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Though it is sometimes overshadowed by more famous tracks back East like Churchill downs and Belmont Park, Del Mar Racetrack in Southern California has a rich and fascinating history. Located 20 miles north of San Diego and known for its iconic slogan “Where The Surf Meets the Turf”, Del Mar has not only hosted the best horses and jockeys on the planet but a ‘who’s who’ of show biz elite.

The Del Mar Race Track was founded in the late’30’s by a group of business and show biz elite, including Bing Crosby, Oliver Hardy and Jimmy Durante. During much of the pre WW II era, horse racing ran a close second to baseball in mainstream popularity, so these racing enthusiasts were clearly at the right place at the right time in terms of market forces.

Additionally, the star power involved with the project also provided a trendy cachet that the tonier race courses back East lacked. Bing Crosby himself greeted patrons at the gate on opening day, and during the late’30s and early’40s it became a place to be seen for Hollywood A-listers and those who aspired for celebrity. In addition to known gambling enthusiasts like W.C. Fields, Edgar Bergen and Red Skelton, the Del Mar patrons during that time also included some of the top female stars of the era including Ava Gardner, Paulette Goddard and Dorothy Lamour.

In’38, Del Mar hosted an internationally anticipated match race between Seabiscuit and Ligaroti. This event drew a record crowd and gained worldwide notoriety for the track. Seabiscuit won the $25,000 winner-take-all duel by a nose, and would forever be enshrined in the annals of American popular culture. Horse racing at Del Mar continued to be a smash until the facility went dark in’41 due to World War II. It would remain closed until’45, and for a time was used as a training facility by the military.

After the war Del Mar didn’t miss a beat, and reopened the day after Japan surrendered to Allied Forces in Tokyo Bay. That day drew over 21,000 fans to the park and set a new wagering record of over $950,000. The track flourished during the post war economic boom years, and improved transportation between the major urban centers in Southern California–along with a new crop of stars including Mickey Rooney, Jimmy Durante and Desi Arnez, Jr.–kept the track in the limelight.

Del Mar remains a viable part of the thoroughbred community to this day. Theyve updated their facility, with a state of the art grand stand and most recently a synthetic polytrack surface that was installed in 2007. The racing season at Del Mar begins in mid July, and hosts crowds of 20,000+ on a daily basis throughout.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

In the muddy mess of a rain soaked Churchill Downs, jockey Calvin Borel continued his mastery of the track as he guided Super Saver to victory in the Kentucky Derby. Super Saver had gone off as an 8-1 choice behind 6-1 favorite Looking At Lucky, and Borel took the ‘Run For The Roses’ for the second consecutive year and an unprecedented third time in four years. In the only Derby Borel didn’t win in the last four years he finished in the money, guiding Denis of Cork to a third place finish in 2008.

Borel became the ninth jockey to win the Kentucky Derby at least three times. Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack both won it five times while Bill Shoemaker has won it four times. Angel Cordero Jr., Kent Desormeaux, Gary Stevens, Issac Murphy and Earl Sande are the others to have won three Derbies.

After the race Lookin At Lucky’s trainer Bob Baffert gave Borel his due credit:

“This Calvin Borel, you got to give him credit, he knows how to win this race. He gets right on top of that rail, takes advantage. Smart rider; he owns this track. The thing about Calvin is he takes control of the race. He’s great here. He’s a great rider and he can get it done.”

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas concurred:

“Used to be Pat Day, now I think Calvin owns Churchill Downs. He’s got a great feel for it and they’re running for him and his confidence is sky high. He’s just a great rider, too, a great horseman in a lot of ways.”

Super Saver’s trainer Todd Pletcher also praised Borel:

“I said earlier in the week that Calvin Borel is a great rider anywhere he goes, but for some reason at Churchill Downs he’s even five lengths better. He’s just figured out Churchill Downs. He knows how to ride this track, he gets along with the colt really well.”

