It begins...Saturday: GO BLUE!

The Perfect Game... almost; lessons in morality from baseball.

If I could blog for a living... I would have had time to have written this:

Replay Will Ruin Baseball - The Anchoress

She hits it out of the park.

Let us imagine that REPLAY did exist in baseball...

So last night, Galaragga steps on the base... and "SAFE!"

WHAT SAFE!?!?!

Here comes Jim Leyland, out to the umpire.

The crowd is booing...

Leyland is yelling, and he throws the red flag/challenges the call/asks for the replay/insert use of replay here

and in the booth we hear:

"Well Rod, it looks like he was out to me... a perfect game hangs in the balance."

"You are right Mario, he was clear-dilly-out. Oh my goodness... maybe he bobbled it?"

"Well Rod, the city of Detroit collectively holds its breath as the umpire huddles around the screen with headphones on."

"Mario, can you believe this, history hangs in the balance, we wait with frosty breath, and Galarraga must be just filled with emotion ready to burst or deflate."

"Well Rod... while we wait... we will be right back after these messages."

"Welcome back... the umpire looks as if he is taking off the headphones, lets wait for the call..."

"HE'S OUT, HE'S OUT!! WHAT AN AMAZING GAME!!!! THANK GOODNESS FOR THE REPLAY!"

A little anti-climatic don't you think.

Like I said the Anchoress hit a homer with her post... I say this as a Tiger fan, as a Detroit boy... leave the game alone it is perfect... well... almost...

"Nobody's perfect." [UPDATED]

[Update]:
Galarraga Brings Lineup Card to Umpire Joyce who made horrible call to ruin perfect game
Class Act, by a classy player, and a classy organization.


20 - The number of perfect games thrown in major league baseball... ever. Should be 21 after tonight.

If you haven't heard about one of the worst umpire calls ever.... and I do mean ever, you can view it at
Creative Minority Report: Ump blows call.

As a born and bread Michigan boy, who wears a Old English D hat out hunting bears... I live and die with the Wings and Tigers, so you have to believe me when I say I am literally SICK about the call... I had other emotions tonight, but you wouldn't understand, unless you know how I feel tonight.

 No matter what happens in the coming days... the game will always be more of a spectacle than what it should be - a historical gem of baseball lore.

I don't want to talk about the call, replays, what could be done, what should be done or anything like that. Other blogs, every sports site, and most major news outlets will cover it. I don't want to talk about the umpire, the commissioner, or anyone like that.

Instead,  I want to talk about only one person... the pitcher. Not what he did... because it was for sure... perfect... In fact, some are calling it the only 28 out perfect game ever. (He ended getting the next batter out.)

I want to talk about what he said after the game:

"He feels really bad, probably worse than me," said Galarraga, who began the season in the minors in Toledo. "I give a lot of credit to that guy, to say he's sorry. I gave him a hug. His body English said more than the words. Nobody's perfect, everybody's human."

Class act, I can't think of a more honorable way to react. After the runner was called safe, Galarraga just smiled in disbelief. This was before he saw all the replays... so to respond this way, AFTER seeing the replays... you can't get any more classy than that.

In the days to come the league may do something special to rectify this situation, they might install instant replay, and we will surely see many more replays, but it won't change what happened... this night will always be special, but tainted.

One other thing that won't change is the way that Galarraga acted after the game... and no one can take that away from him. No one. And it was... well, perfect.

Timeless Tuesday - Ernie Harwell, R.I.P.

Unfortunately, I had to post a second "Timeless Tuesday" post. I say unfortunately... because I would be remiss if I did not post about Ernie Harwell. He died today... at the age of 92, after a dignified battle with cancer. Thanks for the memories Ernie...may angels lead you in.

A Game and Series... for the Ages.

I know, I know... another sports post...

But the Washington Capitals v. Montreal Canadiens Eastern Quarter-Final Series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs was one of those magical series that will forever be talked about. I know our culture has a penchant for making the recent into the 'Classic' but this really was. An 8 seed upsetting a 1 seed in a series that went 7 games. This after Montreal went down 3 games to 1. And most of all - Washington was the most dominant team during the regular season and has the most dominant player in the game on their team. It really will be one that people talk about for a long time.

More than anything... I think mostly that my dad would have thoroughly enjoyed watching this game, especially the third period. Fast action, one penalty, amazing goaltending and a full team effort on both sides. It was pure classic hockey.

I enjoyed watching this game... and the whole time I was missing him and wishing we could watch it together... what a game dad, what a game. Thanks for introducing me to hockey.

