Schuetz

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 primitive forms of soccer were played on the battlefield. Stories tell of using the enemy's skull as a ball. Another tells of a brave village defeating a Roman team and running them out of town in 217 AD. They took over their whole town including houses, shops, fields and livestock (gives a new meaning to the old saying, "Winner takes all"). Twelfth century soccer was a violent sport with little or no rules. (Origins of the Game)

Native Americans used to play a game called Pasuchuakohowog meaning, "They gather to play ball with the foot." Beaches, a half-mile wide with goals one-mile apart, served as playing fields for as many as 1000 people at a time. Games were often rough, resulting in broken bones. No one could be identified because players disguised themselves with ornaments and warpaint making retaliating close to impossible. It was common for games to be carried over from one day to the next with a feast for all at the conclusion of the match. (Origins of the Game)

It is important to understand that "football" began to be used specifically to describe association football in Europe some time after the Football Association was formed in London in 1863. The Football Association was not set up with the intention of creating a "new" game. The wealthy young Britons who formed the Association had all attended exclusive schools, each fanatically proud of their own traditions and each with their own soccer rules. Now, the Football Association, with their universally acceptable rules for one game only, came into being to provide a game overseen by gentlemen for young gentlemen. It was some years before the world game of today became faintly recognizable. (1000 Years of Football Trivia)

The world's first league was formed in April 1888. The driving force was William McGregor, a Scottish shopkeeper, teetotaler, and deeply religious chairman of the Aston Villa club in Birmingham, which later became the world's first "super club." The league came just in time for soccer, which was struggling to find its true role yet again after the legalization of professional teams in 1885. The forces of amateurism, then represented by the public schools and universities and their powerful position in British society, still saw paid play as an evil. However, strictly organized weekly league competition proved to be the foundation stone of the professional game. The so-called "Baines cards," an amazing series of printed paper cards, were the first brilliant commercial project to spring from popular sports with mass appeal. International matches also helped to revitalize the game. The first international match was played between England and Scotland. A new side of the game was added with these international matches. Players were now playing teams they knew nothing about. They knew nothing about their style of play, their abilities, or their strengths and weaknesses. (1000 Years of Football Trivia)

The evolution of soccer has also meant that rules had to change to keep up with the level of competition. Some of the major alterations over the years include:

1580:A certain Giovanni Bardi published a set of rules of the game of "calcio".
1848:The first Cambridge Rules are drawn up.
1877:The associations in Great Britain formed to gain a uniform code.
1886:June 2, first official meeting of the International Football Association Board.
1891:Introduction of the penalty-kick.
1913:FIFA becomes a member of the International F.A. Board.
1925:Amendment of offside rule from three to two players.
1937-38: The present Laws framed in a new system of codification but based on the Laws previously in force.
1997:The Laws revised.

(http://www.fifa.com/fifa/)

On May 21, 1904 seven countries formed an organization called Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The countries of France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland assembled FIFA in order to distinguish it unequivocally from "Union Football", or rugby. The split between the two sports occurred in the central English town of Rugby in 1823, when a player of the home team scored a goal by picking up the ball and running with it. The classic version of the game, association football, adhered to the original round ball, while the derivatives, rugby and American football, chose to introduce an oval ball. (http://www.fifa.com/fifa/)

The World Cup is a tournament involving 36 teams. Each team fights for respect, glory, fame, distinction and bragging rights. The atmosphere surrounding this tournament is tremendous. The tournament is held every four years, with the Olympics in between. The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Thirteen teams competed for the first World Cup victory. In 1958 the sixth World Cup was held, during which the first television transmission of the game was held. The traditional black and white ball was introduced to show up better on the first black and white televisions. In 1994 the United States welcomed the world by staging the World Cup for the first time. Breaking numerous records, World Cup USA, 1994 is heralded as the best World Cup ever. The most successful World Cup team is Brazil. Brazil has won the tournament more times than any other team. Their success has been accredited to Pel, who led the team to three championships in twelve years.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or better known as Pel, is considered the greatest soccer player of his time. He was born in Trs Coraes, Brazil on October 23, 1940. Pel was famed for his powerful kicking and brilliant field strategy. He was an amazing soccer player to watch. Anyone who has ever played the game can't help but hold a tremendous amount of respect for his abilities. He scored 1200 goals in 1253 games making him the only player to score 1000 goals during a career. He began playing as an inside left forward for the Santos Football Club in 1956 and six years later the team won it's first world club championship. He also led Brazil to three World Cup championships in 1958, 1962, and 1970. In 1975 the New York Cosmos signed Pel for 2.8 million dollars, thus making him the highest paid soccer player ever. He retired after leading the Cosmos to the NASL Championship. Pel was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 1993.

