1.
International Stadium Yokohama
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International Stadium Yokohama, also known as Nissan Stadium is a sports venue in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, inaugurated in March 1998. It is the stadium of Yokohama F. Marinos of the J1 League. International Stadium Yokohama has the highest seating capacity of any stadium in Japan and it hosted three first-round games during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and the final game between Germany and Brazil was played there on 30 June 2002. The stadium is one of the football venues for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The stadium has also selected as one of the venues for 2019 Rugby World Cup. This decision was taken by World Rugby after Japan announced that the proposed new National Stadium wouldn’t be completed in time, on 28 August 2009, Nissan Motors announced that they would not renew the contract for the naming rights of the stadium, which expired on 28 February 2010. But negotiations continued with the city, and a new agreement for three years was completed. International Stadium Yokohama has been hosting the FIFA Club World Cup since 2003, first as European/South American Intercontinental Cup, the first edition held in Yokohama was the match between Real Madrid and Olimpia, where Real were crowned champions. In 2005, the old Intercontinental Cup was replaced to the new World Championship involving football teams, one of the venues, including the final, from 2005 to the 2008, from 2011 to the 2012 and from 2015 to the 2016 editions was the International Stadium Yokohama. Some Japanese musicians have played at this stadium, arena seats are often set up on the track and ground. In 1999, Japanese best-selling rock band Bz first used the stadium as a music events, then, Bz used the stadium three times in 2002,2008 and 2013. Heavy metal band X Japan performed two nights on 14–15 August 2010. Their former bass player Taiji joined them both nights, the first, and only, time since he left the group in 1992, attendance for both concerts was estimated at 140,000. The Japanese girl group AKB48 was the first ever act to hold their concert at the stadium on 8 June 2013. They also held their fifth annual Senbatsu Election at the stadium in that evening after concert, south Korean group TVXQ performed at the stadium on 17 and 18 August 2013, as part of their Time, Live Tour 2013. Attendance for both concerts was estimated at 140,000, the stadium has hosting several international FIFA matches. Here is a list of the most important international matches held at the International Stadium Yokohama,2015 FIFA Club World Cup Nissan Stadium Stadium Guide Article FIFA Profile
2.
Nashville, Tennessee
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Nashville is the capital of the U. S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in the central part of the state. The city is a center for the music, healthcare, publishing, banking and transportation industries and it is known as a center of the country music industry, earning it the nickname Music City, U. S. A. Since 1963, Nashville has had a consolidated city-county government which includes six municipalities in a two-tier system. Nashville is governed by a mayor, vice-mayor, and 40-member Metropolitan Council, thirty-five of the members are elected from single-member districts, five are elected at-large. Reflecting the citys position in government, Nashville is home to the Tennessee Supreme Courts courthouse for Middle Tennessee. According to 2015 estimates from the U. S. Census Bureau, the balance population, which excludes semi-independent municipalities within Nashville, was 654,610. The 2015 population of the entire 13-county Nashville metropolitan area was 1,830,345, the 2015 population of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Columbia combined statistical area, a larger trade area, was 1,951,644. The town of Nashville was founded by James Robertson, John Donelson, and it was named for Francis Nash, the American Revolutionary War hero. Nashville quickly grew because of its location, accessibility as a port on the Cumberland River, a tributary of the Ohio River. By 1800, the city had 345 residents, including 136 African American slaves and 14 free blacks, in 1806, Nashville was incorporated as a city and became the county seat of Davidson County, Tennessee. In 1843, the city was named the permanent capital of the state of Tennessee, by 1860, when the first rumblings of secession began to be heard across the South, antebellum Nashville was a prosperous city. The citys significance as a port made it a desirable prize as a means of controlling important river. In February 1862, Nashville became the first state capital to fall to Union troops, the state was occupied by Union troops for the duration of the war. Within a few years after the Civil War, the Nashville chapter of the Ku Klux Klan was founded by Confederate veteran John W. Morton, meanwhile, the city had reclaimed its important shipping and trading position and developed a solid manufacturing base. The post–Civil War years of the late 19th century brought new prosperity to Nashville and these healthy economic times left the city with a legacy of grand classical-style buildings, which can still be seen around the downtown area. Circa 1950 the state approved a new city charter that provided for the election of city council members from single-member districts. This change was supported because at-large voting diluted the minority populations political power in the city and they could seldom gain a majority of the population to support a candidate of their choice
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Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
4.