What if Pittsburgh drafts Tebow?

I know this is a sports post... but it isn't really about sports...or is it? The NFL draft is hours away, and one of the most talked about prospects faces a major hurdle that might prevent some teams from drafting him... his Christianity.

As a Michigan fan, I never really cared much for the Tim Tebow hype, until I learned that he appeared to be a pretty upstanding guy. For those that don't know, Tebow was the Quarterback at Florida, won a Heisman Trophy, and was thrust to the center of the stage on more than one occasion for being a great....... Christian.

This has been a constant focus since about two years ago when Tebow came out and proclaimed that he is a Virgin. Since then, the media onslaught of "Is Tim Tebow the Good Guy Everyone Claims That He Is" headlines have been unceasing. The question has been asked whether a team is ready for that kind of "attention." Which is odd... because Tebow has another "problem."

Tebow was a great COLLEGE quarterback. He ran an offense in a system that was built around him and his skill set... or was it? You see, the system that Florida ran isn't a PRO style offense. Meaning... that Tebow played a style of football that doesn't really translate well to the pros. If you aren't an avid football fan you might say, "does that matter?" Well most of the time it does matter. But in Tebow's case, many think his raw athletic talent should be enough.

Then there is the question about his THROWING technique. This has been called into question, and he actually worked on it, attempting to change it prior to the draft. This is a pretty big change. You would think that hours before the draft that the number one thing writers would be discussing is his style of quarterback or his throwing motion.

You would be wrong. Instead, they are talking about his Christianity. Why is that? Should that be an "issue"? Well it is... and a BIG ONE:

Nothing will divide quite like religion. And while football often embraces Christianity and legions of the NFL’s top players have carried the cross with various levels of openness, there has never been a player like Tebow who so boldly, so proudly and so gracefully expressed devotion that the player known for his goodness has actually drawn a more visceral reaction than those players who are at their core, truly bad.


“I don’t want any part of him or the circus,” one AFC front office executive told Yahoo! Sports’ Michael Silver recently. “At some point as a team, don’t you have to be concerned with what comes with him? The guy has never met a microphone he didn’t like and he’s obviously got a message. I think he needs to go away and hide for awhile.”


The first round of the NFL draft comes Thursday evening and the most compelling prospect might not be selected until the second night. Still a debate rages about Tebow never for any player before: about his game, about his life and about his religion. Last month a SI.com writer authored a personal blog post entitled “I Want Tim Tebow to Fail” and none of the story was about Tebow’s sidearm delivery or his still-developing footwork but rather his evangelical Christianity and the mission of his father Bob Tebow’s evangelistic ministry in the Philippines which boasts fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible.


It is hardly the only such opinion floating around about the quarterback. In fact, most thoughts on him tend to the extreme.


“The way his fans talk about him is almost idolatry,” says Tom Krattenmaker, the author of Onward Christian Athletes, a study of players’ self expressions of religion. “I’ve never seen so much intensity, pro and con, of any Christian athlete ever. There is a tendency for those who admire players who are devoted to their faith to place them on a pedestal but this [adulation] is on steroids. It’s been super-hyped to a higher degree.”

Look, I can understand if a team sees something as a distraction. But they aren't phrasing it as a distraction, or concern. They use words like: "circus", "visceral", "message [pejoratively]", "fail", "idolatry", "adulation on steroids". Really? Are we really concerned about this? Look at Ben Roethlisberger's latest escapes. Is that the "circus" teams should desire? Or how about Michael Vick?

So I pose the question. What if a team, like Pittsburgh with their Roethlisberger and Holmes problems of late, decided to send a message by drafting Tebow? What if Pittsburgh, trades Ben Roethlisberger to a team below them, for an extra pick, and draft Tebow at the 18 spot? It would give them a good first round pick, plus Tebow, and they would be rid of "Big Ben." Sure, it is unlikely. But what a statement that would make.

I wish I was a General Manager to do things like that. We are talking the business of guesses anyways. I mean, look at the Detroit Lions, they throw away draft picks every year. I would love to be a general manager and send a message that athletes are role models and we need to hold them to that.

It will be interesting to see who takes Tebow. Word on the street it is Jacksonville, hoping to capitalize on the Florida connection. He also seems to fit that "system." But wouldn't it be nice if someone made a statement? Unfortunately money rules the game, and owners are less worried about stars getting in trouble, eg Roethlisberger, and more worried about revenue.

Just found this:
Tebow to Steelers - No Joke!