Super Saver won by 2 lengths over second place Ice Box. Paddy O’Prado finished third. Make Music for Me was fourth, followed by Noble’s Promise, Lookin At Lucky, Dublin, Stately Victor, Mission Impazible, Devil May Care, American Lion and Jackson Bend.Discreetly Mine was 13th, followed by Dean’s Kitten, Conveyance, Homeboykris, Sidney’s Candy, Line of David, Awesome Act and Backtalk.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

In one of the highlight matches of the DREAM/K-1 Fields Dynamite! New Years Eve megacard, Japanese submission machine Shinya Aoki used a heel hook to submit a top notch opponent in Eddie Alverez at 1:32 of the first round. With the victory, Aoki sets up a rematch against reigning DREAM lightweight champion Joachim Hansen and bolsters his claim as the best lightweight fighter in the world.

When the Aoki/Alverez fight was first announced, there was some speculation that Aoki had chosen one of the worst possible stylistic matchups for him. A product of tough Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia, he grew up not far from where much of the exterior scenes were shot for the first Rocky movie. With this sort of toughness and heart bred into him, and a solid background in boxing and amateur wrestling hes become one of the best all round fighters in MMA and among the best in the world at the weight.

Alverez received an enthusiastic reaction from the fans in Tokyo’s Saitama Super Arena as he made his way to the ring on New Years Eve”his run to the DREAM lightweight finals and particularly the epic battle with Hansen has made him a highly respected and popular fighter in Japan. The reaction he received was nothing like Aoki’s, however, who was cheered like a rock star as he bounced to the ring.

As the two fighters stood for referee instructions, it was striking how much taller and rangier Aoki was than his opponent. Aoki is listed at 511, Alverez at 58 but the visual difference suggests that there’s much more than a three inch height advantage in favor of Aoki. The two men respectfully touched gloves and bowed slightly before heading back to their corner for the opening bell of what most anticipated would be a lengthy chess match between two of the best fighters at the weight.

For the first minute of the match, it appeared that a slow feeling out process was underway. Alverez was the aggressor for most of the first minute, coming forward while using his jab as a range finder. Aoki flashed a couple of leg kicks, but never connected with any. Alverez landed the first blows of the contest, connecting with a nice three punch combination that displayed his lightning fast hands. Aoki danced away, however, and wasn’t hurt by the attack.

What happened next can only be described as unbelievable”the sequence started when Aoki grabbed Alverez’s ankle after a kick and appeared to go for what looked like a standing anklelock submission. Alverez managed to extricate his ankle and seeing that Aoki was off balance took the opportunity to go for his own takedown with a move that looked more like a judo throw than a traditional wrestling move.

When Alverez landed, however, Aoki wasn’t there. In one single, almost gravity defying motion he’d used the momentum from the takedown to shoot under Alverez and grab his leg. Alverez struggled briefly, but Aoki quickly cinched in a painful heel hook. Having prepared well for his opponent, Alverez went to counter by changing his body position and relieving the pressure but Aoki followed him move for move. Eventually, Alverez maneuvered himself into an even worse position and with an audible shout of pain was forced to tap. He got up slowly after the fight, but as of now there’s thankfully been no indication of a serious leg or joint injury.

Ever the gentleman, Aoki dropped to the canvas after the tapout to check on his opponents condition than started his postfight celebration. He quickly addressed the crowd in Japanese to an enthusiastic response before heading to the back.

One superlative that is no longer in dispute is Shinya Aoki’s status as the best submission artist in mixed martial arts. Hes got the technical background to be sure, but what elevates him above the rest is his amazing ability at improvisation. Even if an opponent has mastered all of the defenses and counters for every known submission technique, there’s no way to defend someone who can make up effective submission moves during a fight.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and noted authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

One of the reasons that the popularity of sports gambling has skyrocketed in recent years is its accessibility. It’s easy to bet on most major sports because everyone understands the basics, which teams are good and why they win. Horse handicapping, on the other hand, is a completely different and somewhat arcane discipline. Where there are some shared concepts, success at sports betting doesn’t guarantee the same playing the ponies. Legendary sports handicapper Jimmy ‘The Greek’ Snyder was famous for killing the books with his sports plays–and giving it all back with his inept horse bets.