Seating capacity
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Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats hundreds of thousands of people. The International Fire Code, portions of which have adopted by many jurisdictions, is directed more towards the use of a facility than the construction. It specifies, For areas having fixed seating without dividing arms and it also requires that every public venue submit a detailed site plan to the local fire code official, including details of the means of egress, seating capacity, arrangement of the seating. Once safety considerations have been satisfied, determinations of seating capacity turn on the size of the venue. For sports venues, the decision on maximum seating capacity is determined by several factors, chief among these are the primary sports program and the size of the market area. Seating capacity of venues also plays a role in what media they are able to provide, in contracting to permit performers to use a theatre or other performing space, the seating capacity of the performance facility must be disclosed. Seating capacity may influence the kind of contract to be used, the seating capacity must also be disclosed to the copyright owner in seeking a license for the copyrighted work to be performed in that venue. Venues that may be leased for private functions such as ballrooms and auditoriums generally advertise their seating capacity, seating capacity is also an important consideration in the construction and use of sports venues such as stadiums and arenas. The seating capacity for restaurants is reported as covers, a restaurant that can seat 99 is said to have 99 covers, seating capacity differs from total capacity, which describes the total number of people who can fit in a venue or in a vehicle either sitting or standing. Use of the term public capacity indicates that a venue is allowed to more people than it can actually seat. Again, the total number of people can refer to either the physical space available or limitations set by law
5.
Populous (company)
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Populous is a global architectural firm specializing in the design of sports facilities, arenas and convention centers, as well as the planning of major special events. Populous formerly operated as HOK Sport Venue Event, which was part of the HOK Group, in January 2009, Populous was created through a management buyout, becoming independently owned and operated. It is reported to be one of the largest architecture firms in the world, in 1983, HOK under Jerry Sincoff created a sports group. The firm initially consisted of eight architects in Kansas City, on several projects, HOK Sport had teamed with international design practice LOBB Partnership, which maintained offices in London, England, and Brisbane, Australia. On HOK Sports 15th anniversary in November 1998, the merged with LOBB. The new practice retained headquarters in all three cities, the Kansas City, Missouri, office was first based in the citys Garment District in the Lucas Place office building. It was the first major company to relocate to the neighborhood in several decades, in March 2009, HOK Sport Venue Event changed its name to Populous after a managers’ buyout by HOK Group. In October 2015, Populous relocated to its new headquarters at the newly renovated Board of Trade building at 4800 Main street near the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. Other firms with sports design presence in Kansas City that trace their roots to Kivett include Ellerbe Becket Inc. Populous is credited for spearheading a new era of baseball park design in the 1990s, beginning with Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Starting with the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati in 2003, subsequent stadium exteriors featuring this motif opened in Washington and Minnesota. And because the stadiums were designed for baseball instead of several sports, Camden Yards was not only hugely popular with baseball fans. The success of a new ballpark in downtown Baltimore convinced many cities to invest public funds in their own new ballparks to help revitalize struggling urban neighborhoods, from 1992 to 2012, HOK Sport/Populous were the lead architects on 14 Major League Baseball stadiums and helped renovate four existing stadiums. One sportswriter said the attempt to emulate the old parks in this way is contrived. S, Louis, Missouri – St. Louis Cardinals Nationals Park, Washington, D. C. Sir Bobby Robson Stand at Portman Road – Ipswich, England, UK – Ipswich Town Football Club Estádio da Luz – Lisbon, benfica Estádio Algarve – Loulé, Portugal – S. C. Monterrey Stade des Lumières – Décines, France – Olympique Lyonnais City of Manchester Stadium expansion – Manchester, UK – Manchester City F. C. C. Petersburg, Florida (joint project with Lescher & Mahoney Sports & Criswell, Blizzard & Blouin Architects Ervin J. Paul, Minnesota, USA2015 – Final Four - Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Official website
6.