PGA's Brian Davis is a CLASS ACT!

Saw this AP story about PGA tour pro, Brian Davis. He called a 2-stroke penalty on himself on the first playoff hole this past Sunday, at the Verizon Heritage at Harbour Town, which essentially handed the tournament victory to Jim Furyk. It also "cost" him his first PGA tour victory, this became his fourth 2nd place finish. By finishing 2nd, he also lost out on over $400,000 in purse money.

I saw this by chance. It wasn't really a headline, in fact, it was on the side-bar of the Detroit News, and I just happened to catch the title as I was scrolling down the page. This should be front page stuff... but it isn't sex, so I guess it doesn't sell.

Here is an excerpt from the Detroit News:

Hilton Head Island, S.C. -- Brian Davis couldn't deny what he saw and knew he was honor-bound to tell the world.


Davis ticked a loose reed during his backswing Sunday on the first playoff hole, calling a two-stroke penalty on himself that gave Jim Furyk a victory at the Verizon Heritage.


"It's just awkward to see it happen at such a key moment in the golf tournament," Furyk said. "Awkward for him to lose that way, and a little awkward for me to win."


Davis immediately asked for PGA Tour tournament director Slugger White and shared what he saw on the shot. White consulted with officials who checked TV replays and confirmed Davis' worst fear: His violation cost him a chance at his first PGA Tour victory.


What Davis lost on the course will be regained in his reputation for his honorable act, White said.


"That will come back to him spades, tenfold," White said.


That was little consolation for Davis, who rolled in a clutch 18-footer for birdie on his final regulation hole to catch Furyk and force overtime.


Davis' troubles began with his approach, a wayward 7-iron that hit the left edge of the green, rattled off the rocks boarding Calibogue Sound and settled among some grass, twigs and reeds.


Davis' error, a violation of rule 13.4 against moving a loose impediment during a takeaway, was indiscernible but for slow motion replays.


"It was one of those things I thought I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. And I thought we'd check on TV, and indeed there was movement," Davis said.


He immediately conceded victory to Furyk, who putted out for his 15th PGA Tour win and second since March.


Furyk didn't know what to do at first. He raised his putter and tipped his cap to the cheering and confused crowd, then embraced his children who ran to meet their championship dad.


"I want to react to the crowd and kind of wave and let them know, that 'Hey, I'm excited,'" Furyk said. "But I don't want it to take away from Brian."


Furyk earned $1,026,000 million, finally tasting victory at Harbour Town after posting two seconds and a fourth since 2005.


Davis earned $615,000 for his fourth second-place finish on the PGA Tour.


"To have the tournament come down that way is definitely not the way I wanted to win," Furyk said. "It's obviously a tough loss for him and I respect and admire what he did."


Davis nearly won in regulation, his approach to his final hole scaring the cup before settling 18 feet away. His birdie putt had just enough steam to drop in and keep hope of a breakthrough win alive.


Moments later, the playoff was done with Davis' self-imposed violation, something inconceivable in most other sports, where competitors take pride in getting every edge they can.


"He's class, first class," White said.

The Master!

We don't have to worry about Tiger winning this one! I am soo happy Phil won! He is a true gentleman, and a great ambassador of this sport. He is a family man and dare I say it, a TRUE SPORTS HERO. 

He also ruined Tiger's coming out party! People wanted him to be Tiger's rival for a long time... and well, it is very fitting that he won THIS tournament!

Good for Phil! and Good for GOLF! Here is the story from CBS Sports:

Even sweeter than Phil Mickelson slipping into another green jacket was seeing his wife waiting for him behind the 18th green at Augusta National with tears streaming down her face.

Amy Mickelson, with her long blonde hair and easy smile, had not been at a tournament since she was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 months ago.

Her husband had not looked the same ever since.

A shattered world seemed at peace in the fading sunlight Sunday at the Masters, where Mickelson made one last birdie for a 5-under 67 to capture his third green jacket with a three-shot victory over Lee Westwood.

The outcome was never in doubt when he arrived on the 18th green. The conclusion was more emotional than anyone expected.

"I wasn't sure if she was going to be there," Mickelson said.

He shared a long embrace with his wife behind the 18th green, and as he walked to the scoring trailer to sign for the lowest score at Augusta in nine years, a single tear trickled down his cheek to his lip.

"We've been through a lot this year. It means a lot to share some joy together," Mickelson said at the green jacket ceremony, his voice cracking has he struggled to keep control. "It's been such an incredible week, an emotional week. And to cap it off with a victory is something I can't put into words.

