By Julio Trujillo
 It is often difficult to compare the legendary players of Major League Baseball in that by making comparisons based on statistics, the focus generally falls on the sheer performance on the field. It also tends to reflect on what effect those numbers have had in the teams' success and how an individual players' success has bolstered a team to championship levels. Other players, no matter how individually successful, are too often viewed in an also-ran status because of the perception that their effort never was enough to allow the team to stand on a championship podium. Baseball is a team sport, yet a team sport loosely based on individual effort. Looking past the numbers to the intangibles of attitude and enthusiasm for the game, the greatness of a player cannot be judged merely on statistics. Ernie Banks is one such player in MLB history.
Ernie Banks was one of the greatest players, coaches and personalities to ever don a Cubs Uniform. Considered by many to be the most popular player ever, Banks was known to be a likable fellow. He was easy-going and
was a friend to everyone he knew. Some sources say that he originated the phrase "I never met a man I didn't like." Banks was quiet and unassuming. He let his bat and his glove do the talking for him. He had an unending enthusiasm for the game of baseball. As the legend goes, after the Cubs finished getting stomped twice in a double-header, Ernie Banks reportedly suggested; "let's play three." On numerous occasions, Banks was quoted as having said; "It's a beautiful day for a baseball game. Let's play two!" Any picture of Ernie Banks from his playing days exudes the joy he derived from playing the game of baseball. There are none that don't feature that broad, infectious smile that he has become famous for. He was so popular, in fact, he became known as Mr. Cub. Many sources attribute the never-say-die and "baseball is fun" attitude of the Cubs organization directly to Ernie Banks.
Even though the Chicago Cubs' last World Series triumph was in 1908 and their last appearance in the World Series was in 1945 (which they dramatically lost in a seventh game), there still exists no greater hopeful and inspired team in MLB than Chicago's "lovable losers". Hope springs eternal, as they say, and after nearly 100 years, "eternal" is starting to live up to its reputation as being a very, very long time.
The woes of the Cubs have been compounded over the years. They produced a twenty-year stretch (1947-1967) of finishing in the lower half of their division for the regular season, partly during the Ernie Banks era. Yet, every new season brings with it the possibility of getting to the World Series and finally breaking the "billy goat curse", a curse put on Wrigley field and the Cubs during the fifth game of the 1945 World Series. As the story goes, a local Chicago bar owner attended the game and was allowed entrance under somewhat unusual circumstances. When ordered to leave Wrigley field for bringing his goat with him, reportedly a "foul smelling goat", Billy Sianis' curse was issued to the effect that a World Series would never again be played in the confines of Wrigley field.
As the myth surrounding the validity of the curse grows with each passing non-contention season, it has a simple and comfortable existence in baseball, the sport that prefers urban myth, legend and superstition to logic. In 2003, the curse was nearly broken when the Cubs matched up with the Atlanta Braves for the National League Divisional Series. With a 3-game to 2 lead in the series and winning game 6 at 3-0 in the top of the eighth inning against the Florida Marlins, the "billy goat curse" infused itself once again. The Cubs lost game 6 and then eventually lost game 7, which meant no chance for a World Series game to be played at Wrigley Field. The Marlins went on to win the World Series in 2003.
Ernie Banks never had the opportunity to play in the League Championship Series, the World Series, or any post-season game. He did, however, take pride in himself, and his ball-club by consistently leading the league in many areas. Banks was an all-star every season from 1955 to 1962. He also made the all-stars cut in 1965, 1967 and 1969. Setting an early standard for future Iron Men, Banks played in 424 consecutive games from the day he became a Cub, a record at the time. His longest consecutive game streak stands at 717. He hit 40 homeruns in 1955, a record for MLB shortstops, and led the National League in homers in 1958 with 47 over-the-fence blasts. Banks hit 5 grand slams in 1955, and topped 100 RBIs. He was awarded the NL Most Valuable Player in 1958 and again in 1959. A mind-blowing accomplishment if we take into consideration the fact that the Cubs were no where close to being in contention for winning the division pennant. His 1959 MVP season boasted 45 homeruns and led the League with 143 RBIs. Ernie Banks earned the NL Golden Glove award at shortstop in 1960, and had the fewest errors in MLB. He also led the National league in homers and RBIs that year.