Were not going to suggest that the information here even scratches the surface of what you need to know to become a serious horse handicapper. There are countless books, DVDs and other media that you should check out if this is your goal. If you’re interested in simply knowing the basics so that you can enjoy a day at the track, here are some basic concepts of horse handicapping:

Arm yourself with information: The first step for any horse handicapper is to pick up a copy of the Daily Racing Form (DRF) and the track program. The publications give the names of the horses, jockeys and trainers, the morning line odds, and the types of bets available for each race. You’ll also have past performance charts, which are crucial for serious horse handicappers. These charts reveal a lot about a horse and what they’ve done on the racetrack, including its record, where it ran, the quality of competition it ran against, and what position the horse was in at various points in the race.

You’re playing against other bettors, not the racetrack: A big difference between sports wagering and horse betting is the function of ‘the house’. In horse racing, you’re not playing against the track–instead, you’re betting against the other patrons. The track simply serves as a ‘banker’, accepting money and paying bets. For this service, they take a percentage of the money bet on each race (called the ‘takeout’). The odds on a horse aren’t set by the track, but rather by the amount of money bet on each entry.

The odds in the newspaper are known as the ‘morning odds’ and are essentially educated opinions. They’re not much different than ‘overnight lines’ in sports betting. They can serve a function for handicapping, but often will not reflect what will transpire when the actual betting begins.

Horse handicapping basics: This is where horse racing gets complex–there are countless theories about how to handicap a horse race. Some handicappers consider the breeding lineage of the horse, while others are more concerned with past performance. Still others put more weight on the training a horse has received, or its workout performance.

Once a bettor reaches a conclusion about what he thinks will happen in a given race, it is still subject to the odds that are available when betting. This is similar to sports gambling, where an underdog may be more attractive due to an excessively high payback potential than he would ordinary, or, conversely, a clear favorite becomes an unattractive wagering proposition due to a prohibitively high price. Its all a matter of the math–if I could speak to the teenagers of America, I’d try to impress upon them the importance of doing well in math for no other reason than its importance in all forms of gambling.

Horses and Trainers: Some handicappers place a great deal of importance on the horses breeding lineage”the quality of his parents and grandparents “as an indication to his performance potential. This may be particularly important early in a horses career, but after a half dozen or so races what hes done on the track becomes more important than his pedigree. Trainers, like Bob Baffertt, can also be an important consideration much in the same way that coaching can play an important role in sports wagering.

Jockeys: Jockeys are independent agents, and thus to make the most money they need to win the most races. The more a jockey wins, the better ‘rides’ he gets and the more money he makes. Surprisingly, many serious horse players put minimal importance on the jockey. It’s essentially a case where even the best jockey can’t win with a bad horse. In other words, if a jockey is seen as ‘competent’ there are many other more significant factors for the handicapper to consider.

Don’t Go Overboard, and Try to Find What Works For You: As with any new betting discipline, its always sound advice to not go overboard with the amount of money you wager. These are just the basics of how to bet a horse race and what some of the salient factors are in determining who will win or lose a race, and doesn’t even to begin to scratch the surface of successfully handicapping the sport. If you want to learn more, Id suggest starting with the Daily Racing Form website, after which a simple Google search can expand your options from there.

Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer who covers travel, poker and sports 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, fencing and deep sea diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.

When it comes to working or enjoying the outdoors, there is nothing like having a mobile solar charger with you. In today’s world of high tech electronic gadgets, one of the biggest issues is running out of juice when you need it the most, and letting your cell phone, mp3 player or laptop’s battery die constantly can often damage it permanently. Many consumers consider their mobile phone or even a GPS navigator their life line, and there is nothing worse than having it fail because the battery died.

