Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Starting Your Flag Football Playbook

A playbook is something essential for a flag football team because it comprises of descriptions and diagrams of the plays that the players have practiced. It is their winning guide, their recipe for winning. It contains the plays that they are most familiar with, the drills that they have perfected; the strategies that could make them exceptional. As the coach, you know the uniqueness of each of your players. You have seen their strengths} and weaknesses. You know who the standouts are. Develop the playbook with this in mind. Decide where to setup players and then how to have the game rolling. As you develop your own team's playbook, think about the following tips:

Keep it easy.
A playbook should be clear and easily understood by everyone. If the players get baffled instead of empowered, the playbook defeats its meaning. You may begin with a drawing of 3 pass routes for your receivers: one short route, a mid route and a long route.

Keep the passing and running balanced.
Even though flag football is more of a passing game, running the ball is equally important to keep the opponents perplexed. To do this, you may draw about 2 plays to each side of the field, keeping one draw play in your playbook for aggressive pass rushers. The greatest teams have these to win tough games.

Maintain a progression of targets & keep lines open.
For pass plays, there should be at least 3 targets: the primary, the secondary and the bail out - the person a player goes to when no one is openand when he desires to get away from the sack. Develop complimentary receiver routes along with your pass plays so that if the right outside receiver runs a deep inside route, a secondary right side receiver can run a mid outside route. Place a bold reminder for your receivers to come back to the quarterback if in trouble.

Create a working audible system.
It is possible to find your team in trouble even though you thought you called the right play. Therefore, always preparea play or two to jumpto. It's not enough to match an audible with a code name. There must be a system. Avoid being easy to figure out. Try making a series of calls in which a specific word position designates the play. Be creative. Allow every player to be familiar with the system.

Don't forget your defense.
Match your plays with a strong defense. The goal is to beat the passing and running speeds of your opponents. A cover 2 is a basic defense to run that most of the time works. In this defense, the cornerbacks and linebackers cover receivers man to man, while the safeties divide the deep field in 2. If a receiver enters their 2 of the field, the safety rescues.

These are the basics to developing your own playbook. Don't reject other resources, such as the Internet, where a great number of playbooks are also attainable. These can permit you variety in your plays and a handful of ideas.

Still, the most important thing is that every member of your team accepts the plays. It is in this way that the playbook will work for you and that every player can pull off the play well.

Coach Miles has been advising flag football teams for over 15 years. He has developed several flag football plays over the years that have made it into top-selling flag football playbooks.


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Monday, November 9, 2009

College Football Elite Play by Their Own Rules

During an intense rivalry game in Athens Georgia between two top SEC teams Georgia Bulldogs and the visiting Gators of Florida, retaliation finally got out of hand. Florida star senior linebacker Brandon Spikes let his emotions get the best of him after having his helmet knocked off earlier in game and his eye poked. When Spikes got the opportunity for payback he took his chances after Georgia running back Washuan Ealey had been tackle by a group of Florida defenders spikes jumped into the pile late, put his hand in Ealey's face mask and started gouging at his eye. While Ealey was not seriously hurt in the incident what transpired was uncalled for.

For Spikes the defensive leader for the Gators what he did was wrong and senseless, just because his helmet was knocked of during a play does not mean he needs to go after a harmless player. For what Spikes did he deserved at least a 2 game suspension, but because he plays for the almighty Florida Gators under college football guru coach Urban Meyer he only received a half game suspension.

They can call it a bad judgment play or whatever they like what Spikes did was wrong, he should be suspended a lot longer. Considering after what happened top SEC officials should of stepped in and made sure coach Meyer actually penalized Spikes for his actions. Instead the officials said the punishment was good enough and even Florida school officials said it was Meyer's decision for the suspension and not theirs, they could care less. The punishment is just a slap on the hand that just tells the players next time don't get caught.