Over the course of his career, Ernie Banks became the Cub's all-time leader in:
* Games played (2,528)
* At-bats (9,421)
* Total bases (4,706)
* Home runs (512)
Banks also established many NL records, entered into the MLB Hall of Fame in 1977, and his number 14 was the first to be retired by the Cubs. When finished with playing in 1971, he went on to coaching with the Cubs. In May of 1973, when Cubs manager Whitey Lockman was ejected for arguing a call, Banks managed the rest of the game. He was technically the first African-American to manage in Major League Baseball.
Infused into the heart of every Cub fan (and there are many) is the spirit and exuberance and the love for the game of baseball that was epitomized by Ernie Banks. He brought so much more than just outstanding performances and good statistics to the game. He did so with vigor, zest and a capacity to enjoy the game that has incurably infected Cub fans all over this planet.
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A Review of Jackpotjoy
By Jimmie Mcdowell
 This Bingo website has a very colourful and easy to navigate style. The links to the games are easy to follow and signing in is very easy. You have the option of playing in either British Pounds or U.S. Dollars. In Pounds, the minimum sign-up is 10 pounds and it will be doubled by the site, so you will have 20 Pounds to play with. You can play a lot of Bingo games with that, considering the lowest cost of card is only 10 cents.
Jackpotjoy offers a 75-ball bingo game. Play of the various games is easy to determine, with the patterns for the various kinds of wins on display. The cost of each game varies in relation to the prize money at stake. Also they have promotional offers such as buy 2 cards get one free, buy 2 get 2 or buy 10 get 2, set at different times of the day. All you need to do is play Bingo at the specified time and you can avail of the free cards. The callers are pleasant to listen to and easy to understand, along with the use of bingo patter which adds fun to the game. And there is a chat room that's always available for you to converse with other players, and discuss the game, or any other topic that suits you. With Jackpotjoy's large community, you'll be sure to find lots of new friends here.
For those who don't want to gamble their money, but still love to play, you can play for free, and win valuable prizes based on accumulated points. Drawings for these prizes are scheduled. Once you have accumulated your points on playing for free games other than Bingo, you can then go to the prizes page, click on the prize you are interested in, and purchase as many raffle coupons as you wish based on the number of points they require, and how many points you have. And you don't have to put all your points on one prize.
And in case you are planning on being one of their many winners, but are worried about how to get your winnings, they have a very easy to follow method of cashing in your winnings. You can do that either via credit cards, UK cheques, bank transfer or eWallet. Winnings are processed within 24 hours.
Jackpotjoy offers various promotions, and some of the prizes you can win include: Bath Towels, a Convector Heater, a Bath Robe, a Hot Water Bottle, and a Chocolate Fountain. They have scheduled promos each night of the week, from 9 P.M. until midnight for Bingo. There were so many promos and features that it would be impossible to list them all, or visit them in just one sitting, unless you are a die-hard fanatic with nothing but time on your hands!
Aside from the Bingo games, you can also play various other games which fall into different categories such as: Instants, New Games, Top Games, Multiline Slots, Casino Games, and Classic Slots. With all these games, plus the eight basic Bingo games, you have a total of around 60 games to choose from. The jackpot at stake for these games increases every second until there's a winner. Currently, there's a 4k bingo jackpot waiting to be won.
Jackpotjoy offers so much that they have been rated number one for the months of April through June 2006 by Hitwise, a web site devoted to charting the success of various websites and businesses on the Internet. This just proves how well this site is when it comes to the games offered and customer service.
Now you have all the needed information, so what are you waiting for? You can't find a better place to play, either for money, or for free, and all in the comfort of your home. So get going and enjoy some of the games on offer, and maybe you too can be added to their winners list. The list is long, and some have become rich by playing there.