"It's something we'll share for the rest of our lives."

Determined to win one for his family, Mickelson made two remarkable par saves from the trees, seized control with a 15-foot birdie putt in the heart of Amen Corner and then made a gutsy play with a 6-iron off the pine straw and over Rae's Creek on the par-5 13th to set up a birdie. It was a daring shot, the kind that has brought Lefty so much criticism for taking on too much.

There was simply no denying him in this Masters.

His final birdie only mattered on the scorecard, 16-under 272, the lowest by a Masters champion since Tiger Woods in 2001. Mickelson had this won as he walked up the 18th fairway to a massive ovation. He raised both arms when the putt fell, had a long embrace with caddie Jim "Bones" Mackay, then walked toward the scoring hut and into his wife's arms.

Standing behind them was Mary Mickelson, his mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in July.

So ended a Masters unlike any other.

It began with Woods returning from a humiliating sex scandal, which brought a sharp rebuke from Masters chairman Billy Payne and scrutiny of his behavior throughout the week. His wife was not at the Masters for the first time, although Woods performed as though his five-month hiatus never happened. He broke par all four rounds, closed with a 69 and tied for fourth with K.J. Choi, five shots behind.

For Westwood, this was his best chance at winning a major, but he failed to make putts to stay in range.

"Phil being the champion he is hit some great shots coming down the stretch," said Westwood, who closed with a 71 for his best finish ever in a major. "He's been through hard times recently, and he deserves a break or two."

Anthony Kim closed with a 65, the best score of the tournament, and finished alone in third.

Mickelson became the eighth player with at least three Masters titles, and it was the fourth major of his career, breaking out of a pack that had included Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington and Vijay Singh from his generation.

Woods offset a few signature moments with some poor putting, none more shocking than a three-putt from 6 feet on the 14th hole.

"I finished fourth. It's not what I wanted," Woods said in a terse interview with CBS Sports analyst Peter Kostis. "I wanted to win this tournament. As the week went on, I kept hitting the ball worse."

Asked about his dour mood as his game got away from him, Woods said, "People are making way too much of a deal on this." He also said he did not know when he would return, saying he needed time off to evaluate.

For Mickelson, it's a celebration to remember.

During the green jacket ceremony, Mackay sat on the grass with his legs crossed, cheeks stained with tears. It was Mackay who made countless trips to San Diego to be with Mickelson as he tried to cope with the uncertainty of his wife's illness.

Mackay, whose wife stood behind the 18th green with Amy Mickelson, had a hunch the end of this Masters victory would look like the other two, with the entire Mickelson clan waiting for a hug.

"I didn't really want to look up because I knew I'd get choked up if I saw her," Mackay said. "It was great to see her there, for sure."

Mickelson was the only player among the top 10 to play without a bogey in the final round. Right when it looked like it might slip away from him, Lefty came through with two par saves from the trees on No. 9 and No. 10, then pulled away with the clutch 9-iron on the 12th to 15 feet behind the hole.

Woods teased with contention by making two eagles in one round for the second time this week. Most of the day, however, he was always too many shots back to scare anyone.

He was seven shots behind walking down the seventh fairway, then holed out for eagle to begin an eagle-birdie-birdie run that put him within three shots. Woods hit a tree from the middle of a small forest to the right of the 11th fairway, and just when it looked as though he would make a great escape, he missed a 5-foot par putt.

His hopes ended on the 14th when he missed a slick 6-foot birdie putt, then reached over to tap it in and missed that one. Even with an eagle on the 15th, his Masters was over.

Whatever doubts there are about Woods as a person, his golf doesn't appear to be suffering. It was his first competition in five months, his first time in public since he became tabloid fodder for his rampant infidelity. Yet he performed as if he had never been gone.

Choi's only consolation was going all four rounds with Woods at Augusta and matching his score. He wanted much more, and for the longest time was poised to give Asia successive majors following Y.E. Yang's win at the PGA Championship.

He unraveled on the 13th, a hole where he had made birdie the previous three rounds. From the fairway, he tugged his approach into the back bunker, leaving him a frightening shot down a steep slope toward Rae's Creek. He barely got it out of the sand, then three-putted for a bogey. Another bogey followed on the 14th.

Kim, who set a Masters record last year with 11 birdies in the second round, came out of nowhere. He played a four-hole stretch starting on the 13th in only 11 shots - an eagle and three birdies - and finished with two strong pars to post at 12-under 276

What if Tiger Wins? - Open Thread

Tiger is currently tied for 3rd place at the Masters. He is 2 strokes back.