If you look at two other major incidents around college football this year it's obvious the elite teams in college football play by their own rules. Look at what happened to Oklahoma St wide receiver Dez Bryant, who got suspended for the rest of the season for hanging out with Deon Sanders in the off-season. Yes he lied about it when asked but what do you expect a college kid to do when forced into the situation he was in. He did not accept money or gifts, he did not work out for scouts, he jogged and ate dinner with a former NFL player. That's like telling players like Chris Sims and Clay Matthews when they were in college they can not go home because their fathers played in the NFL so being around them ruins their eligibility.

Then you have the whole LeGarrett Blount incident at Boise St, yes he should have been suspended for the punch, but that would of never happened if the Boise St player would of kept his mouth shut. Blount was heading to his sideline after a tough loss when he was approached by the Boise St player, which resulted in Blount knocking him out then going after anybody who stood in his way.

Between the three incidents Oklahoma St Bryant's received the worse punishment, even though he should have not been punished at all. Yes Oregon Blount deserved to be suspended until further notice, that one I agree with although I think the Boise St player should have been dealt a two game suspension at least for his involvement. But I guess being the one that everyone across the world got to see get knocked out is punishment enough. But Spikes punishment just does not add up, I mean he tried to gauge a guy eye out and got a half a game suspension that ridiculous. At least they could have suspended him for the next game entirely considering they are playing Vanderbilt this weekend, I don't think missing Spikes from the game will ruin their chances of winning.
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It's OK to Be a Girl and Love Football!

Football is a fantastic sport...particularly the NFL. It has been my favorite spectator sport since I was a little girl, sitting on my Dad's lap watching his favorite team play. There is something so great (especially if you have a favorite team) about listening to the thousands of people in the stadium cheer, or sometimes boo, when a touchdown is scored or the defense intercepts the ball. OK, I know if you're reading this you are probably a girl wanting to know more about the sport, so what I just said may not make much sense to you. But, have no fear! I am here to give you a short guide to football so you can impress your boyfriend, or to have more fun hanging out with your husband on a Sunday afternoon while he's watching the game.

This knowledge comes from 40 years of watching football, and although I never played (I WAS a cheerleader for many years and that's as close as we girls can get), I have earned the respect of many a man by knowing my stuff about football. I'm also way more obsessed about my favorite team than most men I know!

#1 - The object of the game is to outscore the opponent by advancing the football into your end zone scoring as many touchdowns as possible. This is done by the OFFENSE. Meanwhile, the DEFENSE tries with all their might to stop the offense from scoring a touchdown.

There are 2 end zones on the playing field - 1 for each team. They are located at each end of the field where the goal posts are located (hopefully no explanation needed here).

A TOUCHDOWN is worth 6 points and is scored when a player catches or carries the ball into their end zone. After scoring a touchdown, an attempt to kick an extra point through the goal posts is made. If successful, it is worth 1 point and makes it a total of 7 points scored in that series.

Another way to score is called a FIELD GOAL. If a team thinks they won't be able to make it in the end zone for a touchdown (for various reasons), they might attempt to score by kicking a field goal, and it is worth 3 points.

#2. - Stay with me here. Each team has a series of DOWNS in order to get the ball to their end of the field to score. A team has to take the ball 10 yards each time to be able to advance, and they have 4 attempts to do so. For example, the team starts the series with the ball on the 20 yard line. They run the ball for 3 yards and get tackled (see, you're learning the lingo!). They still have 7 yards to go to make the FIRST DOWN. Let's say the next play they go 9 yards, this means they not only get a FIRST DOWN, they get to start over with what is called a 1ST AND 10....which means another first down and 10 yards to go to get another 1ST AND 10, and so on. If the team does not make the 10 yards within the 4 attempts, they have to kick the ball to the other team. It's actually a little more involved then this, but I'm just trying to give you the very basics!

#3 - While the OFFENSE is trying to score a TOUCHDOWN by passing and/or running the ball toward their end zone, the DEFENSE is trying to stop the other team from advancing! This is done by TACKLING the OFFENSIVE players, trying to SACK THE QUARTERBACK, or trying to INTERCEPT the ball while it is being thrown. This is also more complicated than described, but the more you watch the more you'll catch on!

