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When it comes to sports films, there are a few things that separate the good ones from the great ones. Sure, cheesy motivational music and 80s style montages never hurt, but a truly great sports film often has elements of truth and inspiration. Over the past 10 years, we have been subject to some pretty amazing sports movies.

Here is my list of what I consider to be the best sports films released over the past 10 years.

When it comes to great movies about football from the last 2000-2009, one would be foolish not to include Disney’s Remember The Titans on their list. The true story of the first racially integrated football team stars Denzel Washington and the always great Will Patton.

Another football movie that was unbelievable (literally) is The Blind Side. This is definitely a movie worth seeing, and coming from someone who read Michael Lewis’ book of the same title, it does this incredible true story complete justice. Sandra Bullock also knocks it out of the park as the part of Leanne Tuohy.

What list of sports films from this past decade would be complete without mentioning The Wrestler. You can argue that professional wrestling is not a sport, but there is nothing fake or funny about the way the industry is portrayed in this film. This is an incredibly moving film and Mickey Rourke nails the part.

A boxing film that I thoroughly enjoyed, which I did not think would be possible, was Rocky Balboa. Stallone returns to the role that got him his own statue in the city of Philadelphia, and this film was more than enjoyable. This was Rocky at his best.

Another sports movie that I absolutely loved, and is definitely worth watching on an HD television is Riding Giants. This film tells the story of the pioneers of big wave surfing and is so visually stunning you may feel the need to get to the beach following watching it.

On a more comedic note, I really enjoyed Semi-Pro with Will Ferrell! If you are looking for a comedic sports movie to watch, it fits the bill.

This author also often publishes articles on things such as wood floor repair and floor cleaning.

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First year USC coach Lane Kiffin infuriated most of the college football fans in the state of Tennessee after he walked away from the Vols program to take over at his alma mater. Now he’s apparently raised the ire of the state’s NFL team as well. In response to the hiring away of Titans’ assistant Kennedy Pola to take over as the Trojans’ offensive coordinator, coach Jeff Fisher blasted Lane Kiffin questioning his professionalism and tact.

According to Fisher-also a USC alumni-his gripe is with Kiffin’s approach to the hiring process and a violation of etiquette within the coaching fraternity:

“I am very disappointed in Lane Kiffin’s approach to this. Typically speaking, when coaches are interested in hiring or discussing potential employment from coaches on respective staffs there is a courtesy call made from the head coach or athletic director indicating there is an interest in talking to the assistant.”

“So I am very disappointed in the lack of professionalism on behalf of Lane, to call me and leave me a voicemail after Kennedy had informed me he had taken the job. It is just a lack of professionalism.”

In response, Kiffin released a statement indicating that it was simply a matter of bad timing:

“We reached out to Kennedy Pola [on Friday] to gauge whether he had any possible interest in returning to USC before we moved forward with the process. Kennedy said he would think about it and get back to us today. Once Kennedy did call back earlier today, out of my great respect for Coach Fisher I immediately reached out to Coach to make him aware of the situation.”

“I have spoken with Coach Fisher and he now has an accurate understanding of the timeline of events. We realize the timing of this isn’t perfect for all parties, but this is a great opportunity and promotion for Kennedy.”

It’s been a rough summer for USC athletics. The Trojans have already hired a new offensive coordinator in the wake of the football and hoops programs being placed on for a number of improper relationships that former players had with agents.

Kiffin is already persona non grata with one NFL team-he was fired and generally taken to task by Oakland Raiders’ owner Al Davis after only one season with the team. He left Knoxville with a 7-6 record, including a loss to Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer who covers travel, casino gambling and NFL football handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, flower arranging and deep sea diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.

Golden principles are the ones that really apply. You want to have them in mind and do not forget them. Like stars to navigate by, they are fixed markers to direct us and keep us moving in the correct direction.

Golden rules really exist to be applied, to be followed, to guide you. No matter what your main goal is or what problem you confront, the guideline is there. Just consider the golden rule that applies and accept it…

With that in mind, I thought of life in Alabama and a number of of its unspoken “golden rules”. Here are five of the most popular “Golden Rules” that apply to living in Alabama.

Golden Rule 1 Choose Between AU or UA! (Some folks may well say it’s most significant!): You have to pick between Alabama verses Auburn. You will find that almost everyone you encounter in Alabama asks you who “you are for” in the Iron Bowl. The rivalry is sizzling, and you must pick sides. Keep in mind, if you don’t choose, folks will think you are strange. So, if nothing else, choose your favorite colors, crimson tide red for Alabama or orange & blue for the Auburn.