America's role in the development of soccer was minute until the middle part of the 20th century. Our nation was one that long resisted soccer's spread. By 1820, many American colleges played soccer, but there was no intercollegiate competition. The rules were casual and often changed. On November 6, 1869 Princeton University and Rutgers University engaged in the first intercollegiate soccer match in New Brunswick, NJ. The Rutgers team won the match 6-4. Soon immigrants from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales arrived in the US in the metropolitan areas of the East, Midwest and Pacific Coast. Before long, communities with textile mills, shipyards, quarries or mines had a soccer team among its immigrant population. The US Football Association (USFA), now US Soccer Federation, was granted full membership in FIFA in 1914, and in the USA's first international match on August 20 they defeated Sweden 3-0. Despite this first victory the US usually lost to foreign teams. However, on June 29 during the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, a star player named Gaetjen scored the winning goal and the US defeated England 1-0. It was perhaps, the biggest upset ever in international soccer. In 1989 Paul Caligiuri scored the biggest goal in US soccer history since Gaetjens goal against England. On November 19 Caligiuri's 35-yard dipping shot found the net in a 1-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago, in front of 35,000 red-clad Trinidadians, clinching the USA's first appearance in the World Cup in almost 40 years. The US team qualified for the World Cup for the fourth time this year. Their road to the World Cup was not an easy one. They tied a very good Mexico team 1-1. They also had to beat Canada, and El Salvador. The team has very high hopes and a good chance to do well.

Soccer has entrenched itself well in America, not only among men but among women also. The first women's teams were formed in England in the 1880's and participation has expanded dramatically. (1000 Years of Football Trivia) More and more women are playing every year. In America, the women's national team is enjoying much more success than the men. In 1991 the US Womens National Team captured the first ever FIFA Women's World Championship in China with a 2-1 win over Norway on November 30. This was the only time an American team had ever won a world title. In the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta the women's team won the gold medal. Now more programs are being started for young girls to have their own soccer team to play on. These "feeder" programs help increase the level of play in high school and college. This in turn helps the sports popularity.

We have all seen it, heard it, and read it. Soccer isn't a "real" sport. Soccer is boring. Soccer is only for geeky, gym-class kids with pocket-protectors and thick glasses. Soccer is a foreign game for hooligan, drunken psycho-fans. Soccer is just plain un-American. Just before the 1994 World Cup, Mike Barnacle of the Boston Globe described soccer as "a mindless sport where hordes of incomprehensible athletes run aimlessly in a circle until everyone is dehydrated and, finally, some guy uses his skull to score a touchdown." (American Attitudes Toward Soccer) No other sport is treated to such consistent degradation in the press. Tom Weir wrote in USA Today in December 1993, that "hating soccer is more American than apple pie, driving a pickup, or spending Saturday afternoons channel surfing with the remote control." (American Attitudes Toward Soccer) What is it about soccer that generates this degradation? What is often called "soccer bashing" is really based on century-old notions that branded football as the manly, American games, while soccer was either a sport for immigrants or a sport for fitness.

Soccer has survived rule changes and alterations. This sport must have something that no other sport has. What is it? Is it the constant action and fast paced play? Is it the simplicity in getting a game started? Is it the fact that the sport is relatively safe? I think it is a combination of all of these. Soccer is played in every country in the world. In the street alleys of Mexico kids gather barefoot and play with a ball that is thirty years old. Playing soccer to these kids is like bike riding or rollerblading to American kids. These kids don't need expensive equipment, team managers, or any organized play. Yet these players develop into some of the greatest players to ever lay foot on a soccer ball. In order for soccer to finally take its place as a mainstream American spectator sport, we must change the way the game is perceived. First, we must continue to create American soccer heroes like Michelle Akers or Cobi Jones. Second, we must change soccers foreign stereotype. Soccer in the U.S. is as old as baseball and is no more foreign than golf. Moreover, many of America's greatest players during those early years were not born in this country. But to change the "ethnic" tag, we must recognize that all of those so-called "immigrants" are also our fathers and our grandfathers. As Sam Foulds, the late historian for the USSF, liked to say, they are "Americans of foreign birth." Just like each one of them, soccer has always been an American game of foreign birth.

Human beings are obsessed with sex. According to psychologists, men think in sex about fifty times per day. That is a lot considering that during most of the day they are supposedly working, studying or doing some other productive activity.

Women are not obsessed with sex but they are fixated with love and that ultimately ends up leading to the bed.

Through time, those regulating the functioning of society have tended to censure sex and have tolerated it only for the purpose of reproduction. Religion, which during 99.9% of history had a predominant role in policy making, almost always adopted this position. The Church demonized sexual intercourse and classified it as bad, evil, or immoral.

Considering the extremely low level of technological development of the world during the bulk of history, it could be said that such a position was inevitable.