#4 - In the NFL, a game is made up of 4 QUARTERS. Each QUARTER is 15:00 minutes long (I'm sure you'll notice that it's not actually 15 minutes in real-time). It goes like this; 1ST QUARTER, 2ND QUARTER, HALFTIME, 3RD QUARTER and 4TH QUARTER. If, when the game is over and there is a tie, it will go into OVERTIME and the first team to score will win.

Well, this is a very basic and broad description of the game of football. I hope it's a start toward you feeling comfortable with watching a game! Most of the girls I know that don't like football, simply have no clue to what the sport is about, much less know any of the facts or lingo. I really feel that if they had a little more knowledge about the game, they might find it exciting to watch...plus a lot of guys think a football-watching girl is a sexy thing!

By the way, if you don't have a favorite team and want to pick one to "amp" up the whole experience, please don't pick one based on their colors. That's way too "girly"!

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Serie A and Serie B Are the Categories of Football League

In late April it was announced that Serie A, is divided into a Serie B to form a new "Lega Calcio Serie A ', a move that show obvious similarities with the formation of the Premier League in 1992.

Football is not only to avoid disputes in recent years, in 2006, the last of a series of scandals that series champion Juventus were attributed to Serie B as punishment for the match. Fiorentina, Milan, Lazio and Reggina also docked points for their participation. And all three teams that have made the Champions League knockout phase last season, crashing out of the English opposition for the second consecutive season, apparently a wide gap among the alloys has been presented for public viewing. Famous football, which dominated in the 90's nothing but a distant memory.

Nevertheless, the news of his escape from Serie B and form a new league set to be introduced in July next year, it might be a key turning point for the restoration of the Soccer league as one of the best in the world. The decision to share with the League below was taken when the two units were unable to reach agreement on how to distribute money to the league each club. They were lengthy discussions, but the decision was partly fueled by the economic crisis, many clubs in Serie B, with serious financial difficulties.

It was finally put to the vote, 19 to 20 clubs in Serie A vote for the formation of the new season. Lecce was the only team in the Division to vote against it, probably because of their possible departure from the Premier League. Following the decision to establish a new league, a former journalist and leader of the employers' association, Maurizio Beretta was adopted as the Chairperson of the Division and will be responsible for the creation of competition.

Top-flight clubs hoped that the League offers a new can lead to success in Italy similar to that graced the English Premier League, because it is a branch of the Football League in 1992. One main difference among the two leagues at the moment is the way TV income is distributed between the groups. In England, the money is divided equally among all clubs in the sense that each would receive a fixed amount. However, the current title Serie A & Serie B club to sell their rights to broadcast their own channel numbers assigned. However next year, Italy intends to return to the collective sale of television rights.

And, of course, remains to be seen weather the training department at New Soccer Prime Minister may give a needed impetus to football, but if designed properly, this could be the building blocks of success in the revival of football.

www.ezinearticles.com

Monday, October 19, 2009

Thoughts on the New York Jets' Acquisition of Braylon Edwards

The New York Jets recently traded a few players for the Cleveland Browns' top wide receiver, Braylon Edwards, a University of Michigan stud wide receiver who has now been in the league for several years. The Jets have been making some big moves this year so far, drafting Mark Sanchez and starting him at quarterback and hiring Coach Ryan to lead the team.

This trade could be a big risk for the Jets, but could also end up working out very well. Edwards had one great season two years ago in which he was one of the top wide receivers in the league. However, since then, he has fallen off the map, consistently dropping balls and not developing a better rapport with either of his two former quarterbacks Brady Quinn or Derek Andersen. In addition, he was recently involved in a fight at a nightclub over supposed jealousy of Lebron James's fame in Cleveland.

With all that being said, Braylon Edwards is talented and can easily turn his life and on-field performance around. We all saw his potential during the 2007-2008 season and if he lands in the right place with the right quarterback, he could be a dangerous threat once again. If the trade works out and he comes to close to being his former self, the Jets will have an excellent core of receivers, including Jerricho Cotchery, Dustin Keller, the Tight End, and now Edwards.