Golden Rule 2, You Have To Eat Grits… Grits are one of those terrific southern foods that you’ll find on the breakfast tables in Alabama. They are simply scrumptious with eggs, bacon, and homemade biscuits..

Golden Rule 3, Attend Church. The reason that this is important is because at least twice a year, Easter or Christmas, people will need to see you there. Otherwise, expect to be asked to attend on a regular basis, because everybody knows everybody, especially in a small town.

Golden Rule 4, Be Polite. Here in the south, we are not brash like Yankees. We treat neighbors like we would like to be treated. One of the ways of accomplishing this, include saying please, you’re welcome, & thank you.

Golden Rule 5, Alabama Based Music Gives You Pride! You have to love any music that has something to do with Alabama. This would certainly include every song that the country music group, Alabama recorded, especially “My Home’s In Alabama.” Also, don’t forget Lynyrd Skynyrd and “Sweet Home Alabama.” It is like a state anthem here!

Follow these golden rules to living in Alabama and you will probably find your life here much better in the heart of dixie, and you will live at peace with most Alabama folks, except maybe the fans from the other team! Personally, I am a roll tide man, myself!

Be a big Alabama fan by going to our Alabama Crimson Tide site at www.AlCrimsonTide.com! Read info on Cyrus Kouandjio there! Free reprint avaialable from: Things To Remember About Residing In Alabama.

One of the biggest men in college football in 2009, Terrence Cody, at 6 foot four in tall & 350 lbs, has transformed the way that colleges look at larger players. A tremendous run stopper can make a world of difference for football teams hoping to free up their linebackers.

I think that more and more we will see giant players, obviously like Terrence Cody, arriving onto the scene in college football. A huge guy at that stature in the middle of the defense playing middle guard or nosetackle is an extremely precious tool.

Now don’t misunderstand me, folks the size of Terrence Cody with his quickness do not come around every day. The NFL football team, the Baltimore Ravens discovered great potential in this big guy’s actual physical skills, size, and speed enough to draft him at number 57 in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft.

It isn’t really simply proportions that makes the difference in a lad like this,it is also the explosiveness. The fast 1st step from the line, when coupled with the leveraging of the weight, it is 100 % pure physics of mass times acceleration equals momentum… and momentum he does have!

The Baltimore Ravens saw a sizeable drop-off in it’s run defense the very first time this past year, 2009. Cedric Benson of the Cincinnati Bengals ran for the first hundred yard performance against the vaulted Ravens defense in over 39 games. Part of the reason is the soft middle of the defensive front. In 2010,the coaches of the Ravens came to the realization that they needed the big man up the middle of their defense to totally free things up and so they drafted massive “Mount Cody”.

Look for big things (no pun intended) out of Mount Cody in the NFL, as well as other massive guys doing a lot more in college football. Recruiting will heat up for these types of players given it proved successful for the Alabama Crimson Tide in earning a 2009 national championship.

So the next time you think of great defense, see if you can locate a nearby mountain and take a look at it. Your favorite college football team will almost certainly be looking for the same thing but only a bit more human!

Read related articles on the fan site of Alabama Crimson Tide! More also on Terrence Cody Baltimore Ravens news. Check here for free reprint licence: Mount Cody Changed The Landscape Of College Football.

Youngsters from all over the world love to play football. It is still one of the most popular sports and not only keeps the body healthy but the minds too. Playing football has many advantages attributed to it. It builds a sense of teamwork and keeps athletes in phenomenal, top notch physical shape.

Football is not just a relaxing sport; it takes dedication and plenty of discipline to be able to perform at a high level. Anyone who makes it to any sort of competitive level will tell you how hard they worked to get there.

The daily workout is a pivotal part of keeping a footballer fit in both body and mind. To become a professional footballer you must be fully committed and be able to handle the disciplined regime.

Footballers require a whole lot of stamina to be able to perform at the highest level all the time. They must also be able to concentrate for the entire match and beyond. The slightest lack of concentration or discipline can be the difference between winning and losing the match.

Professional footballers are the role models that young kids always look up to. This is why they should always act in a responsible manner. Football is all about working as a team and working with the right attitude and commitment. You have to prove that you are competitive but that you are also fair minded.