Since there were no artificial contraceptives, sex translated almost always into pregnancy and that created a burden on a society that was always enduring hunger. Bringing more people into a hungry world was not the ideal thing and by condemning sex, religions succeeded in restraining the strong sexual urges of people. Such a policy thus, ultimately acted as a contraceptive.

There was also the problem of the demolishing effects that numerous pregnancies had on women. Up until the nineteenth century, women in Europe and America who would make it to their forties would usually die from cancer in the uterus. Since women would start having children in their teens, by the time they reached their thirties they had given birth to more than a dozen babies. Such intensive activity of the reproductive organs would frequently translate into a rapid deterioration of them.

There was as well the problem of sexually transmitted diseases, which have existed since the earliest of times. AIDS is of recent creation but syphilis, gonorrhea, and many others have preyed on humans for centuries and during all that time there was no way to treat them. The technology to cure them appeared only until the twentieth century.

An apologist of religion would thus argue that humanity must thank the creeds of this world for having helped society to deal better with its troubles during those hard epochs.

The truth of the matter is that religions systemically hindered the efforts of scientists to come up with solutions to the many problems that sex causes. Had they not imprisoned and murdered so many scientists, sooner would contraceptives and antibiotics made their apparition.

It was actually religions which prolonged the suffering of humanity. There is thus no good that came from the irrational position of the Church. At present, religions continue to condemn sex as immoral while offering no credible alternative other than prayer. Worst still, is that they continue to oppose science in all its fields and not just in those dealing with reproduction.

Science demonstrates that sex is not immoral or evil. It is just a mechanism of survival, like so many others, that was drilled into our genetic structure over millions of years of evolution. Without a very strong drive towards copulation, our specie would have disappeared in its early stages because during the bulk of history infant mortality was extremely high and life expectancy extremely low. A rapid system of reproduction was thus needed and without a very potent sexual urge it would have not been possible.

Although not immoral, sex nonetheless, still has the potential to wreck havoc on an individual and over an entire nation. However, like everything else, the solution is not prayer or moral preaching, but technology.

Birth control methods have been used by women since ages. They have used herbs to control fertility. Family planning has always been widely practiced by men and women since ages. The difference is that in early times people used birth control methods that were risky and caused death to a number of women. They were dangerous and ineffective. But today they involve less risk with it.

Today medical science has endowed women with various choices when it comes to birth control such as the pill, Norplant capsules, Depo-Provera, the female condom, diaphragm, cervical cap, intrauterine device (IUD) and sterilization. Most of these alternatives are convenient and easy and women do not face many problems. But there are various medications, supplements and other substances that have been said to worsen high blood pressure (hypertension). And few women do have serious problems when no proper advice is taken from the medical provider. The birth control methods especially the pills can cause migraines, yeast infections, vitamin deficiencies, ectopic pregnancies and change in moods. There are few serious problems also associated with it such as increased risks for cardiovascular disease and cancer. As a result some women are going for something natural, for something that has no chemicals, no side effects and a surprisingly low risk of pregnancy.

Years back abstinence that is having no sexual intercourse was practiced by many. They did have sex when they wanted but kept them away from having sex during the days of ovulation in a woman. They called it the rhythm cycle. A woman would know that she is most likely to get pregnant by observing her own body and menstrual cycle. This method is still used in todays modern world known as FAM (fertility awareness method) that help women to know when ovulation is coming and is likely to get pregnant and as such refrain from sexual intercourse. Although such technique is not dangerous it is not 100 % effective. But there are some old methods that cause great damage and can even cause death.

In third world countries where use of contraceptives is not common, people use methods that are dangerous and ineffective. They also use herbal supplements for birth control that might have severe side effects. Although not all herbal birth supplements are harmful yet there is some risk associated unless one does not have complete knowledge about it. The use of natural supplements which has some extracts from plants does not mean that they are 100% safe. Such natural supplements can cause some allergies and other problems. Therefore it is always recommended to go for the modern methods of birth control and if you opt for natural method then there should be complete knowledge of the natural supplement. You should be aware of the risk factors associated with it and should not be used blindly.

Find more information visit: Birth Control Natural Supplement

Hockey

After the Islanders Chris Simons vicious and un-called for attack on the Rangers Ryan Hollweg, members of the sports media decided that it was time for pro-hockey to get rid of fighting. Many of these experts believe that because hockey allows players to fight, it leads to these events and thus creates a low in popularity. It has no appeal to the soccer moms. In order to save hockeys ever decreasing popularity, they have to clean up their act.