So I pose the question: What if he wins? What does it mean? Will it change your view of his sins and transgressions?

I don't want to know your overall thoughts, I really am asking specifically what ramifications would a victory at the Master's have on the overall situation? And/or what ramifications SHOULD it have?

This is not just any tournament. The fact that this is the first tournament back says a lot about what he is trying to do to his career. This tournament is supposedly his tournament. The Master's was his coming out party as a pro.
So the question then might be... if he should win, will it change your mind at all? Tiger Woods to you or me is a golfer. We don't know him and we know little of him as a PERSON. There was a period early on, 1997-2000ish that I didn't like Tiger for no other reason than my favorite golfers were David Duval and Phil Mickelson. After a while I just came to love his domination... but not his attitude. But I will admit... I started rooting for him.

Maybe I should have stuck with my gut. We know Tiger has attitude problems on the course, he is allegedly working on those. He only had one or two outbursts yesterday... which isn't bad, I guess.

So... what happens on Monday... if he is awarded another Green Jacket on Sunday?

Let's have some discussion in the Comment-Box.


Side Note:

Current Scores:
1. Lee Westwood -8
3. Tiger Woods -6
6. Phil Mickelson -5
69. David Duval +6

Opening Day - 2010

Today is "Opening Day" in major league baseball. I have always been a big baseball fan. I see the game as much more strategic than it is athletic... although one must be an athlete to play. The actual season started this evening with a game between the Yankees and Red Sox. Baseball is a lot like the Catholic faith. Most people are just fans of whatever local team they live near, go to games, watch games, and look at the bottom line: wins and losses. There is also a baseball "elite" as some where I come from like to refer to such people. These are the people that treat the game like a... well... religion. I am somewhere in between. I am not smart enough, nor jaded enough to be part of the elite, but I do like to learn all the little intricacies about the game. This is especially true during September and October when debates flare up regarding who and how to pitch to a lefty that is hitting great at night against righty fast-ballers. 

As a former Michigan boy, I grew up loving the Tigers. I was 5 years old the last time they won the World Series. The 80's were great for the Tigers, and the early 90's rode on those coat-tails. Unfortunately things took a horrible turn. During the mid and late 90's they were awful, so I needed a team to actually root for. Derek Jeter was from Michigan, and seemed like as good as guy as any to root for, and so I became a Yankees fan, to the disgust of my father and most everyone else in Detroit. Then they started winning and the Tigers losing even more, so the Yankees were my replacement team. 

Now that the Tigers are good again, I am a split personality fan. The Tigers are my number 1 and the Yankees are a number 2. This became even harder last year when the Tigers were fighting to get in and the Yankees were doing so well. Yes, I own a hat for both teams. Well... this problem got even harder this winter when Curtis Granderson was traded to the Yankees. He was "my tiger." He is a great guy, great in the community, played one of the positions I played, and was just a great ambassador for the game. 

So... we will see how things develop this year. I will most likely remain a two and a half team man. What is the 1/2 you ask? Well, there is an old debate in baseball between the National and American leagues. I won't get into the history, you can look it up if need be, but the short of it is that the National League has its pitchers hit, and the American League uses designated hitters. NL fans say that the AL is a "junior league" an historical reference to when the leagues came about, but also to the fact that we use the DH, designated hitter. They claim the AL isn't pure, that it's all about hitting, and there is no strategy. They claim that all the AL does is go up to bat and try and hit home runs. NO steals, bunts, or strategy ever come into play. I dont believe this... but I wont get too into that. Needless to say, when I spent a summer out in California I lived with a die hard NL family. They were Giants fans. The Giants were my NL team growing up because my grandparents vacationed where they had their spring training and would always bring me back balls and hats. They also play in San Fran where my cousins and other family live. So... even though they are an NL team, I still like to pull for them. Even though they would lose in the series to whomever they play :)

I won't bore you too much with the day to day, but I will probably update anything major. Also.. April is a big time, at least in Detroit. The Tigers start up again, and it is a big baseball town. Plus, the Wings are almost always in the Playoffs - as they are again this year. Plus, April is when the weather really starts to break in Michigan, along the the NFL draft. So it is a pretty big sports time for the state.

I unfortunately don't have the money to get the NHL or MLB packages because we have CABLE. Alaska is weird with their internet, so we had to get cable and not dish. Either way, I cant afford the channels to watch hockey or baseball... so I need to find some other way to do it. If only I could get someone with a Sling-box to help me out. 

So... in order this is whom I root for:

1. 