McKissack & McKissack
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McKissack & McKissack is an American architecture and engineering firm based for many years in Nashville, Tennessee, and now based in New York City and Washington, D. C. Founded in 1905, it was the first African-American-owned architectural firm in the United States and is the oldest minority-owned architecture, the firm was founded by brothers Moses McKissack III and Calvin Lunsford McKissack, natives of Pulaski, Tennessee. Their father and grandfather were trained builders, Moses McKissack entered the architecture trade by working as an apprentice to a builder in Pulaski who hired him in 1890 to assist with architectural designs, drawings and construction work. His formal education was obtained at the Pulaski Colored High School, Calvin McKissack was educated at Barrows School in Springfield, Massachusetts, and Fisk University in Nashville, which he attended from 1905 to 1909. Both brothers obtained architectural degrees through a correspondence course, between 1895 and 1905, Moses McKissack built houses in Decatur, Alabama, and Mount Pleasant and Columbia, Tennessee. In 1905, he received a commission to build a new house for the dean of architecture and he opened his first architectural office in Nashville and quickly picked up additional jobs designing and building other homes in the West End. The firms first major project was design of the Carnegie Library on the Fisk University campus, by 1920, Moses McKissack had acquired design clients throughout Nashville. Between 1918 and 1922 he designed more than one dozen residences in Nashville and Belle Meade, in 1915, he returned to Tennessee, becoming superintendent of industries and a teacher of architectural drawing at the Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State Normal School. After Tennessee instituted a law for architects in 1921, the McKissack brothers became two of the first registered architects in the state. After they passed easily, the state authorities balked at giving them licenses, in 1922, Calvin McKissack resigned his job with the teachers organization and the brothers established the partnership of McKissack & McKissack. In 1924, the National Baptist Convention, U. S. A, after the building was completed in 1925, the McKissack firm moved its offices into that building, where they remained for many years. In 1927 the McKissacks designed the library of Tennessee State University in Nashville. Around 1940, the firm began to expand outside Tennessee, architectural licensing boards in some other states were skeptical of the qualifications of black architects. Tennessee authorities responded to their concerns with a statement that McKissack and McKissack was, the firm received licenses from Alabama in 1941 and from Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and Mississippi in 1943. In 1942, the McKissack won a $5.7 million U. S. federal government contract to design and build Tuskegee Army Airfield, home to the Tuskegee Airmens 99th Pursuit Squadron, in Tuskegee, Alabama. At the time, this was the largest federal contract ever awarded to a black-owned company, Calvin McKissack remained with the firm until his death in 1968. William DeBerry McKissack, the youngest son of Moses III, then succeeded his uncle as president of the firm. After suffering a stroke, he retired due to illness, and his wife, Leatrice Buchanan McKissack, became executive officer. C
7.
Thornton Tomasetti
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Thornton Tomasetti is an American 1, 200+ person structural engineering consulting firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1956 as Lev Zetlin & Associates, the 50-year-old company has locations throughout the world. The engineering firm provided the design for several of the worlds tallest building structures, including the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Other structures designed by the firm include Soldier Field in Chicago, Petco Park in San Diego, among other architects of note, Thornton Tomasetti has collaborated with Cesar Pelli, Santiago Calatrava, Renzo Piano, and Rafael Vinoly. Thornton Tomasetti works to advance design and construction practices. About one-fifth of its staff are LEED accredited professionals, Thornton Tomasetti was the first structural engineering company to sign the AIA2030 Commitment. Thornton Tomasetti immediately began to branch out and enter the market with several innovative designs. The New York City office essentially began in 1956 as Lev Zetlin & Associates, Lev Zetlin also embraced the creative use of materials, most notably demonstrated in a bridge design made entirely of paper products for an International Paper ad. In 1993, Thornton Tomasetti acquired Cohen-Barreto-Marchertas and created a Chicago office, founded in 1965 by Eli Cohen, CBM pioneered the use of the now-common composite steel structural system, which combines a reinforced concrete core wall with a light steel floor framing. In the early 1960s, Cohens adaptation of the cooling tower design to high-rise offices required a change in the way the unions worked. Ironworker contracts forbid members of trades to work at higher elevations at job sites. But the proposed system was reviewed with them and they agreed to let concrete workers work above them, on September 8,2015, Thornton Tomasetti announced that it had merged with structural engineering firm Weidlinger Associates. The combined firm will have 1,200 employees operating in 34 cities internationally, in 2008 Thornton was awarded the Henry C. Turner Prize for Innovation in Construction Technology from the National Building Museum for his work with this program. Thornton Tomasetti Corporate Website ACE Mentor Program
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Lend Lease Project Management & Construction