Carrying the right attitude is vitally important as it can have a major bearing on not only the game but on how people see you. There have been many instances of bad attitude in football that has led to players getting into trouble. Behaving like this on the pitch could make people behave the same in the real world and that is not acceptable.

Football teaches people very early on how they can handle success and failure in equal measure. This is a good trait to carry with you into life outside of football.

Schools and colleges have implemented football as an extra curricular activity because of the influence it can have on student’s lives away from the pitch.

See various other tips created by this very author dealing with topics including fixture fluorescent light and brass table lamp.

Southern Cal football has been on the map for years & years. They’ve been playing football at USC for over 120 years. 11 championships over this time frame. However, they haven’t gotten another one since the 2004 season. Due to recent announcements, the title from 2004 may very well be taken away. They’re a team that’s been amongst the elite in college football for the past several years. A bunch of PAC-10 titles & bowl appearances. Alabama is the only other football program to have more bowl appearances. However, USC does lead college football in bowl victories. Setting a record with 11 or more wins for 7 straight seasons. Another record with weeks(33) as the number 1 ranked team in college football. Several previous players to receive honors including 6 prior Heisman winners.5 of those 6 winners were from the running back position. The success of running backs at USC has given the school a nickname of “Tailback U”.

The 1968 Heisman Winner, O.J. Simpson could hardly be forgotten due to his prior run-ins with the law. No matter his legal problems, his success was on the football field. An award for being the best in college football in 1968. Leading the nation in rushing yards two straight seasons. Being known for winning the Heisman race by the greatest difference ever. O.J. continued with success in the NFL including the award(NFL MVP) given to the best pro football player back in 1973.

A player that enjoyed the Heisman for his final campaign at Southern Cal. His senior season also garnered him two other awards. All-American status for his final 2 years of college. Breaking several other rushing records as well. He also tied a few other records to go with the ones he broke. The College Football Hall of Fame chose him for their select group several years ago. Great seasons at USC didn’t translate to success in the NFL for this Heisman winner. After struggling in the NFL, he admitted drug problems causing his failure. It wasn’t all bad though. He did have one pretty decent season in the NFL by hitting the 1000-yard mark as a rusher & scoring over 10 TD’s. This is Charles White.

Marcus Allen was another one of those great USC backs. He played at USC from 1978-1981. His 1981 season was regarded as one of the greatest seasons in college football history. Allen rushed for a whopping total of 2,342 yards. These numbers earned him the 1981 Heisman Trophy. Due to his success, USC retired his jersey number. Allen went to the next level & had continued success. A Super Bowl champ. An NFL MVP. A 6-time Pro Bowl selection. He spent most of his NFL career with the Raiders. He has been voted into both the Pro & College Football Hall of Fame.

The 2005 Heisman Winner, Reggie is a former USC running back star & current NFL player. While at USC, he also tallied two All-American honors in 2004 & 2005. Bush had a stellar senior season that helped propel him to the Heisman Trophy. The Saints decided to draft Reggie due to his showcasing of abilities on the field. Through 4 seasons, Reggie has been mediocre at best but he still has a Super Bowl ring regardless of his personal expectations.

Freddie Brister is a huge fan of all sports and recommends checking out his Southern Cal Golf Bag and Notre Dame Tervis Tumblers at his shop.

The Tigers started playing on the football field back in the late 1890’s. It was over 40 years before Auburn made it to their first bowl game appearance. The Tigers have been in the SEC for well over 60 years now. During this time Auburn has claimed 6 conference titles & 78 total seasons with a winning record. Auburn ranks amongst the best in D-1A college football in total wins. They have a winning percentage of 71.6% over the past 25 years of competition. This ranks them in the top 10 nationally in winning percentage over that time span. It’s hard to believe that the football program only has “one” official national title with their name on it.

The football program has 2 previous Heisman Trophy winners. They square up against “The Big Red Elephant” every year in their traditional “Iron Bowl” match-up. The program’s been through several coaches (25) since its existence. Success early on came from a College Football Hall Of Fame coach in Mike Donahue. More success followed with the likes of Bowden & Tuberville. Success doesn’t always keep your job though. Tuberville was fired after the 2008 season & replaced by current head coach Gene Chizik.