Fighting is engrained in the game and should never be removed, as many of these self-righteous men and women have suggested doing. Hockey polices itself through fighting. The league only steps in when there is an extreme case, such as the Simon incident. Agitators, head-cases, and guys out to injure are taken care of on the ice. The other major sports have gotten away from the philosophy of policing itself on the field of play. In my opinion, they have some what suffered for it in the form of prima-donnas. Do you think Terrell Owens would get away with his antics against Dick Butkis? Barry Bonds would need a lot more than just his elbow guard had he played in the days before Public Relations Departments. Kenny Rogers pine tar would have taken care of on the next Tigers at bat, or a St. Louis hard charge to first when Rogers had to cover. The problem with hockey and its appeal has nothing to do fighting or aggression or any of that ire. Hockeys appeal is low becauseits hockey. The memo informing Commisioner Bettman of this fact must still be sitting on his desk.

The best hockey can place in the spectrum of popularity is 3rd out of the 4 major pro-sports. Maybe 2nd. And that is a HUGE maybe. Planets must align and deals with Satan must be made for it to place that high. Unfortunately for hockey fans, the NHL thinks it can be number one. The NHL is like that one friend weve all hung out with. Theyre that guy who isnt really all that attractive. Sure when they dress up for a wedding or fancy function, they look okay at best. But on Friday nights, when you go out, they really arent the best catch. But these people think theyre Derek Jeter. Theyve decided to put on some expensive threads and douse themselves in fragrances. Of course, this ploy doesnt hide their weight/acne problem, sweating issues, love of swords, or abilities in conversational Klingon. Theyve set their standards way too high. When a girl of equal merit shall we say starts to hit on them, they shy away, roll their eyes, or worse, they act insulted. Theyre saving themselves for the hotties. Weve all known these people. And weve always been frustrated as hell with them. Just go home with the fat chick! Shes in your league! I cant stand you complaining all the time about not getting laid! This is hockey. It has decided to set too lofty goals. It wants to beat baseball in American sports. It thinks it can beat out football. That day will only come when the Canadian Mounties patrol the streets of Manhattan. Hockey has decided to go after the sexy ladies, as opposed to ignoring the most abused fat chick in the history of civilization, Mother Nature. Its a geographically limited sport. Sure theres roller hockey, but the speed is different. The friction between rubber wheels and pavement is too great to really get the feel of blades on ice. I grew up in central NY, a place where it snows until May. There is nothing more fun than playing ice hockey out doors. In my mind, and many others, it trumps touch football or sweaty basketball courts. Do you know who those many others are? People raised in cold climates who have experienced the same thing. Nobody in Tampa Bay, or Atlanta, or Nashville have any idea what Im talking about. But people in Canada, Buffalo, Minnesota, New England and Northern Illinois understand.

Hockeys biggest problem right now is that it is too big. It expanded way to fast. It thought it could go for the hotties. Some of their best players are playing in the wrong markets. I have friends who are very active sports fans. They follow all the majors, and some college sports, fanatically but every so often they say, Theres an NHL team in Atlanta? Hockey has decided to expand in warm weather climates and worse yet, markets where pro-sports fans arent as fanatical. Most southern and mid-western fans love College sports, specifically Football. They are loyal and rabid fans of these sports, which is fantastic. But they cannot support a major league team that competes on a surface that cannot be found anywhere without paying for a skate rental.

Lets cut the number of teams. Do it Bettman. Cut your loses and start over. Cut out 10 teams. Youve already lost so much credibility with your fan base. It will be the best thing to do ever. You broke it, now fix it.

Im not the first person to suggest this move. But here is my lay out of how the league should look. Now, not all of these teams that I am keeping are cold climate markets. I took into account market size/fan base activity, and hockey tradition. Hockey traditions seem to escape Mr. Bettman. To him, old school is circa 1998.

Here is the layout. I am also using the old names of the divisions and conferences. (Imagine if Selig even proposed getting rid of the National League and American League!) Please hockey fans, try to hold back the tears as I show these names and layouts.

Prince of Wales Conference Patrick Division: New York Rangers New York Islanders New Jersey Devils Philadelphia Flyers Pittsburgh Penguins

Adams Division: Buffalo Sabres Ottawa Senators Montreal Canadians Toronto Maple Leafs Boston Bruins

Clarence Campbell Conference Norris Division: Chicago Blackhawks St. Louis Blues Detroit Red Wings Colorado Avalanche Minnesota Wild

Smythe Division: Calgary Flames Edmonton Oilers Vancover Canucks LA Kings Dallas Stars

No Tampa Bays. No Carolinas. No Atlantas. No Nashvilles. (Yes, I have teams in LA and Dallas. But LA is a huge market that has proven that it can sustain a team since the late 60s, thanks to a guy named Gretzky. Dallas is a Stanley Cup winner, a former cold climate team and has a market that can support most pro-sports teams. The fact that their team name is reminiscent of the symbol of Dallas, and pro-footballs, most recognizable franchise doesnt hurt.)