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Lend Lease Project Management & Construction is the international project management and construction division of Lend Lease Group. The origins of Lend Lease Project Management & Construction date back to the establishment of C. W. Bovis & Co by Charles William Bovis in London in 1885 and it changed hands in 1908 when it was acquired by Samuel Joseph and his cousin, Sidney Gluckstein. The client receives any savings during construction instead of the contractor. ”During World War II, Bovis built the factory at Swynnerton. At the end of hostilities, Bovis resumed work for the sector and in the early 1950s. Following the acquisition of Frank Sandersons business in 1967, Bovis Homes expanded rapidly, Frank Sanderson was to change radically the future of Bovis. He was appointed Managing Director of Bovis Holdings in January 1970, after a number of housing acquisitions, Sanderson attempted to obtain control of P&O by means of a reverse takeover. An initial agreement was followed by a boardroom and shareholder revolt at P&O, there was boardroom dissension, too, at Bovis and Sanderson was forced out in September 1973. One of Sanderson’s acquisitions, in 1971, had been Twentieth Century Banking, the crisis came to a head in December 1973 when National Westminster Bank refused to provide the necessary funds. A rescue of Bovis was inevitable and, ironically, the proved to be P&O. From 1985 the company was led by Sir Frank Lampl, who changed it from a British concern into an international contractor, Bovis Homes was demerged in 1997, and floated on the London Stock Exchange. The company was bought by Lend Lease Corporation in 1999, at time it became Bovis Lend Lease. The firemen consulted the check list, thought they had a good system, only when they reached the dangerous area that was on fire, did they realize the system did not have any water pressure, and they died trying to retreat amid the confusion. As of June 2011, two out of the three individuals charged in the manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide case have been acquitted. On 17 February 2011 Lend Lease announced wider ranging changes to its group of brands, for a ten-year time span ending in 2009, the company along with others devised a scheme to defraud federal, state and local government contracting agencies as well as private clients. The fine is the largest in the citys history, on 29 October 2012 the long boom of a Lend Lease construction crane atop the 1,004 foot high One57 snapped during Hurricane Sandy forcing the evacuation of several buildings in Midtown Manhattan. The company has managed construction projects worldwide, including retail developments, Lend Leases Project Management & Construction Business has a significant presence in Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States. Key sector expertise includes commercial, retail, residential, government, as a major contractor in the UK, Lend Lease Project Management & Construction is a contractor member of Build UK. the International Convention Centre Sydney due to be completed in 2016. Building Relationships, The History of Bovis 1885-2000, Peter Cooper, Cassell & Co ISBN 978-0-297-82533-3
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Skanska
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Skanska AB is a multinational construction and development company based in Sweden. Skanska is the fifth largest construction company in the according to the Construction Global magazine. Notable Skanska projects include the World Trade Center Transportation Hub project,30 St Mary Axe, MetLife Stadium, Mater Dei Hospital, aktiebolaget Skånska Cementgjuteriet was established in Malmö, Sweden, in 1887 by Rudolf Fredrik Berg and started by manufacturing concrete products. It quickly diversified into a company and within 10 years the company received its first international order. The company played an important role in building Sweden’s infrastructure including its roads, power plants, offices, growth in Sweden was followed by international expansion. In the mid-1950s Skånska Cementgjuteriet made a move into international markets. During the next decades it entered South America, Africa and Asia, and in 1971 the United States market, the company was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange A-list in 1965. In 1984 the name “Skanska, ” already in use internationally. During the latter part of the 1990s, Skanska expanded substantially both organically and by acquisition, in August 2000 it bought the construction division of Kvaerner. In mid-2004, Skanska decided to divest its Asian investments and sold its Indian subsidiary to the Thailand based construction firm Italian Thai Development Company, in 2005, Skanska was awarded a gas pipeline contract in Argentina. Later, suspicions were raised that government corruption had been involved, Skanska performed its own investigation, dismissed seven managers, and worked closely with the authorities concerning the inquiry. In 2011, Skanska acquired Industrial Contractors, Inc of Evansville, Indiana, in December 2013 the Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic confirmed that Skanska DS a. s. participated in a bid rigging cartel of construction companies in 2004. Illegal conduct was associated with the tender for the execution of works for the construction of the D1 highway from Mengusovce to Jánovce in Eastern Slovakia, Skanska divides its operations into four business streams, Construction is the largest business stream by revenue and number of employees. The operations of the other business streams involve investments in projects that are developed, with regard to infrastructure development, this often involves public–private partnerships. Geographically, the group based on local business units. Skanska was the No.1 “Green Builder” in the United States in 2007 and was ranked No.3 Green Contractor in the United States 2008. In 2011, Skanska was ranked the greenest company in the United Kingdom, in 2014, Skanska won the Financial Times and ArcelorMittal “Boldness in Business Award” in the category “corporate responsibility/environment. An official vision stated by Skanska is “the five zeros”, zero loss-making projects, work accidents, environmental incidents, ethical breaches
10.