2. 

2.5: 

NCAA - Frozen Four: College Hockey National Championship

So the first year I am not in Michigan and they are hosting the National Championship College Hockey tourney there. I know that most people don't care about these brackets as much as I do, or that some people do, but it is still fun. Mostly because a lot of upsets happen. Last year for example, Bemidji St. and Air Force beat Notre Dame and Michigan respectively, both of which were supposed to make the final four, if not the finals. 

So here is this years bracket:

If you would like to play against me, please feel free to pick your teams and send me an email. Or you can just do it on your own. Here is the website: NCAA Frozen Four Site 

Look for more updates to come!

BTW - here are my picks:

-Posted by: Joe

March Madness? ... Not so much this year.

This is the first year that I didn't fill out a bracket...

Why?

Not sure... maybe it is because I have a 2-month old. Maybe it is because I live in the AK time zone and many of the games during the first 4 days of the tournament start at 9am. Maybe I was just lazy.

I am going to watch... and maybe this year I can do it a little more relaxed. I can also spend more time on prayer, the blog, and church "things." Kind of an odd situation though, since the wife REALLY enjoyed filling out brackets the last few years and going to watch the games. Maybe the REAL reason we didn't do it this year is that we lack a decent place to go an get over stimulated by watching all the games at once.



-Posted by: Joe

FUNK SURFING VIDEO - SURFING FITNESS

SURFING FITNESS

Funk Roberts and Funk Jr show you their surfing and body boarding skills on the Flowrider at the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition.)


Surfing Fitness is great for BALANCE, CORE, STRENGTH, AGILITY, FLEXIBILITY, STABILITY, ENDURANCE, POWER, MOBILITY.





This is a bodyweight functional training program for surfers. 

Total Surfing Fitness – Functional Training for Surfers.
This workout should be done 2-3 times a week for 2 weeks

Bodyweight Squat Reps – 15-20
Push-up Reps – 15-20
Bridge Time – 30-45 seconds
Lunge Twist Reps – 10 each leg
Spiderman Climb Reps – 10 each leg
Side Bridge Time – 20-30 seconds per side

Finish by stretching tight muscle groups.

GET THE ENTIRE TOTAL SURFING FITNESS WORKOUT PROGRAM
CLICK HERE

HANG 10 DUDES!
Funk Roberts and Funk Jr

Detox to Optimize Athletic Performance

Detox to Optimize Athletic
Performance
by Estella Hom

As an athlete, it is important to be at your best and to always be able to perform optimally. To do so requires one to be both mentally and physically fit. Your body is a machine, much like a car.

It requires regular maintenance and is powered by the fuel you give it. If you cut corners and feed it inferior grade fuel, performance will suffer. If you give it the best, premium grade fuel, you will have optimized the chances of high performance.

Having said that, by cutting out all the junk, processed foods, refined sugars, and replacing it with natural foods and healthy fats, you will see a difference.

It has been said that by purging your body of toxins, you will in turn revitalize your mind, keep energy levels high, and body fat down.

In an attempt to optimize my performance and to gain an extra edge, over the last 3 days I decided to go on a Fruit Detox program. Any extra weight and toxins I have is going to hold me back so it must go!

I’m not an endorser on popping pills to achieve end results, and much prefer to do my cleansing through natural foods, which is one of the main reasons why I decided to try Jay Robb’s 3 Day Fruit Flush Detox.

It claims that one can lose as much as 9lbs while on this program, no workouts necessary. Okay, I didn’t quite lose THAT much, but I did come close and couldn’t resist fitting in a couple of kettlebell workouts in between.


After having tried it, I was really surprised that it didn’t leave me hungry all the time and I still had more than enough energy for my workouts. However, I did crave food – especially on Day 1, where I was just consuming whey protein all day.

Other than that, I like how this detox is very natural in the sense that you’re always consuming fruits/protein. The richest food I ever consumed was avocados.

The program was especially easy to follow and keep to since I was swamped with deadlines at work and pretty much tied to my computer all day. I packed all my fruits the night before to save on time.

As for results, I lost 5lbs on the first day alone! Then for the remainder of the time I lost another pound, making it a total of 6lbs by the end of the detox.

Not too shabby at all. I felt cleaner, my abs were flatter, I was revved and ready to go!
I feel great and would definitely do it again. The fact that it’s only for 3 days, I think anyone can do it.

Bottom line: Doing a detox for 3 days is a great way to lose a few quick pounds but not a quick fix solution for weight loss. For the long term, I suggest adopting healthy eating habits that include a good balance of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and fats. If you’re in, you’re in all the way!