Auburn baseball has a long lists of coaches. The winningest baseball coach in their school history posted an unbelievable 65.9% winning percentage during his reign of over 15 years but no national titles. The Tigers haven’t been able to find a solid replacement since the winningest coach left the program. With 3 coaches over the past 9 seasons Auburn has failed to regain that prominence on the baseball diamond. What can you expect after losing the best baseball coach in school history?

The Tigers have been playing basketball for over 100 years. The basketball program is barely noticed due to the overwhelming achievements of the football program. With a total of 19 head coaches in over 100 years Auburn basketball has experienced limited success. The early days had some fame due to their all-time leading coach (Jim Eaves) in wins.The Auburn basketball program was also known for players like Charles Barkley (aka “Sir Charles”). He was coached by legendary & Alabama Sports Hall Of Fame coach Sonny Smith. Smith added 173 wins over 11 seasons & also gave Auburn their very 1st SEC tournament championship in 1985. Even a couple trips to the sweet sixteen by Coach Cliff Ellis didn’t help the basketball program jump over the football program for notoriety.

Cliff Ellis coached the Tigers for a total of 10 seasons. During the 1998-1999 campaign Ellis lead his team to the sweet sixteen of the NCAA basketball tournament. In 2003, under much review, Ellis also lead the team to another sweet sixteen but lost to Syracuse.Jeff Lebo took over from 2004-2009. Over these 6 years Lebo compiled a total record of 96-93. Lebo was recently (March 2010) replaced with Tony Barbee who came over from UTEP. Auburn has no official national titles in their basketball showcase.

Freddie Brister is a huge fan of all sports and recommends checking out his Auburn Wallet and Arizona State Wallet at his shop.

The Alabama Crimson Tide have been a college football dynasty for years now. Alabama is known for always being one of the teams at the forefront of college football. From the day of Paul “Bear” Bryant to the current year of 2010. It doesn’t matter because Alabama is always a team to be considered a factor in the national title hunt almost every season. Alabama is one of the most talked about & adorned football programs in the history of college football. Alabama’s football program began in 1892. Since that time the Crimson Tide has banked 13 national championships. Alabama currently plays in the SEC conference & was also a previous member of the Southern Conference(So-Con).

Certainly, one of the greatest football coaches of all-time. Not only college football but any level of football. A true coach & man that put a stamp on the Alabama football program. He brought the program out of the ditches & into the spotlight. He lead them to the top. He lead his players to the pinnacle. This coach was a winner in all aspects. From his initial hiring to the day he left the program this guy was what any football program was hoping & asking for. From the late 1950’s to the early 1980’s this coach showed how to play the game. And, he did it very well.

Two well known guys here as well in the coaching industry. 7 years split between these two coaches at Alabama. 4 year for Ray Perkins & 3 years for Bill Curry. Perkins time was cut short due to a sop in the NFL. One he made on his own. Curry left due to the turmoil in getting along with the staff in the athletic office. It was no secret that he wasn’t happy about what was going on behind the scenes.

From 1990-1996 Gene Stalling was head coach. The Tide went 7-5 in the first season with a bowl game loss to Louisville. The next season was a great one. Alabama went 11-1 with only a loss to Florida. The Tide defeated Colorado in the Blockbuster bowl 30-25. Stalling went on with successful seasons until he decided to retire after the 1996 campaign. There was one gloom spot during his coaching days at Alabama though. Alabama was forced to vacate 8 wins from the 1993 season. This was due to a previous player(Antonio Langham) violating NCAA rules. He had signed with a pro sports agent the previous year which is a rules violation.

4 total coaching changes from 1997-2006. Actually, there was only 3 but one of them(Mike Price) only lasted a few months on the job due to a scandal. DuBose done an excellent job in his 4 seasons the numbers were great including an SEC title. Franchoine had two solid initial seasons. He left for Texas A&M in what people called a crazy move. Mike Shula showed great promise early on. However, his final campaign lead him out the door after suffering through a 6-7 season. With Nick Sabin taking over in 2007 this was what the program was looking for. A top notch head coach at this top notch football school. What more could you ask for in such a short time? Surely, you wouldn’t be asking for a national championship so soon? Well, that’s what happens when you hire a coach like Nick Sabin. You wouldn’t be stupid ask for more either from this guy. He has all any program would want & much more. I certainly feel more there is more to come in the future as long as this coaching great stays in Alabama.

Freddie Brister is a huge fan of all sports and recommends checking out his Alabama Belt and Colorado State Lamp at his shop.