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Overview of the Big Ten Conference
By Julio Trujillo
 The Big Ten Conference has become a two-team race and we are now just one week away from the dream match-up between Michigan and Ohio State. These two teams were looking ahead last weekend and both survived single-digit victories over bad teams. After these two programs, there is a clear-cut No. 3 team that plays just 25 minutes away from our main office in Wisconsin.
I stated a couple of weeks ago that Wisconsin and Iowa would be vying for the third spot and a berth in the Capitol One Bowl when the two teams met on Nov. 11. But since then Iowa has fallen apart and it will be interesting to see what kind of effort they give this week. Coach Ferentz has won the last four meetings in this series and it well be interesting to see if he can get his team up for this border rivalry after such a disappointing 2006 season. The following will recap some of the highlights from last weekend and preview a very important week ahead:
Iowa hosted Northwestern and it appeared that they would have no problem notching their seventh victory on the season. They entered as a 20-point favorite and another sports service released them as the Midwest Game of the Year. This was too much weight to put on the shoulders of QB Drew Tate, as his team came out flat and was dominated by the Cats. Northwestern controlled the first half, scoring two touchdowns and picking up a key interception in the endzone to thwart a Hawkeye drive. This score could have been much worse than 14-0, as the Cats came away empty on two other trips into the red zone.
The second half was much like the first. Neither team was able to generate much offense, and each team managed just a touchdown apiece. The Cats did not luck their way into this victory, as they dominated the total yardage, 445-266. They had great balance going for more than 200 yards in rushing and passing and this reminded me of the days when Randy Walker was at the helm. This was their first conference win on the season and I would expect them to play well for the remainder of this campaign. They have another winnable game in two weeks when they host Illinois.
As for Iowa, this was their second embarrassing loss on the season. They suffered a loss to Indiana as well and now may struggle to win another game this season. They will host Wisconsin this weekend and currently the line is off the board because of the status of Badger QB John Stocco. The Badgers will never get a more favorable situation to end their current losing streak against the Hawkeyes. Iowa has already qualified for a bowl game but it will be one taking place before New Year's Day. Northwestern will host Ohio State next weekend and currently enter as a 23-point dog. Unlike last week, I do not expect Ohio State to be looking ahead in this one.
The Wisconsin Badgers all but wrapped up a trip to Orlando with their victory against Penn State last weekend. We had the 'under' in this game and everything worked out perfectly with only 16 points being tallied. State did move the ball between the thirties, but their drives seemed to stall once they got near the red zone. The Lions did force two turnovers but that could have easily been more were it not for some dropped interceptions by the secondary. Wisconsin broke a 3-3 tie late in the second quarter when Paul Hubbard caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Stocco. This would be the only touchdown scored in the game and Stocco would go out with a shoulder injury in the fourth.
The Badgers went up by two scores early in the fourth quarter when Taylor Melhaff kicked a chip shot field goal to give Wisconsin the lead, 13-3. This scoring drive was set up when a punt bounced off a Lion player deep inside the red zone. The Badgers looked bad all day on offense and did not ask back-up QB Donovan to light up the scoreboard. He threw just one pass and Badger fans will be worried if Stocco cannot return to action next week in Iowa City.
But the biggest story of this game was the broken leg suffered by 79-year-old coach Joe Paterno. He was knocked over on a pass play that went to the sidelines and one could easily tell that he was in pain. He was holding his leg for several minutes before doctors finally convinced him to sit down. He eventually agreed to a leg brace before being carted off the field and flew back to State College ahead of the team. My guess is that Joe Pa will be back next week when his team host Temple in some capacity. That being said, State is favored by 35 points against the in-state rival and I could easily coach this team to a victory, so a week of rest may not be that bad of an idea.