Tennessee Titans
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The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League as a club of the American Football Conference South division. Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team play in 1960 in Houston. The Oilers won the first two AFL Championships, and joined the NFL as part of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970, the team relocated from Houston to Tennessee in 1997, and played at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis for one season. The club moved to Nashville in 1998 and played in Vanderbilt Stadium, for those two years, the team was known as the Tennessee Oilers, but changed its name to Titans in 1999. The team plays at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, which opened in 1999 as Adelphia Coliseum, the Titans training facility is at Saint Thomas Sports Park, a 31-acre site at the MetroCenter complex in Nashville. When the team debuted as the Houston Oilers in 1960, the logo was an oil rig derrick. Except for minor changes throughout the years, this logo remained the same until the team was renamed the Titans in 1999. The logo was originally called Ol Riggy, but this was dropped before the start of the 1974 season, the Oilers uniforms consisted of blue or white jerseys, red trim, and white pants. From 1966 through 1971, the pants with both the blue and white jerseys were silver, to match the color of the helmets, for selected games in 1973 and 1974, and again from 1981 through 1984, the Oilers wore their white jerseys at home. The light blue pants were discarded by coach Jeff Fisher in 1995, from 1960 to about 1965 and from 1972 to 1974, they wore blue helmets, from 1966 to 1971, the helmets were silver, and they were white from 1975 to 1998. During the 1997–98 period, when they were known as the Tennessee Oilers, the uniforms consist of white helmets, red trim, and either navy or white jerseys. White pants are worn with the navy jerseys, and navy pants are worn with the white jerseys. On both the navy and white jerseys, the shoulders and sleeves are light Titans blue. In a game against the Washington Redskins in 2006, the Titans wore their jerseys with navy pants for the first time. Since 2000, the Titans have generally worn their dark uniforms at home throughout the preseason and they have worn white at home during daytime contests on many occasions for September home games to gain an advantage with the heat except in the 2005,2006, and 2008 seasons. The Titans introduced an alternate jersey in 2003 that is light Titans blue, with navy outside shoulders and that jersey was usually worn with the road blue pants. When it was the jersey from 2003 to 2007, the Titans wore the jersey twice in each regular season game
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National Football League
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The National Football League is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The NFL is one of the four professional sports leagues in North America. The NFLs 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas, with each team playing 16 games, the NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League in 1966, and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season, the merger was completed in 1970. Today, the NFL has the highest average attendance of any sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States. S. The NFLs executive officer is the commissioner, who has authority in governing the league. The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen, the current NFL champions are the New England Patriots, who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34–28 in Super Bowl LI. Another meeting held on September 17,1920 resulted in the renaming of the league to the American Professional Football Association, the league hired Jim Thorpe as its first president, and consisted of 14 teams. Only two of these teams, the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Cardinals, remain, the first event occurred on September 26,1920 when the Rock Island Independents defeated the non-league St. Paul Ideals 48–0 at Douglas Park. On October 3,1920, the first full week of league play occurred, the following season resulted in the Chicago Staleys controversially winning the title over the Buffalo All-Americans. In 1922, the APFA changed its name to the National Football League, in 1932, the season ended with the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans tied for first in the league standings. This method had used since the leagues creation in 1920. The league quickly determined that a game between Chicago and Portsmouth was needed to decide the leagues champion. Playing with altered rules to accommodate the playing field, the Bears won the game 9–0. Fan interest in the de facto championship game led the NFL, beginning in 1933, the 1934 season also marked the first of 12 seasons in which African Americans were absent from the league. The de facto ban was rescinded in 1946, following public pressure, the NFL was always the foremost professional football league in the United States, it nevertheless faced a large number of rival professional leagues through the 1930s and 1940s. Rival leagues included at least three separate American Football Leagues and the All-America Football Conference, on top of regional leagues of varying caliber. Three NFL teams trace their histories to these leagues, including the Los Angeles Rams