Only time will tell if Braylon can control himself off the field and live up to his ego on the field. New York could be a tough place to play, but Jets fans will welcome him with open arms and hope that he can produce once again. The Jets are in for a fun season and this just adds to the excitement
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Friday, October 16, 2009

About Flag Football and Playbooks

Flag Football is a popular game filled with fun and action, and is in fact, a modified version of tackle football, but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag from a flagbelt from the ball carrier to end a down.

Flag Football provides participants with the opportunity to develop many of the same skills, tactics and strategies without the body contact (blocking and tackling).

This sport is one of the fastest growing phenomenons, and easily adaptable to any age and any ability. It has been around for many decades,and is generally believed to have begun in the US Military during World War II.

But only within the last ten plus years has it exploded to beyond the college campus. Now, there are flag football leagues all around the United States and many countries world wide.

It is indeed an exciting sports activity. With the camaraderie, the strategy, the physical drive required, Flag football has become very, very popular.

Who plays Flag Football?

Children, men, and women of all ages play this sport. People can play recreationally in parks, as part of school intramural programs and on a more competitive level within organized leagues.

One of the great advantages of this game is that it can be played on any open field or gym. The play area can be simply and quickly laid out with small, rubber pylons.

Flag football may also be divided into "contact" or "non-contact", depending on whether or not blocking is allowed; if allowed, blocking is usually restricted to the chest.

It can be played with any number of players, and coaching requires the ability to be flexible and adjust your game plan according to the situation at hand.

This sport is much more of a pass oriented game than the American version of tackle football, so both the defense and offense sections devote much more time discussing the various ways to attack man on man and zone defenses and how to defend against those tactics.

With the adult leagues, this game has be come so sophisticated with the availability of regimented plays and playbooks fashioned from the professionals.

Flag Football Ninja is a great site that supplies downloadable, printable 4on4, 5on5, 7on7 and 8on8 flag football playbooks that help you get the advantage over your opponents to take you to the playoffs and beyond. It is a mainstream sport that will only continue to grow by leaps and bonds.
www.ezinearticles.com
Flag Football is a popular game filled with fun and action, and is in fact, a modified version of tackle football, but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag from a flagbelt from the ball carrier to end a down.

Flag Football provides participants with the opportunity to develop many of the same skills, tactics and strategies without the body contact (blocking and tackling).

This sport is one of the fastest growing phenomenons, and easily adaptable to any age and any ability. It has been around for many decades,and is generally believed to have begun in the US Military during World War II.

But only within the last ten plus years has it exploded to beyond the college campus. Now, there are flag football leagues all around the United States and many countries world wide.

It is indeed an exciting sports activity. With the camaraderie, the strategy, the physical drive required, Flag football has become very, very popular.

Who plays Flag Football?

Children, men, and women of all ages play this sport. People can play recreationally in parks, as part of school intramural programs and on a more competitive level within organized leagues.

One of the great advantages of this game is that it can be played on any open field or gym. The play area can be simply and quickly laid out with small, rubber pylons.

Flag football may also be divided into "contact" or "non-contact", depending on whether or not blocking is allowed; if allowed, blocking is usually restricted to the chest.

It can be played with any number of players, and coaching requires the ability to be flexible and adjust your game plan according to the situation at hand.

This sport is much more of a pass oriented game than the American version of tackle football, so both the defense and offense sections devote much more time discussing the various ways to attack man on man and zone defenses and how to defend against those tactics.

With the adult leagues, this game has be come so sophisticated with the availability of regimented plays and playbooks fashioned from the professionals.

Flag Football Ninja is a great site that supplies downloadable, printable 4on4, 5on5, 7on7 and 8on8 flag football playbooks that help you get the advantage over your opponents to take you to the playoffs and beyond. It is a mainstream sport that will only continue to grow by leaps and bonds.
www.ezinearticles.com