Air Force, Temple, or Memphis. It seemed as though Marinatto did not want to disrupt or taint the reputation of Big East’s basketball-only contingent which was comprised of smaller, academic, religious institutions. Now with conference on life support, Marinatto has been making bold statements with little to back them up. He has declared on several occasions that the Big East will hike its exit fee to 10 million dollars, keep Pittsburgh and Syracuse in the Big East for 27 months, look to send invitations to 6 additional schools, establish a conference championship game for football played in New York, and retain their AQ status. Other rumored options are the combining of the remaining Big East Schools, Conference USA, and the Mountain West to form a 28-32 team super-conference. These ideas seems pretty farfetched and a last ditch effort for Marinatto to save face publicly. The most realistic and likely scenario to play out would be for the remaining schools in the Big East (Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville/West Virginia, Rutgers, and South Florida) to be absorbed by the other BCS conferences with the possibility that one or two of the schools will be left out in the cold. It is less clear what will happen to the basketball-only schools, but it is possible that they would stick together and keep the basketball version of the Big East alive amongst themselves.A lot of what will play out in the future depends on what Notre Dame decides to do. While a member of the Big East for all sports minus football, they hold the most leverage in the situation and have the choice of joining whatever conference they’d prefer, if they join one at all. The Irish have a television deal with NBC that pays them about 15 million dollars annually. For Notre Dame to join a conference they would likely have to give that up to join another conference. If Marinatto was truly concerned about saving the conference he would have given Notre Dame an ultimatum. Join the Big East for all sports or get out entirely. This would force Notre Dame's and other conference's hand. If the Irish joined the Big East for football, credibility to the conference would have been instantly restored. If they chose to left they would have had to find another conference to join for their remaining sports. Instead of putting himself in a position of power, Marinatto relinquished that ability to Notre Dame and it will ultimately cost him his conference. In its darkest days, the Big East will need both football and basketball schools to come together in agreement on what the future of the conference will be. Right now both sides have their own agendas and are set on accomplishing them. This has greatly hampered the ability to move the Big East forward in these troubling times. If both sides to do not come together to form a clear-cut plan, the conference will most likely be extinct on the football landscape.

Many Surprises Abound in the NFL

gamesetmatch — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:31:25 +0000

The dynamics that go into pro football continue to change on a week by week basis as there are few things that a bettor can cling to as permanent fact. A great example of this comes with the wild sports betting swings of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs had a dreadful start to the season going 0-2 both straight up and against the spread as they were outscored by a combined 10-89. As everyone wrote them off for the rest of the season the Chiefs began to get themselves straightened out and won 3 of their next 4 games while getting the money all 4 times. If ever there was an example of the dangers for gamblers with forgone conclusions and giving up on a team it would be the Chiefs. Another surprise team has been the Carolina Panthers as they have given everyone a stark lesson on the dynamics of sports value. Carolina has been ignited by rookie quarterback Cam Newton and although they lost 5 of their first 7 games they did cover the spread 5 times. For gamblers looking for a bargain value, Carolina serves as a reminder that teams who are ignored by the general betting public are often the best money makers that can be found. Another surprise team has been the San Francisco 49ers who had a record of 5-1 straight up and 5-0-1 against the spread. For anyone who doubts that a good head coach can make a difference, the 49ers have proven that it can be an immense weapon. Jim Harbaugh has completely changed the dynamics and expectations since arriving from Stanford last January. Harbaugh is also winning with the quarterback that the general public totally wrote off, Alex Smith. For those looking for a reliable team that they can count on there is Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots. New England won 5 of their first 6 sports betting matchups of the season while getting the money 4 times. The Patriots are not just a team but a system and Belichick’s “Patriot Way” has defied the common “wisdom” that dynasties are a thing of the past in this era of parity. Another major surprise that the public blew off has been the Cincinnati Bengals as they won 4 of their first 6 games and got the money 5 times, all with a rookie quarterback from TCU named Andy Dalton!

Aeromax Costumes Now in Stock!

beaston26 — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:31:14 +0000

With Halloween approaching quickly we have just added a new supplier. Aeromax Costumes carries a great variety of adult and children's costumes, masks, and other accessories to help you hit the town in disguise. The possibilities are endless! You can travel through outer space as an astronaut, treat the sick as a doctor, or sail the 7 seas as a pirate!

New Brand Announced: 360 Athletics

beaston26 — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:29:17 +0000

We have added a new brand of sporting goods in 360 Athletics. 360 carries a wide variety of goods for many sports. Some of our newest items Yoga accessories and lacrosse equipment. Yoga is a very soothing athletic activity. Yoga can help a person achieve a state of personal insight and peacefulness. Our selection of yoga products can help you move past your biggest stressors into a calmer state of mind and body. Lacrosse is one our newest categories of sporting goods. Seize this perfect opportunity to develop the basic skills needed to break your way into the burgeoning world of this fast-paced and exciting sport. Thank you for taking the time to check out our newest products. Our selection grows larger and larger every day. You can keep up with what we are adding by following us on Facebook or on Twitter @qwebstores 360 Lacrosse 360 Yoga