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To the untrained eye, a game of pro basketball and a game of college basketball can appear very similar, if not pretty much the same. Flip from game to game, and you see pretty much the same thing: a standard size ball, players on the court, a 10-foot hoop and the foul line 15 feet away from the backboard. Take a closer look, though, and you’ll start to see differences in college and professional play.

There are quite a lot of differences given that the history of the sport. According to Wikipedia, basketball was invented in December 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian-born physical education professor and instructor at the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School[3] (YMCA) (today, Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters.

First off, in the NBA, the game is divided into four 12-minute quarters. In the NCAA, there are two 20-minute halves. The length of the game is different, but they both share an overtime period that lasts five minutes.

The clock is different between college and pro as well, where the NBA has a 24-second shot clock, and the NCAA shot clock lasts 35 seconds. This is the primary reason that the scoring in NCAA games can differ so greatly from team to team, and game to game. Teams who employ a strong defense strategy with respect to the shot clock end up with games that score in the 50 to 60 point range. Using a more aggressive offensive strategy, you’ll see higher scores in the 80 to 100 range – similar to the scores posted in most NBA games.

NCAA teams have 10 seconds in order to get the ball half-court after a basket; NBA teams are limited to just 8 seconds.

The court is the same size in both organizations (94 feet long by 50 feet wide), basket height, backboard distance and the foul line are all the same, as well. Look closer, though, when college and pro teams take a 3-point shot. NBA players take a 3-point shot from 23’9” (22” in the corners) and the NCAA’s 3-point shot is from a distance of 19’9”. The lane width in the NBA is 16 feet wide, and at the collegiate level it’s 12 feet.

Further differences exist between pro and college basketball beyond variation in the shot clock length and the distance for 3-pointers. The differences discussed here are just the beginning; read and research more to get a grasp of all the intricacies of NBA and NCAA play. Getting a handle on the differences between college and pro basketball rules can help you gain a better understanding of the strategy and action going on during any given game.

March is the best month of the year to get acquainted with basketball as the NCAA tournament is just around the corner, leading to lots of availability of analysis as well as fan passion for the sport.

Craig is an avid NCAA basketball fan who follows the ACC and also checks in on the pro game via the Atlanta Hawks from time to time. Outside of March, Craig runs Fencing.Net and an online store at http://shop.fencing.net , with a specialization in sports performance products such as the agility ladder to help athletes progress in the Olympic sport.

Bryce Harper played his first college game for the College of Southern Nevada. CSV is known as the Coyotes and Harper sure has the Coyotes howling. Like Lebron James, Bryce is already called professional baseball’s chosen one. January 29, 2010 at 7:00 PM he started at a place where most “should be high school juniors” wish they could be, playing junior college baseball on the number one junior college team in the United States.

The junior college team has all starting sophomore players and then a junior in high school, which of course is Bryce Harper. Bryce is very fortunate is having one of those college sophomores as his brother Bryan. He transferred from Cal State Northridge just to play with his younger brother.

Bryce has very good power for how young he is, that is why he batted the third in his first junior college baseball game. Think about this, at the age of 17, batting 3rd, the most important spot in all of baseball, having a sold out crowd and over 100 pro scouts watching your every move. Bryce will have to deal with this pressure every game he plays until he is drafted.

With his current teammates, he did play fall baseball with them. He batted .375 with ten homeruns in those 10 fall league baseball games. You do have to remember he should only be a junior in college and he is playing with people 3 years older than he is.

With his success in high school and early success in college, Harper is expected to be the number one pick in the 2010 major league baseball draft. In the first week of June, it is projected that the Washington Nationals will be drafting Bryce Harper with the first pick. At the age of 17 he could be the number one draft pick and a millionaire! What an accomplishment if this does happen. A player and a fan drawer is what the Washington Nationals do need at the moment as they are struggling. Drafting Harper would help them a lot.

With his future in front of him and him being so young, Bryce is lucky enough to have a coach that keeps him levelheaded. Tim Chambers has helped Bryce keep his mind on the game and baseball ready. The coach of the Coyote’s has made sure that Bryce does not have interviews from the press and most importantly has helped him grow in the game of baseball. Even though Harper has his head on his shoulders, he does need a coach like Chambers.

With his support system and a successful start in junior college baseball, Bryce Harper is well on his way to being baseball’s chosen one. It is my educated guess Bryce will do a lot more than be successful in baseball. I am betting he wouldn’t mind helping the Coyotes win a junior college national championship and then help the Nationals win their first World Series. Or at least he would help them not finish in last.