Finally, Purdue moved within one triumph of a bowl game with a victory in East Lansing, 17-15. The Boilermakers led throughout this contest until early in the fourth quarter when T.J. Williams caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from QB Drew Stanton. Sparty went up by one point, but like so many games this season they could not hold the lead. The loss was disheartening for Coach John L. Smith, who learned last week that his remaining two years on his contract would be bought out. Purdue drove down the field late in the fourth and with 4:49 remaining in the game Casey Welch kicked a 19-yard field goal to give them the lead for good by two points.
The statistics in this game were even with both teams having more than 300 total yards, but Michigan State was much more balanced as they rushed for 145 yards. This team seems to find ways to lose football games and that is a nightmare when trying to handicap. Nobody knows what type of effort to expect from them and thus they are a team to stay away from when gambling.
This is a nice victory for Purdue, who will now take on two bottom feeders to close out conference play. Both of these games are winnable before their season ends with a trip to Hawaii. It's very possible this team could record nine wins. They will enter Champaign next weekend as a two-point underdog and I would take a serious look at the road team. Michigan State will host Minnesota and the line in this game is even. But like I said, State is a team that cannot be trusted and I would expect a double-digit winner in this game whichever side that it may be.
As it stands now, just six of the eleven teams in the conference will be going bowling. The conference could receive a seventh bid if Indiana could pull an upset in one of their last two games, but they will be a big underdog in both of these contests (Michigan +19, at Purdue). The conference should receive two BCS bids with the loser of the Ohio State-Michigan game going to the Rose Bowl and the winner going to Glendale.
Final Thoughts from Around College Football
1) Arkansas continues to win football games, but fails to impress people in the standings. They have three tough games ahead and I expect them to lose at least two of them because of the lack of a passing game.
2) The Louisville/West Virginia game lived up to expectations and I feel that if Louisville can run the table, they will be in Glendale playing for the National Championship. This will not be a cakewalk game either since this team can put points on the scoreboard and may be worth a look as an underdog.
3) I still believe Florida will win the SEC having played a brutal schedule and will defeat Arkansas easily if the two teams would happen to meet in Atlanta. If a one-loss team would emerge into the title game, I would suspect it would be them.
This week we will be going with our, "College Game of the Year" after our one in September pushed. We will earn the victory with this game and would like you to jump aboard, as we have had three remarkable weekends in football.
Free Pick - Boise State -13 over San Jose State.
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What's Your Bet? is covering Football Sportsbook Bets
By Whats YourBet
 At one time, it was impossible for those wishing to wager on football to do so with out heading to the casinos. Thanks to the advent of online gaming, access of a legal and legitimate football sportsbook (a gaming "house" for sport wagering) is now possible.However, there is more to it then just picking the winner of the game and collecting your winnings. There is a bit more to the process. Football bets do not payout based a straight bet, a bet with no modifications to the final score. Instead, spreads and odds play a role in the wagering process. This is where a sportsbook comes into play. A solid, reliable sportsbook will set equitable betting lines that provide a fair playing field for the player and the house.Why are straight bets not employed? Basically, some teams are better than other and if a team with a 12 - 0 record were to play a team with a 1 - 11 record, 99% of the wagers would be on the favorite. This would break the bank of the house if the favorite were to win. This is an unsustainable business model which necessitates the concept of odds and lines.Basically, a sportsbook will offer a line where a handicap is placed on the favorite. A certain amount of points will be taken away from the favorite and given to the underdog. This is why you will see a numerical figure and a minus sign next to the favorite team. This figure is factored into the final result of the game.For example, if the Eagles are (-2) against the Cowboys, the Eagle must win by three for anyone betting on them to collect. Similarly, if someone were to get on the Cowboys, it would be possible to win the wager if the Cowboys lose by 1. If the tallied end result is a tie, then the game would be a push.Another bet is offered within football betting that entails an over and under bet. As the name implies, you would wager on whether the combined final score is higher or lower than a predicted number. So, if the over and under is 30, you can wager on whether or not the tally will be above/below 30. If you betted on the over, and the final score was 21 - 14, you would win since the combined tally was 35.This means it is possible to place bets on both the game itself and on the over/under. Some may opt to use the over/under as a hedge although many look to "clean up" and win both bets. In some instances, this is the actual outcome.No, the figures of the odds are not randomly pulled out of thin air. They are based on careful research in the teams' lineups, win-loss record, injury reports, and other factor.Of course, different sportsbooks will have different lines. However, the numerical range will not be too significantly different. Again, the lines are based on legitimate factors and not on unempirical data. As long as you are signing on with a legitimate sportbook, you should not have these problems.Finding a reputable sportsbook can be at times like looking for a needle in a haystack. Yet with a little research on the interenet you will be in the game before you know it.
