... something unique, and fantasy football has given it to me. A work of fiction. For years, while I was busy writing how-to books and articles, I dreamed, as most authors do, of writing the great American novel. When that didn't come, I just wanted something different; something I thought would interest a large audience.

It finally hit me -- a work of fiction, based on fantasy football. It's called The League. Suspense, conspiracy and fantasy football combine for the first-ever published work of fiction that has a back drop of America's favorite game. Here's to a dream come true and a hope that 15 million Americans love The League as much as I do. Learn more about it at www.sportsnovels.com.

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History of Soccer - An Essay

...The score is tied 1-1. Its you and the goalie with ten seconds left. You dribble left, then right, you shoot . . . GOOOAAALLL!!! "Association football", "football" or, in this age, "soccer" is considered an international pastime. It is played in more towns, cities, and countries than any other sport in the world. Millions share the love for this sport. Comparable to baseball in the US, or hockey in Canada, soccer enjoys the same reputation in the countries of Europe and South America. The sports popularity is swiftly growing in America. So what is it about this sport that attracts more and more participants every year? What is it that invites crowds of a hundred thousand fans and sparks these crazed fans into an uncontrollable rage and a sudden state of chaos? Something that has captivated the rest of the world is beginning to gain a foothold in the US. However, soccer did not enjoy a successful beginning.

It wasnt until the late 1800s that a man by the name of William McGregor introduced the FA Cup and international matches, which saved the game from obscurity. The earliest forms of soccer were played three centuries ago and quite rapidly evolved into a game radically different from its origins and thus flowered the irresistible spectacle still recognizable so many years later.

Soccer is the name commonly given in North America to a form of football played with a spherical ball. It is the most widely played team game in the world and the most popular spectator sport, followed avidly by hundreds of millions of fans. Originally called association football (the name soccer is a corruption of the word assoc derived in turn from association), (Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia) soccer is distinguished from American or canadian football and Rugby in that it is primarily played with the feet. It also differs from these games in that, soccer being speedier, players must improvise their tactics as play proceeds, constantly shifting their positions to receive or intercept passes. Teams of 11 players play on a field no more than 130 yd x 100 yd and not less than 100 yd x 50 yd. The basic objective of the game is for one team to force the ball, by kicking it or using the chest or head, past the goalkeeper and into the goal. The ball is a leather-covered sphere 27 to 28 in. in circumference and weighing 14 to 16 ounces. The game is played in two 45-minute halves. The team scoring the most goals wins the game.

All that is needed to play soccer is a ball, goals, and, for those who want, uniforms consisting of shorts, socks, cleats. It can even be played barefoot. This simplicity and informality is a chief reason for the worldwide popularity of the game. Because tackling is not as violent as in other forms of football and the round ball is more easily controlled than an oval one, soccer is especially suited to younger players.

Soccer has been a part of my life since I was five years old. I have been playing now for twelve years. My experiences in soccer have changed from the first games where 11 players ran in a bunch following the ball, to where now we use a complex system of passing using triangles. Some fans have told me that our system seems difficult to learn and play but when broken down, it is very simple. I have learned a lot about the sport. When I started to play higher levels of soccer I had to make a commitment. As a member of this year's varsity soccer team I spend close to 24 hours a week on the soccer field. My coach played semi-pro soccer in Scotland. Nearly every coach in Utah knows him. He trains us harder than any other coach I have ever had. When I played with him several years ago our team went 16-0-1. We were ranked #1 in the state. With commitment and hard work our team hopes to continue our coach's winning tradition.

In 12th century England the most p...more

Tampa Bay Devilrays Handicapping: 2006 Season Preview

...When people think about slum teams in baseball, they think of the Devil Rays. They average about 65 wins a season over the past 7 seasons. This is 97 losses. So you can imagine always betting against them, right?

I would beg to differ. The past two seasons at home, ...more

Guide To Be A Successful Soccerpunter

...Why becomes a soccer bettor one may ask? Where it is considered a negative occupation where it is often regarded as non productive, immoral behaviour. well as for every other thing everything there is the pros n cons.if you able to use it to your advantage it could be becomes your full-time occupation or a second income. morever, soccer betting is a big thriving business where it is prevalent throughout the worldBy the use of statistics, experience and practice, an astute gambler can consistently beat the posted odds .however to do so one must behave in a manner consistent with success. one thing a successful bettor must do is to continually learn.

Handicapping

There is no single method that is considers the best method, everyones tackles the soccer problem differently,one thing for sure is the harder one works intelligently and practically and the more experience he has the more positive results he will realised.

Objective approach

The use of statistic to help the bettor to determine his picks. It should be noted that statistic are fundemental but its how they are used that makes the difference between winning and losing. however if everyone comes to the same conclusions the oddsmaker could still eliminate any advantages by adjusting the line to keep everyone guessing. either way it is to the bookies advantage.

Subjective approach

After yrs of handicapping the sub-conscious mind help the bettor to finalise his picks. when he starts to win the bettor will get carried away however if his results turns negative his emotions and his mind will short virtually making the bettor ineffective. it is extremely important the bettor at this time knows to hold back and observe for his form to pick up before betting again.

Trends

It should be noted that the best trends are those that are unique, valid and relatively unknown. any seasoned soccer bettor knows that once the trend becomes too popular the linesmen will adjust the line to leave people lost. when using trends you should notice whether it is getting stronger and weaker?

Bankroll mangement

Definition-the amount of money you set aside for betting and not hose for paying bills, groceries or money even when lost would not cause much unbalance in the bettors life.

How much to bet per game?

I would suggest 5% of your bankroll to be used for betting and not to bet more than 3 matches per day, reason because its very difficult to pick winners for every match and the most likely results are you will have a few winners and a few losers resulting in minimal bankroll growth which is the most likely results or worse lose all the bets which is highly possible. Another very important reason for this is you are able to gauage more accurately how much you will lose should you inde...more

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