David Olmst has had a passion for the American pastime since he was a child. He has a strong feeling that Bryce Harper will be one of the best major league baseball players to ever play the games. What amazes him most is a Bryce Harper Autograph baseball is already over $200! This is why he made the Bryce Harper baseball site.

Have you seen those big huge PVC balls which are in the gym? Do you know what they are? They are also known as fitness ball, Swiss ball, stability ball etc. This ball can be a part of your daily workout and it can prove to be very effective for you.

Let us see some of its advantages:

1. Exercise ball helps in increasing strength by exercise themselves. It is amazing to see how many different types of exercise you can do by single equipment. You can also discover your own floor exercise, while you are on the ball.

Another way to use the exercise ball to increase your energy is by stability which is required to sit on it. You will need to use your muscles to balance your stability. You can also tone your muscles and help to boost all your strength. It is very crucial today when you are doing exercise along with workouts which will do more benefit to you.

2. Another big advantage of using an exercise ball for workouts is balance. There is a big reason why chairs have flat seats. The surface level when sitting on a mat creates a lot of support required for out body. But that does not mean that it gives you maximum workout benefit. When you sit or you are lying on the exercise ball, the ball creates a shape which gives your body instability. To reach equilibrium, you will have to adjust your pose on the ball. It can be quite taxing. This act of balancing helps to boost your workout quality and gives better results.

3. If you are having any back problems, then using the exercise ball should be considered. People who complain of back problems often say that the usual exercises put a lot of stress on the backs. But while using an exercise ball, the ball gives more cushions to the back which any mat will give. This proves that the exercise ball makes you feel more comfortable and is safer than any other workouts. Exercise is of no fun if you are injuring yourself. But it is important to use the exercise ball properly while exercising on it.

4. When you are going exercise in the gym, you can only do one or two types of exercise with one exercise equipment. But that is not the case with an exercise ball. You can do many different types of exercise on an exercise ball which ranges from easy to difficult. It may require you to lie, sit or use any other position on the ball. This gives you many benefits. You can also avoid the cost of having to buy expensive equipments for the gym. Multiple muscles can work at the same time and your workouts will be exciting and varied.

If you want to improve your workouts, try using an exercise ball. It may look like a toy which is ineffective, but this lightweight single ball can help to give you many benefits in your workouts.

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Are you an exercise freak? Are you scared of the gym, but want to go to the gym? Do you feel unhappy with the thought of having to do physical activity? The following are five important benefits of exercising which you should remember.

Exercise helps to improve your skin. Research has shown what exercise helps to improve the circulation. This will have an effect of your skin and your looks. You can land up having a glowing skin by exercising. People who exercise regularly do not need to use blush. There blood circulation is much better than people who do not exercise. They look much younger and beautiful. Their skin is always glowing much more than others who do not exercise.

Secondly, exercise helps you to look good. If you want to look great in your clothes, start working out. It does not mean that you compulsorily will have to workout 5 times in a week. If you can go to the gym twice a week, you can look toned and athletic. Your clothes will fit you better. Your waistline will improve and you can fit into tighter clothes. You will even look good in them. Especially if you are trying to look good and want to attract a partner, exercise will help you to look better.

The third benefit of exercise is that it prevents falling ill. Research has proven that exercise prevents medical problems. People, who exercise three times a week, fall sick less than those who do not exercise. Exercise boosts your immune system. It helps you to be off diseases. People who exercise a lot land up to be healthy. You surely do not want to always fall sick. So go out and exercise if you want to avoid all those bad days of being at home being sick.

The fourth benefit of exercise is that it will make you happy. Studies have proved that people who exercise regularly are much happier. You may not feel to exercise at first, but after exercising, you will feel much happier. This happens because exercise helps in releasing endorphins which makes you feel happy. So if you are looking for happiness, try and make a routine to exercise daily. If you want to be in high spirits, do not be scared of exercising. Instead, make it a part of yourself. Do not run away from going to the gym.

Lastly, exercising makes you feel as if you have hit a goal. It is very important for many people to reach goals. Exercising makes people feel as if they have reached an excellent goal. This happens because many dread exercise. By doing it, they feel that have achieved something. This makes them happier. They land up preventing illness. They start looking much better than before. It makes them feel proud of themselves.

So next time you are trying to keep away from going to the gym, remember these five important benefits of exercising and then reconsider joining the gym. You will definitely not be scared of the gym anymore.