I use a free website with methods I would like to share with you to help guarantee your sportsbook and general gambling success. This site is called Whats Your Bet dot com and has a review of the top 4 current systems. All come with a guaranteed money back warranty, so it gives you picks for free. I do not know where else you can receive such a deal. Thanks for reading and goodluck.
Sportsbook bets
And
What is your baseketball bet?
Pibe Valderrama: Nonetheless a Soccer Legend
By Jessica Dallas
 Who can recollect the eccentric Colombian soccer participant Carlos (Pibe) Valderrama? Pibe or the kid turned into at first now not commonplace for his sublime play, but more for his hairdo. A teen with wild long blond permed hair coupled with a moustache was frolicking around on the Colombian and later worldwide soccer fields. He didn't rating much but his dribbles and sharp passes became world sought after. His trainers and coaches noticed in him a standard striker, which he become now not. He turned into a superb midfielder who aas a rule misled his opponents via enjoying the ball love it was glued to his footwear. Pibe Valderrama wanted to have the liberty to play his video game from the midfield. At Deportivo Cali, Pibe Valderrama at last came upon a listening ear from the club manager and this become the start of a significant soccer or futbol career.
In 1987, Pibe Valderrama played inside the Copa The us and used to be chosen above gamers like Maradonna as player of the match, with the aid of his distinguished and unselfish play, continuously launching one among his team mates with flawless passes probably resulting in an intention. It was once no ask yourself that Three years later, Pibe Valderrama went to Italy to play his first of three World Cup tournaments with Colombia. He not ever changed his hair model. Instead, he proudly walked and ran round with perm and dyed hair.
1994 become the largest 12 months in his occupation when he played the sector Cup within the U.s.a.. He turned into pleasantly stunned in regards to the indisputable fact that the stadiums had been jam-packed with enthusiastic soccer watchers due to the fact soccer seriously isn't the number one sports there. Additionally, the standard of the grass impressed him: fine and minimize almost immediately to make sure that the ball would more beneficial roll on the sector, which changed into awesome for his distinctiveness - the pass.
End of the 80's, Pibe Valderrama went, like many different South American soccer players, for the european experience. After a fabulous activity at Wembley (UK), he was once presented a contract by Montpellier, a typical membership inside the French greatest league. Besides the fact that he at the beginning struggled with the eu game, it used to be thanks to his Polish train that he acquired to conquer this downside and in 1990, Pibe Valderrama helped Montpellier to win the French Cup with the match towards Sainte Etienne being the spotlight of the tournament.
In these days, it used to be the Spanish competition that attracted soccer avid gamers from all over the world. For that reason, Pibe Valderrama tried his good fortune via taking part in for Proper Valladolid. Lamentably for Pibe, he failed to make it and after 1 12 months inside the Spanish opposition, he lower back again to Colombia and later to the usa to complete off his career. Pibe Valderrama performed his closing online game for the Colombian national crew in France through the World Cup in 1998. He played a whopping 111 games in whole for his united states. After an occupation of twenty-two years, Pibe bade farewell to his fans in 2004 through taking part in his closing official soccer online game. In front of Estadio Eduardo Santos is his statue in bronze, a thing no different soccer player has ever achieved.
Pibe Valderrama has misplaced his eccentric hair and his drooping moustache has made way for a particular graying little beard, however his eyes are still laughing truely. He has not ever misplaced his love for soccer. He lives in Florida in this day and age where he works on the soccer academy.
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