This is how the NHL should look. Imagine giving all the talent that is wasting away to fans who know that icing is not something on top of a cake. The caliber of play would be tremendous. It would be the best of the best. Put the minor league teams in those other markets. Its not like you need a hometown team to root for. Think of all the Chicago Bulls fans from 10-15 years ago. Think of the people who follow Manchester United, and they play across an ocean! Sidney Crosby is going to get fans. Boston fans are passionate and are spread through out the globe. Dont believe me? Watch an As/Red Sox game played in Oakland. Sure, the Bruins arent the Sox, but if the Bruins returned to their past glories, youd see a lot of B jerseys all over North America. Put Alex Ovechkin in a market with some love of the sport or better yet, media, and people will take note.

Of course theres the playoffs. Heres my suggestions. A) six teams from each Conference or B) seven with the best record getting a first round bye. They have first round byes in football. Sure upsets are fun, but you want to see the best teams win. Choice B would also include a 5 game first round series. Short series always produce an upset or two for those who love underdogs. This also makes the whole play-off season shorter. Hockey in June? Did this ever make sense?

Of course, this may never work out. This is just a fans dream. Sure, I have an East Coast bias. But I also have a hockey fans bias. This is my imaginary perfect hockey world. This is what I think of on a slow and crowded train. I think of my child hood, skating on the frozen pond behind my parents barn. Thinking about a violent but amazingly graceful sport. This is how the sport should look, instead of the 30 team, mediocre-fest of Bettmans NHL. A man who just wont go home with the fat chick.

Every day thousands of people go online to make money but most of them fail miserably because they either truly believe one of the 6 Internet Marketing Myths or or all of them. You can read them below and discover the grain of salt in all of them.

Myth #1: Internet Marketing is EASY

This is probably the biggest myth of all, and let me tell you Internet marketing is hard, takes time, effort not mention money and anyone who suggests otherwise is trying to sell you a bunch of horse hockey. Granted that it's comparatively easier to brick and mortar in that there's no inventory to carry, no shipping of goods no sales staff and virtually no overhead, but a lot of work is still involved.

Myth #2: ANYONE Can Make Money Online

Folks, this is simply not true. Unless someone gets off their lazy boy recliner and download/read everything they can about internet marketing, and put an action plan in motion, they will never make a dime on the internet. DO NOTHING, MAKE NOTHING.

Myth #3: You Can "GET RICH QUICK" On the Net!

This is the trap that a lot of newbie internet marketers falls into including myself when I first started, why? because scammers make it sounds so easy and let me tell you, chasing "get rich quick scheme" is a WASTE OF TIME!, money and energy. It just won't happen overnight, instead do some research and find out what people really want and need then give it to them especially a sense of reality.

Myth #4: It's FREE to Do Business Online

This is one of my favorite myths because I believed it during my first year of internet marketing and it just wasn't true then, it isn't true today. Compared to opening your first coffee shop or gift shop in downtown Los Angeles, internet business start-up cost and maintenance cost is pretty low. Once you have your domain set up, you only pay for internet connection, advertising and ongoing educations, that's it. You can't expect to make money selling free stuff and ask others to do the same. Folks! it takes money to make money.

Myth #5: It's TOO LATE to Start an Internet Business

Most super affiliate marketers would love to hear people say "It's too late now, too many competitions, I should just pack my bags and go home, the internet is too complicated, etc...". You know why? the less people they have to compete with the better which in turn will make them more money.

The fact is, it's never ever too late to start anything and that includes internet business. I firmly believe that the internet is not going anywhere and you should too. Every year the stats will show you the number of people shoppingonline are increasing, their spending dollars are growing and the number of people going online is increasing also.

Myth #6: The BIG Money Talk is JUST HYPE

As I've told you before, "it takes money to make money?" Well it's true, although you will be hard pressed to find experienced internet marketers to tell how much they spend on promoting and advertising. Sometimes, you have to dig a little deeper to find the truth in every hype you read. It's a fact that the people that makes alot of money online also spends alot of money on advertising, tools, resources and know how to get the job done.

If you are willing to take the necessary action to make 'big money' happen for you - it will. It takes time. You can criticize, be skeptical and sure that 'big money' can't happen for you - and it won't. Sit down and write a financial and a sound business plan. Local Chamber of Commerce can give all the info you need to get started.

If you believe that you will succeed you're right, if you believe that it won't work, you're right also.

To summarize, you have heard people's story how they're making a fortune on the internet and how easy it is but the reality is some stories are NOT out of this world or unrealistic but it just doesn't happen overnight. You just have to apply a bit of common sense into it, find what you love to do, have a game plan, stay focus and you my friend might find the right opportunity to make all your dreams come true.

The sport of wrestling has ancient roots. From Greco-Roman times to the World Wrestling Federation matches televised regularly, wrestling has kept viewers entertained and amused for centuries.