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Have you ever tried holding a fishing pole, gun or camera and paddle your kayak a few yards? It is a very complicated effort. Try to fish, hunt, or photograph while paddling a kayak at the same time! You have to put something down to do the other!

“It was a fishing comedy on water.” I mused from afar. Jim was on the salt water flats flailing a seven foot kayak paddle. He was trying to hold onto an eight foot fishing pole while chasing a redfish through the mangroves. I thought to myself, “He needs another hand to juggle that kayak paddle and hold his rod.”

Paddle or fish? Paddle or shoot? This is the kayak fisherman’s dilemma!

All kayak fishermen and sportsmen have experienced the difficulty of paddling your kayak and holding your fishing rod. No matter how you “fore arm wrestle” or “cross body flail” that seven foot kayak paddle, it still requires two hands.

The question baffling the kayak fishing community is how do you hold onto your eight foot fishing rod with one hand and stealthily paddle your kayak with the other?

“It became readily apparent that kayak fishermen and sportsmen did not realize there was a hand paddle being developed to make their next fishing experience more rewarding!”

This is when the Kayak Fishing Hand Paddle concept was born.

Kayak fishing hand paddles are the straightforward solution to the kayak angler and sportsmen’s dilemma. Yes, you can paddle and fish!

Below are the TOP TEN reasons why you need a Kayak Fishing Hand Paddle:

Reason #1. CATCH MORE FISH…that would be way too easy to put at #1!

Let’s list the TOP TEN reasons HOW the kayak fishing hand paddles will help you catch more fish and make your next kayak fishing expedition more rewarding.

1.Simple, one handed paddle operation. Stow away that 7 foot kayak paddle.

2.Keep fishing. Never put down your fishing pole.

3.Stealthy paddling. No flailing an awkward kayak paddle to scare away fish.

4.Short distance mobility. Why use a 7 foot kayak paddle to move a few yards?

5.Open water drift control. Steer & control drift with the fishing hand paddles.

6.Retrieving lines. Reach out and grab those mono filament and braided lines.

7.Grabbing onto structures. Use the hook to pull, attach, snatch, & drag anything.

8.Pushing off obstacles. Use the teeth for positive purchase while shoving off.

9.Small and lightweight. Weighing between 6-7 ounces vs. a 2–3 lb kayak paddle.

10.Backup emergency paddle. For who knows when?

“Having that kayak fishing hand paddle at my side and readily available was the difference between just good ole time fishing and an awesome kayak fishing experience!”

It works great for the kayak fishermen, sportsmen, photographers and enthusiasts who need an extra hand while practicing their paddle sport.

It is truly amazing how having that one paddle, a kayak fishing hand paddle, has made all the difference in stealthily moving your kayak without spooking your prey! Who would of thought?

Paddle one handed, chase stealthily…keep fishing! Kayak Fishing Hand Paddles!

Ed Halm is a retired U.S. Navy survival instructor. He is also an avid outdoor sportsman, kayak eco-tour guide and owner of Backwater Paddle Company, a paddle sports business located in central Florida. If you have any questions, comments or ideas, feel free to visit with Ed at http://www.backwaterpaddles.com anytime!

Kayak fishing is one of the fastest growing sports in the outdoor sporting and paddle sports markets. With this explosion of growth, came opportunity. Kayak fishermen are beginning to reap the benefits of new concepts and technologies in advancing their sport. Having said that, kayak anglers and sportsmen are clamoring for new equipment, paddle gear and accessories to stay ahead of their competition.

“It was a fishing comedy on water.” I mused from afar. Jim was in the salt water flats flailing a seven foot kayak paddle. He was trying to hold onto an eight foot fishing pole while chasing a redfish through the mangroves. I thought to myself, “He needs another hand to juggle that kayak paddle while holding his rod.”

Paddle or fish? All kayak fishermen have experienced the difficulty of paddling your kayak and holding your fishing rod. How do you hold onto your eight foot fishing rod with one hand and stealthily paddle your kayak with the other? No matter how you wrestle that seven foot kayak paddle, it requires two hands. Something has to be set down to do the other.

That is when the kayak fishing hand paddle design concept was born. They are a simple solution to a perplexing problem encountered while kayak fishing. Who would of thought?

It had been noted that intrepid kayak anglers and sportsmen could be found with the likes of ping pong paddles, Kadema paddles, and modified racquets silently navigating their kayaks while chasing fish. The principle concept of kayak fishing hand paddles were developed by the kayak angler and sportsmen to stealthily move their boat while continuing to fish.