About Estella
Hi, my name’s Estella Hom. I’m a graphic designer, athlete, and kettlebell fat loss expert and Funk Roberts Bootcamp Trainer. Design and fitness are my two passions.

After 4 years of crunching designs in front of a computer, all niters, and very poor eating habits, I earned my Bachelor of Design Degree from York University/Sheridan College and was fat. All of which changed when I began working out, training with kettlebells and embracing a healthier lifestyle.

The fat literally melted off my body and I underwent a complete transformation. I lost 45lbs, 21″ off my body, am down 7 dress sizes, and feel better than ever! I still design away on my computer but live a much more athletic and balanced lifestyle.

Here, I will share with you tips and secrets to winning the war against body fat, getting more out of your busy life, and achieving your personal best.

Failure is not an option. Do what you got to do.

3 JUMP TRAINING EXERCISES TO BASKETBALL SUPREMACY

With the NBA and College seasons in full swing, and the All Star Weekend knocking at the door, seems that everyone is getting basketball fever.

How do these elite athletes continue to play day in and day and perform at the top of their game. Many pro and college players use upper and lower body workouts before and during the season to ensure they are always playing at their peak performance.

Jump training, one of the more popular aspects of plyometrics, is essential to include in your lower body workout if you want to increase your vertical jump. By combining speed, strength and agility ut is the best and fastest ways to get results.

There are many jump training exercises to help you improve your performance on the court, but the three that we will focus on will help you with rebounding, dribbling and dunking.

REBOUNDING

One of basketballs most effective offense and defensive moves is rebounding. There are rebounding fundamentals that you’ll need to perfect like; expecting the miss, blocking out your opponent and timing the right approach to grab the ball.

But if you can’t jump high and strong then you can kiss those fundamentals good bye.

Rim Jumps will help you to establish good position, extend your arms and reach up strong to pull down that ball.



Rim Jumps
Rim Jumps are an excellent exercise to develop jump endurance. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms up in the air, as if you are ready to perform a standing dunk or reach up for a rebound. Explode up, keeping your hands up in the air as if to touch the rim. Once you land, blast up again as high and fast as possible. Envision yourself grabbing that rebound each time you go to jump.

CROSSOVER DRIBBLE

If you have ever played basketball, you know about the crossover dribble. The crossover is perhaps the most popular offensive move in the NBA, And 1 Basketball, College, you name it.

The move is loved by so many because it has the potential to leave defenders looking stupid and embarrassed. The move isn’t just about the dribble, but the quickness of the change in direction. This is what makes the move so hard to defend. Footwork and speed will allow you to execute the move with precision.

The Side to Side Lateral Jumps will help with getting you the quickness you will need to blow by your defender, taking a moment to see how badly you embarrassed them, and then score.


Side to Side Lateral Jumps

Jump side to side over a small barrier, like traffic cones, or an imaginary line. The cones ensure that you leap upwards as well as sideways. Leap as high and as fast you can from side to side. This will help with your speed, agility and explosiveness. Keep your head straight by staring at a fixed point and emphasize the hip action. Imagine being a slalom skier barrelling down the Swiss Alps.

DUNKING

The dunk shot, slam dunk, jam, stuff, flush, cram or throw down, is one of the highest percentage shots one can attempt in basketball as well as one of the most crowd-pleasing plays.

In order to execute the dunk, you will need the one foot take off and lifting power in your legs to get you up and to the basket.

Flying Step ups will get you the air you’ll need to throw down that contest winning, hall of fame dunk.



Flying Step Ups
Flying Step-ups help to strengthen the legs for one-foot takeoffs. Stand about a foot away from a stable box that is 12” high. Be sure the box can support your body weight. Step up explosively with your right leg, enough to lift your body off the box and land back on the right foot. Step back down with the left leg (the left leg does not touch the box) and repeat the exercise, starting with the left leg in front. Envision yourself with the ball and driving down the lane for a one-foot takeoff and dunk.

Use these exercises during your leg workout or after basketball practice, twice a week and you will on your way to ruling the hard-court.

Funk Roberts
Put Funk into your Dunk!

Coming soon the complete Funk Roberts 6 Week Jump Training Program including your jump training program with photos, weight training, diet, supplementation and much more guaranteed to add 2-10 inches to your vertical. Reserve your copy by emailing funkroberts@gmail.com

FIVE PHYSICAL KEYS TO VOLLEYBALL SUCCESS

Back in the old days, training and discipline meant drinking light beer after a long day of competition or at the beach. But in today’s world of sports if you are not working out or eating right you will fall behind. Athletes in every sport from car racing to gymnastics practice a variety of health and fitness routines that help them stay at the top of their games.