Miami football has been around since 1926. The program currently plays in the ACC(Atlantic Coast Conference). In the football program’s history they have totaled 5 national championships with the most recent coming back in 2001. Miami is currently ranked #4 all time in college football titles.There have been two previous players that have won the Heisman Trophy. They also hold the record for the most consecutive home victories with 58. Miami is known well for their players getting drafted in the NFL Draft. Back in the 2004 of the NFL Draft, Miami had a record 6 players taken in the 1st round. They also have the record for most consecutive years(14) of having a player drafted in the 1st round.

Miami is also known for having several highly touted coaches. Jimmy Johnson(also former NFL head coach) coached the team from 1984-1988. Another former NFL head coach(Dennis Erickson) coached the school from 1989-1994. Butch Davis then followed from 1995-2000. Starting in 2001, a lesser known coach(Larry Coker) was hired. He coached the team through 2006. The current head football coach is Randy Shannon. He’s been at the command since 2007. Miami has appeared in 33 bowl games & have won 18 of those. Their two biggest rivals are Florida State & Florida. There have been many great players come through the University of Miami.

For the past 3 seasons the controls have been in the hands of Larry Shannon. Miami has a bowl record of 18-15. Their in-state rivals are the Seminoles & Gators. Miami has received quite a few solid players in their school history. There is a previous bad situation hanging over the football program. This was all due to a fight between Miami & Florida International coming back in 2006. Several Miami players were not allowed to play for one game due to this incident. The most coveted award (Heisman) was awarded to two previous QB’s but a few other have awards as well. Not to be left out, some coaches have awards in their honor as well.

Two really well known head coaches in Ron Fraser & Jim Morris. Fraser lasting just under 30 years & current head coach Morris heading into his 17th season. Both coaches share a piece in history with winning two national titles each.

Winning two national championships apiece. One taking the title three years apart & the other two years apart. There are two former Miami greats (Ryan Braun & Par Burrell) currently playing MLB. Also, a current MLB player(A-Rod) that has the current Miami baseball stadium named in his honor. All this due to a generous donation ($3.9 million) 7 years ago. This is news that falls under the radar for the most part.

Freddie Brister is a huge fan of all sports and recommends checking out his Miami Wallet and Illinois Bedding at his shop.

Who is this Boise State football team? A team that nobody knew. Where did they come from? This isn’t Oklahoma you know! From silence to success. This is how to describe Boise State Broncos football. You just didn’t hear much about this football program before the 1999 season. A switch from one conference to another for the 2002 campaign may have helped.

The football program has experienced 3 undefeated regular seasons out of the past 5 years. A lot of the critics say this is due to lack of competition. Boise also has a considerable home field advantage as well. They won 31 straight home games dating from 2001-2005. The home streak was ended by Boston College back on December 28, 2005.

The 2006 season was one to remember not only for Bronco fans but football fans in general. An undefeated regular season & a trip to the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona. This was very unusual to have a non-BCS conference get accepted for a bid to a BCS game. They were ranked #8 nationally going into this game & also with a record unblemished. Finally, a team from a smaller conference had made a BCS bowl game. What a game this was indeed. You have a powerhouse football team in Oklahoma & you have a smaller & less known school in Boise State. There was no way Boise could pull off the upset, right? Well, everybody was wrong. Boise State defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in overtime by a score of 43-42.The final margin of victory was accomplished by going for a two-point conversion that gave them the victory. Boise State was the only D1-A college football team to finish the 2006 season undefeated. This was due to a loss by Ohio State against Florida. This 2006 campaign propelled the Boise program into the spotlight & history.

3 years later there couldn’t be another perfect season. This sleeping giant has awakened but it couldn’t possibly happen again. This time they even bettered their record from the 2006 season. Instead of getting 13 wins they had 14. Yeah, 14 wins with no losses again. Only the 2nd time in history a college football team had won 14 games in a season with no losses. Another victory in the Fiesta Bowl. This time against the Horned Frogs of TCU. Now, are you asking who’s Boise State? You just had a team not well known a few years ago & now they have two perfect seasons in 4 years.

Boise plays on a somewhat odd looking turf for their home games. Yeah, their field is the color blue. It’s the only field in college football that’s not the normal green color. Due to the blue color the turf is sometimes referred to as the “Smurf Turf”. It was originally installed with this color back in 1986.

Freddie Brister is a huge fan of all sports and recommends checking out his Boise State Blanket and Louisville Belt at his shop.