Finally it was time to bring the kayak fishing hand paddle concept main stream. Today, these lightweight and ubiquitous paddles are transforming the kayak fishing sport.

Kayak fishing hand paddle designs evolved from experienced kayak anglers and sportsmen working closely with the paddle sports manufacturing community. Keeping the kayak fishing hand paddles fully functional was the primary interest. Providing a light weight, durable, short and floatable paddle was mandatory.

Paddle evolution has not come very far since the inception of paddle sports to the modern paddling masses. Paddle design has basically remained unchanged since the Inuit’s first stretched seal skins over wooden frames. The basic paddle blade concept has worked well until now. Nominal manufacturing and material changes resulting in preference of weight and durability reflect most purchasing decisions today. Kayak anglers have declared it is time to adapt and overcome the traditional barriers my friends!

Simply place one of these six ounce or seven ounce kayak fishing hand paddle between your legs or close by. Stow away that unwieldy seven foot kayak paddle. Grab your fishing rod. Now you can stealthily paddle and fish without spooking your prey.

There are a couple of marketable fishing hand paddles models accessible to the kayak anglers and sportsmen. After the first kayak fishing hand paddle prototypes were tested, it became apparent that having more functions would add to the benefit.

The hook and teeth blade designs became readily available and dominate the kayak fishing hand paddle market. Having a fishing hand paddle is awesome; having that ability to grab onto or push off any object with the hook and teeth is a bonus.

It works great for the kayak fishermen, sportsmen, photographers and enthusiasts who need an extra hand while practicing their paddle sport.

It is truly amazing how having that one paddle, a kayak fishing hand paddle, has made all the difference in stealthily moving your kayak without spooking your prey! Who would of thought?

Fish On!!

Ed Halm is a retired U.S. Navy survival instructor. He is also an avid outdoor sportsman, kayak eco-tour guide and owner of Backwater Paddle Company, a paddle sports business located in central Florida. If you have any questions, comments or ideas, feel free to visit with Ed at http://www.backwaterpaddles.com anytime!

Paddle sports, particularly kayak fishing, are the fastest growing water sport today. Kayaking, canoeing and rafting are now destination activities. With all the green and eco friendly activities available, paddle sports have dominated the outdoor adventure scene. Paddle sports are low impact on the environment, inexpensive, thrilling and always memorable.

Not to be left out, the fishing and sporting communities wanted in on this explosion. Kayakers, anglers and sportsmen merged concepts and technologies. Along with diversity came opportunity. New specialty equipment, gear and accessories evolved. Fishing kayaks and kayak fishing hand paddles evolved from this call to action.

With the rapid growth of paddle sports, there has been a definitive diversification of the sport into various disciplines. All the technological and manufacturing advancements have fueled the sudden increase in the sport. Kayak fisherman and kayak sportsman have recently dominated the growth in the paddle sports arena.

Kayak fishermen, also known as kayak anglers, and kayak sportsmen require specialty equipment, gear and accessories to effectively pursuit their sport. Their fishing kayaks and fishing hand paddles are specifically designed to accommodate their dynamic environments and distinctive sporting activities.

Kayak anglers and sportsmen have designed boats for easy access and mobility. Many facets of their kayak design reflect accoutrements that were found only on motorized fishing vessels. Today you can find rod holders, live wells, storage compartments, battery wells, fish finders, anchors, etc. If they can fit a specialty fishing accessory on a twelve to fourteen foot kayak, they will try to get it on there! They even have twin hulled, foot propelled and battery operated kayaks for the hard core anglers.

For ease of access and dismount, the anglers use a modified version of the sit on top kayak, or SOT. SOT’s were a natural conversion platform for kayak anglers. These boats are self bailing, meaning that any water that gets in the kayak will be drained away by gravity. Getting on and off is much easier than a sit in kayak. Turning or sliding around to access tackle or gear behind you is a much simpler evolution.

With this approach to fishing from kayaks, came another conundrum that caused problems in the kayak angling community. How do you paddle and fish at the same time? Think about it. Can you hold your fishing rod and a kayak paddle at the same time?

Paddling your kayak and fishing at the same time became a comedy on the water. It takes two hands to wrangle a seven foot kayak paddle, no matter how you hold it. Throw in a fishing pole, and you soon realize you need three hands!

Kayak fishing hand paddles evolved from pioneering anglers solving this problem with ping pong paddles, Kadema paddles, modified badminton racquets and the sort. They could hold onto their fishing rod and with the other hand paddle their boat stealthily toward their prey.