Wrestling is admired for many reasons. It can be a fun game or a serious win-or-lose competition, a commercial profit-making interest or a way to gain status. This is a weapon-free game, and the human body is used as weapon of combat.

There are different styles of wrestling. The main division is between amateur and professional wrestling. Amateur is widespread worldwide and has two types in the Olympic GamesGreco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle evolved from the English Lancashire form. A similar style is called collegiate or folk style, and practiced in high schools and colleges in the U.S.A.

In amateur, freestyle and Greco-Roman differ in what holds are permitted. In Greco-Roman wrestling, wrestlers are permitted to hold and attack only above the waist. But points can be scored in both by following actions-takedowns, reversals, escapes, exposure, lifting and penalty points. A match can be won by period format, win by fall, win by technical fall, win by decision, win by major decision, and also win by injury. Illegal moves in amateur wrestling include biting, pinching and poking with the fingers, strikes, joint attacks, chokes, strangulations, suffocating, spiking, and attacking the genitals.

The most coveted wrestling trophies are those of the Olympic Games. The countries with leading wrestlers in the Olympic Games are Iran, U.S., Russia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Sweden, Finland, Turkey and the former Soviet states. In the United States, collegiate or scholastic wrestling is practiced as a school sport. The Dan Hodge Trophy is awarded to the outstanding College Wrestler of the Year. It was first awarded to T. J. Jaworsky of the University of North Carolina in 1995. The trophy is named after Danny Hodge, an outstanding wrestler from the University of Oklahoma from 1951-1954.

Professional wrestling is any tourney where wrestlers receive payments for participating. Historically, professional wrestling has involved matches with predetermined results. American professional wrestling is a performance art in which the wrestlers create an entertainment show by simulating a combat sport. Though it started as a sporting event, it dropped all pretensions of such and declared itself to be a purely entertaining starting with the World Wrestling Federation in the 1990s. It eventually changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment.

Whether to entertain or amuse, wrestling trophies are sought after as they represent awards for fitness, agility and strength.

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 primitive forms of soccer were played on the battlefield. Stories tell of using the enemy's skull as a ball. Another tells of a brave village defeating a Roman team and running them out of town in 217 AD. They took over their whole town including houses, shops, fields and livestock (gives a new meaning to the old saying, "Winner takes all"). Twelfth century soccer was a violent sport with little or no rules. (Origins of the Game)

Native Americans used to play a game called Pasuchuakohowog meaning, "They gather to play ball with the foot." Beaches, a half-mile wide with goals one-mile apart, served as playing fields for as many as 1000 people at a time. Games were often rough, resulting in broken bones. No one could be identified because players disguised themselves with ornaments and warpaint making retaliating close to impossible. It was common for games to be carried over from one day to the next with a feast for all at the conclusion of the match. (Origins of the Game)

It is important to understand that "football" began to be used specifically to describe association football in Europe some time after the Football Association was formed in London in 1863. The Football Association was not set up with the intention of creating a "new" game. The wealthy young Britons who formed the Association had all attended exclusive schools, each fanatically proud of their own traditions and each with their own soccer rules. Now, the Football Association, with their universally acceptable rules for one game only, came into being to provide a game overseen by gentlemen for young gentlemen. It was some years before the world game of today became faintly recognizable. (1000 Years of Football Trivia)

The world's first league was formed in April 1888. The driving force was William McGregor, a Scottish shopkeeper, teetotaler, and deeply religious chairman of the Aston Villa club in Birmingham, which later became the world's first "super club." The league came just in time for soccer, which was struggling to find its true role yet again after the legalization of professional teams in 1885. The forces of amateurism, then represented by the public schools and universities and their powerful position in British society, still saw paid play as an evil. However, strictly organized weekly league competition proved to be the foundation stone of the professional game. The so-called "Baines cards," an amazing series of printed paper cards, were the first brilliant commercial project to spring from popular sports with mass appeal. International matches also helped to revitalize the game. The first international match was played between England and Scotland. A new side of the game was added with these international matches. Players were now playing teams they knew nothing about. They knew nothing about their style of play, their abilities, or their strengths and weaknesses. (1000 Years of Football Trivia)

The evolution of soccer has also meant that rules had to change to keep up with the level of competition. Some of the major alterations over the years include:

1580:A certain Giovanni Bardi published a set of rules of the game of "calcio".
1848:The first Cambridge Rules are drawn up.
1877:The associations in Great Britain formed to gain a uniform code.
1886:June 2, first official meeting of the International Football Association Board.
1891:Introduction of the penalty-kick.
1913:FIFA becomes a member of the International F.A. Board.
1925:Amendment of offside rule from three to two players.
1937-38: The present Laws framed in a new system of codification but based on the Laws previously in force.
1997:The Laws revised.