In order to prevent this, a portable solar charger is available. You will find many options available to you. There are small portable solar chargers that not only allow you to get power from the sun, but from the wind as well. There are bigger models that fold up into a compact size, but have the capability to power a laptop, even on a cloudy day. There are solar chargers, with power packs that can deliver more than 120 watt hours of power, and can be piggy backed for even more power or storage capacity. So no matter where you go, whether it is going to your favorite campsite, or climbing some of the highest most rugged peaks in the world, you will always have the power you need.

Here are 3 solar battery chargers we will discuss today. One of these is the K3 Wind and Solar Charger. This device has many functions which are useful. First of all, it can charge two ways externally. When it is nice and sunny outside, it’s compact solar panel is capable of keeping just about any electronic device under five watts charged up. But, if there is wind, the built in turbine can also give you a charge. It also has an internal battery pack, which gives you added security and power when you need it. It includes a usb cable, an a/c adapter, A97 and A32 adapter, and a carrying case. It also has a storage compartment to hold all of your device adapters. The AC adapter is able to charge the internal battery, and a guide to help you get started right away. This complete unit sells for just under $100.

The next solar charger that you may like is the 62 Watt foldable solar panel. This unit, when open, measures 52.5″X30″ and is .1″ thick. When folded, it is just 14.5″X8.5″X1.4″ thick, and this helps when you are traveling. It utilizes state of the art super thing PowerFLEX solar cells, and is available in both 12 and 24 Volt models. This solar system is weatherproof, UV resistant, and has a nylon backing case. It also has an anti glint surface, that cuts reflection down to nothing. On the underside of the unit, there is a place for you to keep the cables and controllers. In addition to these features, you will find a SAE approved water resistant prong plug to connect to your trailer or motor home. This unit will be able to withstand those hot temperatures as well as cold. When you want silent, reliable power whenever and wherever you need it, then this is the kind of product you might be interested. This solar unit is less than $1000.

Perhaps one of the most powerful and complete solar battery charger systems available is the Sherpa 120 Kit Kit. This is one high power system, and it comes with a multitude of features and products all in one package. The Nomad 27M Solar Panel Array comes with this package. The M in 27M means mono-crystalline and the watts is 27. The small LED light to help you know about the power level. The solar panel is lightweight and compact and even includes a small pocket to carry the connection cords, and it also has it’s own small case to carry it in. There are three rods to help you support it instead of laying it down to charge. It has been certified by the CE. If you have a cell phones, gps unit, sat phones, or devices less than 27 watts, then you can get powered by this solar panel.

That isn’t all when it comes to this package. In addition to this portable solar charger package, you also get the Sherpa 120 battery. The power pack will allow up to 120 watt hours of continuous use, and can be linked to two other batteries for additional hours of run time. You will be able to power many devices that have AC, USB, and DC plugs, and is charged by long lasting GOAL0 LiFe batteries, the cycle is up to 3,000. This single power pack is the same as 70,000 double A batteries. There is a monitor reader so you can check the power levels. There is also a internal charge controller which protects the devices and batteries, but also it comes with replaceable fuses for added protection. This system is ready for any condition from all the testing is has gone through. The total contents is the battery pack, solar panel, 12 volt adapter, ac wall unit all for $739.99.

Have you been looking for quality solar battery chargers? Jordan Eske is an expect author and merchant owner who loves helping online shoppers and interested folks who want to buy solar chargers. You can check out livecofriendly or click on the links to learn more about solar power.

The BC Lions may have turned the corner after a disappointing 1-4 start to the CFL season. This past weekend, a clearly motivated Lions team defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 35-20 to improve to 2-4 in CFL play. The Lions first two losses were closely contested affairs, but the previous two had been fairly one sided. The Roughriders dropped to 3-3 in the early going in the CFL season.

Lions defensive end Brent Johnson said that the motivation for this game was simple–his team was just sick of losing:

“We were sick of losing. That was our only option - to win tonight. This was the must wins of must wins.”

Johnson led a tenacious Lions defense with three QB sacks. Overall, the BC stop unit combined for five QB sacks and three interceptions in their best performance of the season.