It soon became apparent that flailing a seven foot paddle is not conducive to shallow water, or skinny water fishing. The fish can see you! The best way to sneak up on your prey is to glide stealthily toward them. While holding your fishing rod, using a little six or seven ounce fishing hand paddle to propel your kayak, about 16” long, is perfect for the task.

As you begin your foray into kayak fishing, do your research. Peruse the internet, talk to local anglers, visit local outfitters and try various kayak platforms and fishing hand paddles. That little effort will certainly make your fishing trip much more rewarding and memorable.

Fish on!!

Ed Halm is a retired U.S. Navy survival instructor. He is also an avid outdoorsman, kayak eco-tour guide and owner of Backwater Paddle Company, a paddles sports business located in central Florida. If you have any questions or comments, you can visit Ed at http://www.backwaterpaddles.com anytime.

This was not the best way the Memphis Tigers could have asked to become bowl eligible but they will take it however they can get it. Without the win, the Tigers would not be playing in a bowl game. Memphis has taken an easier road to a bowl game in previous years. This might be a blessing in disguise because it caused the teams to build character. This is the fifth bowl season the Tigers have had in the past six seasons.

Memphis is one of six Conference USA teams to play for one of the conference’s possible bowl games. They whooped Tulane 45-6. There were 25 seniors on the team and they will get a curtain call since they have played their final home game. The Tigers finished 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the conference. Tulane was 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the conference.

“Don’t really care where we might be going now,” said Tigers’ coach Tommy West, whose team won its season finale for the fifth straight year. “It’s good that this group of seniors gets to go out on a good note … and the bowl game means we get to go back to work in a week, continue to get better and build for the future to replace those seniors.”

Memphis at one point was 0-3 and they knew they had to win some games if they were to become bowl eligible. They won three games in a row and had a 3-3 record with 6 games remaining. They in dramatic fashion to Louisville, a long-time rival, so you know that had to hurt even worse. They also lost three of their four top quarterbacks via injuries.

Arkelon Hall had an injured thumb. Will Hudgens had an injured knee. Tyler Bass had an injured knee too. Hall and Hudgens got injured in the first quarter in a game they ended up losing at East Carolina. They knew if they were going to be playing in a bowl game, they would have to win despite their more than fair share of injuries.

“We had to get really creative,” said West, whose offense still managed to rack up 10 games of 400 or more yards but started getting the yards on the ground.

The Tigers had a good running attack, running for 379 yards on the ground. They had 109 yards via the pass. That was a total of 488 yards and those yards were reflected in their blowout win. Curtis Steele, a junior, scored a touchdown and had 135 yards. He ended the year with 1,175 yards which is the fourth best season in Memphis Tigers history. Steele ran for 100 yards in all six of Memphis’s wins.

“He opened a lot of things with the way he could get the tough yards,” said West.

The Tigers used the “wild” formation in the Tulane game. The Tigers used the “wild” formation to snap the ball to Steele or other wide receivers on the team like seniors Maurice Jones and Steven Black. Jones and Black had a total of four touchdowns and 59 yards. Black scored three of the touchdowns.

Brandon Washington, a junior, had 77 yards. Brandon Ross, a freshman, had 57 yards and the Tigers’ last touchdown.

“We had to get creative after losing the quarterbacks, but we’ve also become a good running team again,” West said. “We’ve always been a team that can throw, but to win consistently, you have to run the ball.”

Hall just got back from a thumb injury. He threw 12 passes, completing 10 of them for 109 yards.

The Tigers had their best defensive outing of the year. In the game, they allowed 222 yards and forced 3 turnovers.

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The Florida Gators football team, of the Southeastern Conference, was the 2008 national champion. The Florida Gators are well-known to all sports fanatics and the stadium they play in, the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is known as one of the hardest places for the competition to play. With Urban Meyer as the head coach and with Tim Tebow, a Heisman Winner, the team can definitely fight its way to the top next year and another championship win wouldn’t be far out of reach. In 2008, the University of Florida Gators beat the Oklahoma Sooners at the Orange Bowl to capture their second championship in three years.

With the great leadership shown by Urban Meyer I believe that a win is in the cards for the school, especially if they start the season strong. They have an excellent coach and they have a lot of returning players as well as some guys who have signed up with the team that were specifically recruited. This coming fall, the Gators have the potential to win it all again with Tim Tebow throwing for them again.