(http://www.fifa.com/fifa/)

On May 21, 1904 seven countries formed an organization called Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The countries of France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland assembled FIFA in order to distinguish it unequivocally from "Union Football", or rugby. The split between the two sports occurred in the central English town of Rugby in 1823, when a player of the home team scored a goal by picking up the ball and running with it. The classic version of the game, association football, adhered to the original round ball, while the derivatives, rugby and American football, chose to introduce an oval ball. (http://www.fifa.com/fifa/)

The World Cup is a tournament involving 36 teams. Each team fights for respect, glory, fame, distinction and bragging rights. The atmosphere surrounding this tournament is tremendous. The tournament is held every four years, with the Olympics in between. The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Thirteen teams competed for the first World Cup victory. In 1958 the sixth World Cup was held, during which the first television transmission of the game was held. The traditional black and white ball was introduced to show up better on the first black and white televisions. In 1994 the United States welcomed the world by staging the World Cup for the first time. Breaking numerous records, World Cup USA, 1994 is heralded as the best World Cup ever. The most successful World Cup team is Brazil. Brazil has won the tournament more times than any other team. Their success has been accredited to Pel, who led the team to three championships in twelve years.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or better known as Pel, is considered the greatest soccer player of his time. He was born in Trs Coraes, Brazil on October 23, 1940. Pel was famed for his powerful kicking and brilliant field strategy. He was an amazing soccer player to watch. Anyone who has ever played the game can't help but hold a tremendous amount of respect for his abilities. He scored 1200 goals in 1253 games making him the only player to score 1000 goals during a career. He began playing as an inside left forward for the Santos Football Club in 1956 and six years later the team won it's first world club championship. He also led Brazil to three World Cup championships in 1958, 1962, and 1970. In 1975 the New York Cosmos signed Pel for 2.8 million dollars, thus making him the highest paid soccer player ever. He retired after leading the Cosmos to the NASL Championship. Pel was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 1993.

America's role in the development of soccer was minute until the middle part of the 20th century. Our nation was one that long resisted soccer's spread. By 1820, many American colleges played soccer, but there was no intercollegiate competition. The rules were casual and often changed. On November 6, 1869 Princeton University and Rutgers University engaged in the first intercollegiate soccer match in New Brunswick, NJ. The Rutgers team won the match 6-4. Soon immigrants from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales arrived in the US in the metropolitan areas of the East, Midwest and Pacific Coast. Before long, communities with textile mills, shipyards, quarries or mines had a soccer team among its immigrant population. The US Football Association (USFA), now US Soccer Federation, was granted full membership in FIFA in 1914, and in the USA's first international match on August 20 they defeated Sweden 3-0. Despite this first victory the US usually lost to foreign teams. However, on June 29 during the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, a star player named Gaetjen scored the winning goal and the US defeated England 1-0. It was perhaps, the biggest upset ever in international soccer. In 1989 Paul Caligiuri scored the biggest goal in US soccer history since Gaetjens goal against England. On November 19 Caligiuri's 35-yard dipping shot found the net in a 1-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago, in front of 35,000 red-clad Trinidadians, clinching the USA's first appearance in the World Cup in almost 40 years. The US team qualified for the World Cup for the fourth time this year. Their road to the World Cup was not an easy one. They tied a very good Mexico team 1-1. They also had to beat Canada, and El Salvador. The team has very high hopes and a good chance to do well.

Soccer has entrenched itself well in America, not only among men but among women also. The first women's teams were formed in England in the 1880's and participation has expanded dramatically. (1000 Years of Football Trivia) More and more women are playing every year. In America, the women's national team is enjoying much more success than the men. In 1991 the US Womens National Team captured the first ever FIFA Women's World Championship in China with a 2-1 win over Norway on November 30. This was the only time an American team had ever won a world title. In the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta the women's team won the gold medal. Now more programs are being started for young girls to have their own soccer team to play on. These "feeder" programs help increase the level of play in high school and college. This in turn helps the sports popularity.

We have all seen it, heard it, and read it. Soccer isn't a "real" sport. Soccer is boring. Soccer is only for geeky, gym-class kids with pocket-protectors and thick glasses. Soccer is a foreign game for hooligan, drunken psycho-fans. Soccer is just plain un-American. Just before the 1994 World Cup, Mike Barnacle of the Boston Globe described soccer as "a mindless sport where hordes of incomprehensible athletes run aimlessly in a circle until everyone is dehydrated and, finally, some guy uses his skull to score a touchdown." (American Attitudes Toward Soccer) No other sport is treated to such consistent degradation in the press. Tom Weir wrote in USA Today in December 1993, that "hating soccer is more American than apple pie, driving a pickup, or spending Saturday afternoons channel surfing with the remote control." (American Attitudes Toward Soccer) What is it about soccer that generates this degradation? What is often called "soccer bashing" is really based on century-old notions that branded football as the manly, American games, while soccer was either a sport for immigrants or a sport for fitness.