Lions running back Martell Mallett caught one touchdown pass, ran for another and generally made himself a thorn in the side of the Riders defense all night. After the game, he praised the play of his offensive line:

“We just went out there and executed. The offensive line blocked well. I was just hitting the holes. They opened it for me and I got in it.”

BC starting QB Buck Pierce had been hearing some criticism from the Vancouver media suggesting that he lose his starting spot. His solid play in the victory may have turned down the heat for now:

“I was very proud of our offence tonight. “The way we stayed poised, the way we moved the ball. Running and throwing the ball, we were very good.”

His Saskatchewan counterpart Darian Durrant blamed the loss on his teams lack of execution:

“It was frustrating. B.C. gave us plenty of opportunities to put more points on the board. We just didn’t capitalize.”

Despite the much needed win, Lions coach Wally Buono realizes that his team still has plenty of work to do:

“We have to play much better football than what we did. I saw the intensity that you need, I see the resilience and I saw some guys make some plays.”

BC will travel east to play the struggling Toronto Argonauts. Saskatchewan will head home to face the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

A cloth sack carried on your back and held over the shoulders is called a backpack. A backpack is used to carry loads that are too heavy for hands to carry for a long time. There is the one strap backpack that can be hung over a shoulder. This is to carry lighter loads. The heavier loads are carried in the larger backpack with two shoulder straps. Hip belts are provided in some backpacks to transfer load to the hips. This is helpful when the weight of the load is over 22 lbs. The hips have a better capacity to withstand load more than the shoulders.

Younger generation, particularly the students, fancy backpacks and use them extensively. They use the backpacks to carry their books. Most often the backpacks come to be called as schoolbags or bookbags. The various compartments and pockets are used to carry things they need. Backpacks have become part of the gear that soldiers have in many countries. Equipments weighing even 100 lbs are hauled by them. Additional pockets and compartments with padding are used to carry delicate items such as laptop, cameras and cables. These may be either on the inside or outside. Backpacks with wheels are also available. They come in handy when heavy loads are to be carried over even ground such as smooth pavements, platforms in rail stations or airports. These backpacks have wheels at the bottom and an extendable handle for holding and dragging at the top. The strain on your shoulders can be avoided with these backpacks.

Backpacks come in three types. The most common and cheapest is the frameless backpack. There are the backpacks with external frames to carry heavier loads. The backpacks with internal frame are more comfortable giving you free movement but carry light to moderately heavy loads. The Osprey Argon 70 offers you an internal frame backpack available in five torso sizes with a compartment for sleeping bag and gender specific hip belt combos and harness.

Backpacks are commonly used by travelers, especially leisure travelers for outdoor trekking. There is also the urban backpacker. These are popular as they increase mobility while also being compact.

When a person travels, he or she has to bring very important things. Thus, an Osprey Argon 70 should be used for packing them.

Other Tips: For great useful purchasing activities, look at http://OUTDOORDININGFURNITURE.US and find resources concerning (a) outdoor dining furniture.

Among the sports betting public there’s a lot of conflicting opinions about betting NFL preseason games. That’s not really surprising, since there doesn’t seem to be much middle ground on the subject. Overly cautious handicappers would argue that preseason football is a poor wagering opportunity. Some of the more obnoxious tout services would have you believe that short of a fixed game there is no greater “lock” that preseason football. Like most things that produce such polarized opinions, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle of the two extremes. Preseason NFL football is a unique proposition for the sports gambler, but when approached with caution, discipline and knowledge it can yield some profit.

The opponent of preseason wagering would suggest that its a bad wagering opportunity by its very nature alone–simply stated, the games don’t count meaning that the motivation and focus of individual teams is always in question. It’s hard enough to identify teams that are in a desirable ’spot’ during the regular season, the often conflicting agendas of personnel evaluation, playbook testing, and injury prevention found in the preseason makes it impossible. All told, this uncertainty makes it very undesirable to get financially involved with preseason NFL games.