Along with its returning stars, Florida has the nationally 10th ranked recruiting class to help secure its chances at another championship run. With star underclassman Percy Harvin going to the NFL draft, Coach Meyer landed five-star receiver Andre Debose from Sanford, Fl. Debose will have an immediate impact and the loss of Harvin won’t be as painful. “He’s as good as there is,” Meyer said. “I think he’s the best player in America. You watch him on film, for what we do, for our style of offense, for what we need right now with the departure of Percy Harvin … that’s a crucial element. We’re not going to change our offense.”

Andre Debose isn’t the only attention grabber the Gators roped in this year. They brought in the highest rated outside linebacker and 10th overall prospect with Jelani Jenkins of Olney, Md, who runs a 4.4 40 yard dash and also has a 4.0 grade point average which will help ensure he won’t be academically ineligible. Jenkins will more than likely be a captain before long. They also brought in the nationally ranked 2nd best defensive tackle with Gary Brown from Greensboro, Fl, who accrued more than 40 sacks over his final two seasons at West Gadsden High. As if Florida hadn’t beefed up their defense enough with these two, they got Jon Bostic from Wellington, Fl, the nationally ranked 5th best inside linebacker and the son of former Detroit Lions defensive back Jon Bostic Sr. However, with the return of star senior middle linebacker Brandon Spikes, Bostic likely won’t get much playing time right away.

Despite losing a pair of commitments, receiver Nu’Keese Richardson and cornerback Marsalis Teague, to SEC East rival Tennessee, Florida is looking good. With a retention that shows all 11 starters on defense and seven starters on offense, including quarterback Tim Tebow and linebacker Brandon Spikes returning for their senior seasons, the Gators have the best chance at being National Champions in 2009.

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Does anyone remember when the Houston Texans used to be called something else? Probably not, as most will tell you that the Houston Texans are nothing like the former football team that used to be the darling sports team of Houston. Yes, I will mention them here just for ol’ time sake. They were the Houston Oilers and not only were they a good team, they had a pretty good dance line too – called the Derrick Dolls (isn’t that name fitting?)

Anyway, getting back to here and now, the fact that Houston has another great football team is absolutely wonderful in my opinion.

Houston is the fourth-largest city in the US and has had a professional football team since 1959 (just one year before Dallas got their Cowboys). In 1997 the owner of the Houston Oilers got the go-ahead to move his team to Tennessee and all of a sudden, the rabid football fans in one of the largest cities in Texas found themselves with no home pro football team to root for. As a matter of fact, Bud Adams had to pay a lot of money for the privilege of moving out of state. But that did not deter him in the least and Houstonians had to face the fact that they might be in for a long dry spell without a pro football game at home to attend.

As fate would have it however, Houston fans were is for a big surprise. Bob McNair was in the mood to bring a pro hockey team to town n 1997 and that didn’t work out. So being the brilliant man that he is credited for, he set his sights on bringing another pro football team to town. By using strong local community support from the citizens of Houston, coupled with the partial promise of a new domed stadium to house the team’s games, Houston was in the running for a new football team to replace the sorely missed Houston Oilers.

However, In 1998 Cleveland received their expansion franchise and then the next franchise would be awarded to Los Angeles (or so it seemed). LA couldn’t get their act together so the NFL owners turned to Houston and decided to give that city a serious look. So the league’s expansion committee told McNair and the other Houston official to attend the October 6, 1999 NFL Owner’s meeting in Atlanta. And on the morning of that same day, the NFL owners voted 29-0 to award the 32nd franchise and also the 2004 Super Bowl to Houston. WOW, is all anyone can really say to that. Houston really wanted a team back at home.

After that, things started to move fast for the future team. They didn’t have a name yet but that did not really matter to the fanatical fans of Houston. All they cared about was that they had been starved for a home team now for a number of years and were ready to have one once again. By 2000, things were really on a roll with the new Reliant stadium groundbreaking occurring. The state-of-the-art facility would have 69,500 seats and would become the NFL’s first stadium with a retractable roof. Quite a feat in anyone’s stretch of the imagination.

Also in 2000, the worst kept secret in Houston history became reality and the team was named the Houston Texans. The next year saw Dom Capers announced as the club’s first head coach and his first task was to fill out the rest of his staff. Play began in the 2002 season. The Texans first game saw them up against the Dallas Cowboys at their own Reliant Stadium. History was made as the Houston Texans were just the second expansion team to ever win their first game. They beat their intrastate rivals 19-10 and even though they lost their next five games, the Texans had won the hearts and minds of their home town.

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