Soccer has survived rule changes and alterations. This sport must have something that no other sport has. What is it? Is it the constant action and fast paced play? Is it the simplicity in getting a game started? Is it the fact that the sport is relatively safe? I think it is a combination of all of these. Soccer is played in every country in the world. In the street alleys of Mexico kids gather barefoot and play with a ball that is thirty years old. Playing soccer to these kids is like bike riding or rollerblading to American kids. These kids don't need expensive equipment, team managers, or any organized play. Yet these players develop into some of the greatest players to ever lay foot on a soccer ball. In order for soccer to finally take its place as a mainstream American spectator sport, we must change the way the game is perceived. First, we must continue to create American soccer heroes like Michelle Akers or Cobi Jones. Second, we must change soccers foreign stereotype. Soccer in the U.S. is as old as baseball and is no more foreign than golf. Moreover, many of America's greatest players during those early years were not born in this country. But to change the "ethnic" tag, we must recognize that all of those so-called "immigrants" are also our fathers and our grandfathers. As Sam Foulds, the late historian for the USSF, liked to say, they are "Americans of foreign birth." Just like each one of them, soccer has always been an American game of foreign birth.

You deserve the best relationship in the universe and you have invested a lot of time into making yourself the best you can be to attract this person. So now you have found a system, attracted your perfect life partner and now things are going along smoothly, or are they?

There are always areas of improvement am I right? Oh I think so! Anyone who thinks they have it all figured out is missing some real juice in this life. As Tony Robbins said, Constant and never ending improvement it is the path to power.

In fact by making tiny, and I mean tiny improvements each and every day you can literally transform your life in a very short amount of time. So don't ever think you are finished! Your life deserves to be a masterpiece and that includes your relationships!

Alright, I can hear you thinking, when is he going to get to the point! So here it is!

While listening to an interview today and the guy was talking some *crazy* things about relationships. Some of the ideas he threw out for making relationships successful were so simple yet so profound I felt I had to share them with you.

Like this one: What is the one thing that will make your partner love you with all their heart... forever?

Give up? Its so simple, yet after thinking about it it makes so much sense. What makes you feel loved? When someone finds a perfect gift for you and gives it to you completely out of the blue, and its perfect. The answer is that simple. Small unexpected gifts.

If your partner collects Japanese fans and you know that go out and find one, pick it up, it might cost a few bucks but believe me, it will be worth it. Wrap it put a small card in and have it delivered to where your partner will get it. For no reason at all! That's the power of it. Don't do it to get out of the doghouse do it to build love. And it will.

Here is another great one. There will always be some friction in a relationship, would you agree? Not in a perfect one, you say? Well here's the real scoop. Without a bit of friction there is no heat! So get used to it!

But seriously, if you and your partner want to to end bickering and nagging on both sides forever, do this. Make a contract that when ever your partner tells you that what you are doing irritates them. Say, "I won't ever do ____ again." And don't. Expect the same from them. I am talking about simple things here. Toothpaste caps, beard stubble in the sink, folding laundry etc. If you do this with your partner with integrity and follow through you will be amazed at the improvement in your relationship.

Now for a juicy one. Who here knows the number one key to amazing sex? Well I can see all sorts of things going through peoples minds and some of you are pretty kinky! But that's not it! Its so basic that it gets lost in the shuffle of Viagra, Kama Sutra and the Sex Show. Its this one thing that will skyrocket your sex life. Trust. In order for there to be true amazing, crazy sex you must have trust and her sister safety.

Now if you are into more extreme sorts of erotic play then this is even more important! So build trust with your partner. Ask them how they need to have it to feel safe and truly right for them. You will be happy with the results of that conversation.

And while we are on the subject here is one of my personal favorites. What is the most powerful aphrodisiac that you know. Oysters? Spanish Fly? A Vodka martini shaken not stirred? Well in my experience it is again so blindingly simple. When you want to have amazing connection and in many cases great sex too tell your truth! Not easy stuff, but things that make you choke up a bit or are really hard to get out. In almost every case I have found that this simple thing can totally transform an evening if not a whole relationship!

P.S. Here is another powerful secret that I learned today. The number one way to know if your partner is no longer only sleeping with you? Again its so simple you will kick yourself! He or she suddenly starts showering at strange times. Simple yet so many of us might miss it.

Now, if your sweetheart has just come home from the gym, freshly showered is to be expected. But if they are suddenly coming home from work freshly showered, or from some other place where showering is out of place, then keep your eye open. What you do with this information is up to you and there are always cases where its perfectly legit. In the end you have to trust your gut.