The proponent of preseason wagering would argue that this is the very reason that good opportunities frequently arise during preseason. First, additional value is frequently found with the underdog in preseason games by their very nature. To explain, in a hypothetical matchup between a Superbowl champion and an also-ran the “better” team by regular season standards would invariably be favored. However, by virtue of their success the “better” teams have not only more ‘marquee names’ to protect, but also valued guys in the trenches who could cause big problems if injured. Frequently, they’ll have more depth and thus fewer personnel evaluation decisions to deal with. They’ll have no need to “create a winning attitude”, nor will they usually have wholesale changes in team composition, offensive or defensive strategy, or coaching philosophies to deal with. In short, the “better” teams often go into preseason situations with little to accomplish other than to get the games over with and stay healthy.

NFL ‘doormats’, meanwhile, have a markedly different agenda to their more successful counterparts. They’ve often got heated competition for starting positions or key back up roles. They’ve often got new coaching staffs that players want to impress. Most significantly, they’re in great need of establishing a winning attitude. A win against an elite team in a ‘meaningless’ preseason game often has a much greater value to this type of team than to a playoff contender.

While some teams could care less about the result of preseason games, few want to enter the regular season having lost them all. In light of this fact, a successful preseason situation that has stood the test of time is to bet on teams that lost their first two exhibition games outright. This situation has produced a winning percentage right around 60%.

There may be no greater determining factor of a team’s preseason success than the philosophy of their head coach. Some coaches just don’t like to lose *any* game, and usually these hyper-competitive teams are good preseason bets. Bill Parcells, for example, was legendary for his serious approach to preseason games. The coaches that he mentored like the NY Giants’ Tom Coughlin have to some extent carried on this legacy. While the “good” preseason coaches are often reflected in the pointspreads assigned to their team, a motivated team is almost always worth a look.

The smart preseason handicapper makes use of the Internet, and more specifically uses it to follow the local sports media of NFL teams. During NFL preseasons, teams’ beat writers are anxious to write stories and need to fill articles but have little in the way of “real” news to write about. As a result, a handicapper can frequently find valuable details like a coach’s goals for the game, playing time for key players, and specific strategies that will be implemented. Occasionally, coaches will come out and say that they’re more interested in evaluating certain players for certain positions than they are in the outcome of the game. A thorough evaluation of this type of media coverage can often produce not only teams to play “on”, but teams with priorities other than winning to play “against”.

The bottom line is that while the NFL preseason does offer some solid moneymaking opportunities, its not a ‘free cash grab’. It’s best viewed as an opportunity to grind out a small profit, but as always its essential to maintain the same degree of discipline in handicapping and money management as at any other time during the pro football season.

Ross Everett is a respected freelance writer specializing in travel, poker and sports handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and scuba diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.

The Edmonton Eskimos survived a wild back and forth CFL shootout against the Calgary Stampeders before prevailing 38-35 to take over sole possession of first place in the CFL West. Ricky Ray hit Fred Stamps with a 23 yard touchdown pass with just nine seconds to play to earn the victory, erasing the lead that Calgary had earned with their own TD pass less than a half minute earlier. Edmonton improved to 4-3 with the win, while Calgary dropped to 3-4.

Winning QB Ricky Ray said that he enjoyed playing in the shootout:

“That was a ton of fun. In the CFL you get to play in a lot of games like this, especially against a guy like (Calgary quarterback Henry) Burris, who has done this to us. It’s great to come out on the winning end of a shoot-out like that. It’s a great uplift for the team. It’s a huge win for us.”

Eskimos head coach Richie Hall said that the outcome couldnt have been timed any better:

“Regardless of what happens, we are coming back in first place. Now we have one up on Calgary. It’s going to be a dogfight for all the teams in the West and any chance you get to win, especially a win like this, it’s a real bonus. It’s great for our confidence.”

Calgarys Burris remembered a very similar game last year:

“They got us last year in this situation and of course you didn’t think it was going to happen again or even could happen again. It felt so great to get that late touchdown and with 38 seconds on the clock nobody was even thinking about last year. We had to stop Jackson and we didn’t. And we had to stop Ray and we didn’t. Kudos to Edmonton.”