In volleyball, there are five physical keys to proper training: power, agility, flexibility and nutrition. Through, sports-specific exercise and discipline, those skills should be developed at an early age and continue to grow with your game.


Here are five physical keys that will take your volleyball game, whether indoor or beach, to the next level and beyond.


1. POWER – Power is the ability to move strongly with speed. Plyometrics and Olympic weight lifting help improve power.

2. AGILITY - Agility is the ability to move quickly and easily. Speed drills and Plyometrics increase agility


3. FLEXIBILTY – Flexibility is the ability to move through a full rage of motions. This skill improves an athlete’s performance in a variety of volleyball situations. Passive stretching of the muscles used for volleyball and its movements, before and after activity, improves flexibility.

4. FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH – Functional strength is the body’s ability to generate force for volleyball-related skills. Plyometrics, Olympic weight lifting and supplemental resistance exercises like using kettlebells help develop functional strength.

5. NUTRITION - Nutrition is the process by which the body breaks down food to supply nutrients ad energy to maintain health and athletic performance. Eating balanced meals from the four basic food groups provide nutrition.

Funk Roberts

excerpts from Heat

KETTLEBELL TRAINING FOR BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Kettlebell Training for Beach Volleyball

Mark Heese and Ahren Cadieux, Olympic Hopefuls

As an ex-Professional Beach Volleyball player, I wish that I had the knowledge of the different training programs and tools that consists today. There is one training tool that I feel is dramatically underutilized in the world of beach volleyball – the Kettlebell.

Kettlebells are effective in training for athletic performance development. The Kettlebell is great addition to the athletes training a number of reasons.

First of all, there are a wide variety of drills that can be performed with them. Secondly, they are inexpensive and take up very little space. And lastly, you don’t need to be in a facility to train. In the case of beach volleyball, you can train with them right on the beach. And what better place to do your training? Athletes will get better transfer of training if they practice on the surface that they play on.


One of the specific exercises that I suggest for beach volleyball athletes is the Kettlebell swing. This basic ballistic drill allows the athlete to develop better ability to effectively generate and absorb kinetic energy through the body’s most powerful engine (the hips) in one single motion.


Another advantage of the swing is that it helps prepare the athlete for the more advanced Kettlebell power exercises, such as: cleans, jerks and snatches. All of which are excellent, because they not only train the hips, but also the: shoulder complex, rotator cuff (more specifically the external rotators, teres minor and infraspinatus) which is so often neglected in athletic training programs.

Beach volleyball players professional, amateur and recreational should all add the Kettlebell workout into the full volleyball training regimen

Funk Roberts
Excerpts taken from friend, Alex Franco, of Brazil

Sgt Shanahan has put together amazing Kettlebell eBooks, DVD’s and workouts for men and women. His eBook is a great way to help you start to incorporate the Kettlebells into your workout.

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY

Hockey Season is Here!

It's hockey season and here is a little preview of my friend MOJO's amazing Backyard Ice Rink from last year. This year looks to be bigger and better. If you watch hockey, you may see the Rink showcased on this year's Hockey Day in Canada.

Chuck will be offering hockey to kids in the area as well as running a weekly Backyard League. What a fantastic way to stay in shape over the winter.

Check out this sweet video by BK.

See you on the ice baby!
Funk Roberts
Don't Rush the Beat!

Off Ice Conditioning

Off Ice Hockey Conditioning

As Summer comes to a close, hockey season soon approacheth. Not just the NHL, but high level leagues, adult recreational leagues and kids leagues amongst others. Some of the best hockey players, both men and women engage in Off Ice Conditioning to prepare themselves for the grueling season.

Carlos is an aspiring NHL candidate. This is his final season before the OHL draft and he wants to be in top shape for the campaign. Not only does he take part in our weekly Sgt Shanahan's Boot Camp, but he also trains to become the best that he can be.

Check this out!



Funk Roberts
Don't Rush the Beat

Funk and Mojo at Beach Nationals

See Funk Roberts and Mojo (Chuck Bastie) at the Canadian Beach Volleyball National Championships. The two will work together on Centre Court Sunday to entertain the fans, giveaway prizes and help bring fun to the centre court atmosphere. Join them at Ashbridges Bay.

Funk Roberts

Don't Rush the Beat!