Calgary returns to action on Aug. 28 in Toronto while the Eskimos will next play on Aug. 29 when they host Hamilton. The two CFL provincial rivals from Alberta will face each other twice more this season.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Its that time of the year again–Americans are getting ready for football. In a few months NFL teams will be opening training camp and college football teams starting practice. Up north, however, the footballs are already flying as pro football is in full swing up in Canada with the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Most Americans don’t realize that the CFL has a lengthy and storied history. The league itself has been around since’30, and the Canadian Football championship–known as the Grey Cup–has been contended since’09. More recently, American fans are aware that a number of NFL stars got their start in the CFL including Doug Flutie, Jim Kelly, and Jeff Garcia.

While the CFL plays football at the highest professional level of competition outside of the NFL, there are a few differences in the game:

At the most basic level, the football itself is bigger than the NFL ball. It is longer and fatter than the NFL ball. The CFL goal posts are on the goal line, while the NFLs are on the end line at the back of the endzone. The CFL field is also longer (110 yards) and wider (65 yards vs. the NFLs 53.5 yards), and the CFL end zones are 20 yards deep as opposed to 10 yards in the NFL.

CFL teams are allowed to have 12 players on the field at a time, one more than is standard in American football. The extra offensive player is a wide receiver, and on defense they’re allowed an extra defensive back. CFL teams allow a team only three downs to move ten yards as opposed to four in the US game–references to a team going “two and out” are common on CFL broadcasts.

A major difference in the scoring is the ’single’ which awards CFL teams one point for a kick–usually a punt or missed field goal–that lands in the end zone. This will frequently produce partial game scores of 1-0 or 1-1 that are impossible in the US game.

Of all the rule differences between the NFL and CFL the one that has the most significance on the game isnt enforced on the field; its enforced in the GMs office. Canadians are big on laws and rules to protect their national identity–thats why their TV and radio stations are required to devote a certain percentage of their airplay to Canadian content. That has led to a number of Canadian-only media stars both good (The Tragically Hip, Sloan) and bad (Avril Lavigne, early 90s white rapper Snow). The CFL has a similar rule which requires that’ of the 40 players on a roster must be Canadian born. This keeps the CFL from becoming a de facto NFL developmental league, and helps maintain its unique identity.

Despite the rule differences that suggest a higher scoring, more wide open style of play than in the NFL it really doesn’t work out that way. Most games end up with a final score in the 40’s and have a similar pace to their NFL counterparts. There may be a few individual rule differences, but a strong rushing game and defense are tickets to success in the CFL as in the NFL.

There’s also more parity in the CFL than even the NFL, which is famous for the competitive equality of their teams. The reason is fairly simple–football at the high school and college level in Canada simply isn’t as competitive as in the US. That means the mandated ratio of native players also serves to facilitate parity within the CFL.

Considering the 21 non- Canadians on the team, its also important to remember that the CFL doesnt get the pick of the litter of American football talent. Certainly those who have the ability are in the NFL, or on an NFL practice or developmental squad. While some players are uniquely suited for the CFL game–former Clemson University QB Nealon Greene, for example, who couldnt make the NFL but has had a lengthy career in Canada–most of the Americans in the CFL are players whose ability just isnt up to NFL levels. Remember Vince McMahon’s failed XFL experiment? That gives a good indication of the type of American player that ends up in Canada.

The bottom line is that despite the rule differences and personal quotas the CFL game is still football and can be enjoyed the same way. Once you understand the unique attributes of the Canadian game youll start to enjoy it almost as much as the NFL.

You wont see CFL news on ESPN, since theyre more interested in featuring spelling bees and lumberjack competitions and letting their personalities like Stuart Scott show how clever they are than covering sports. The good news is that the CFL receives extensive coverage in the Canadian press and all you need to do is visit a couple of websites to stay up to date. Each CFL city has their own sports media, and most have pretty good websites. The best one stop shopping can be found at the leagues own and Slam! Sports, which is roughly the Canadian equivalent of ESPNs website and has extensive CFL news, opinions and statistics.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.