12.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
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The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a non-profit association which regulates athletes of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations, and individuals. It also organizes the programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. The organization is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2014, the NCAA generated almost a billion dollars in revenue. 80 to 90% of this revenue was due to the Division I Mens Basketball Tournament and this revenue is then distributed back into various organizations and institutions across the United States. In August 1973, the current three-division setup of Division I, Division II, under NCAA rules, Division I and Division II schools can offer scholarships to athletes for playing a sport. Division III schools may not offer any athletic scholarships, generally, larger schools compete in Division I and smaller schools in II and III. Division I football was divided into I-A and I-AA in 1978. Subsequently, the term Division I-AAA was briefly added to delineate Division I schools which do not field a football program at all, in 2006, Divisions I-A and I-AA were respectively renamed the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision. Inter-collegiate sports began in the US in 1852 when crews from Harvard University, as other sports emerged, notably football and basketball, many of these same concepts and standards were adopted. Football, in particular, began to emerge as a marquee sport, the IAAUS was officially established on March 31,1906, and took its present name, the NCAA, in 1910. For several years, the NCAA was a group and rules-making body, but in 1921, the first NCAA national championship was conducted. Gradually, more rules committees were formed and more championships were created, a series of crises brought the NCAA to a crossroads after World War II. The Sanity Code – adopted to establish guidelines for recruiting and financial aid – failed to curb abuses, postseason football games were multiplying with little control, and member schools were increasingly concerned about how the new medium of television would affect football attendance. The complexity of problems and the growth in membership and championships demonstrated the need for full-time professional leadership. Walter Byers, previously an executive assistant, was named executive director in 1951. Byers wasted no time placing his stamp on the Association, as college athletics grew, the scope of the nations athletics programs diverged, forcing the NCAA to create a structure that recognized varying levels of emphasis. In 1973, the Associations membership was divided into three legislative and competitive divisions – I, II, and III, five years later in 1978, Division I members voted to create subdivisions I-A and I-AA in football. Until the 1980s, the association did not offer womens athletics, instead, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, with nearly 1000 member schools, governed womens collegiate sports in the United States
13.
Music City Bowl
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The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998. The game initially featured a matchup between representatives of the Southeastern Conference and the Big East Conference, the Big East was replaced by the Big Ten Conference in 2002. Beginning with the 2006 game the Big Ten Conference was replaced by the Atlantic Coast Conference, the ACC also took part in the 2005 game, when Virginia appeared because the SEC did not have enough bowl-eligible teams. Beginning in 2014, the Music City Bowl shares its tie in with the TaxSlayer Bowl, the first Music City Bowl was played at Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998. Beginning in 1999, the game was moved to the just completed home stadium of the Tennessee Titans, beginning in 2002, the game became known as the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl. In 2003, Bridgestone became the sponsor of the game. Both sponsors are based in Nashville, previous sponsors of the bowl game included American General Life & Accident in the inaugural 1998 game, and the now-defunct homepoint. com in the 1999 game. There was no sponsor in 2000 and 2001, Bridgestone dropped its presenting sponsorship following the 2007 game. Beginning with the 2010 game, Franklin American Mortgage served as title sponsor, the new name is the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. The Music City Bowl has a history of upsets, the biggest underdog win was when Kentucky defeated Clemson 28–20 in 2006. Other big upsets include Minnesota defeating Arkansas 29–14 in 2002 and Virginia defeating Minnesota 34–31 in 2005. Boston College also fell victim to an upset in the Music City Bowl in 2008, the most lopsided loss was Virginia Techs 38–7 win over Alabama in 1998. Alabamas 7 points in game is a low for the Music City Bowl. The closest game was Vanderbilts 16–14 win over Boston College in 2008 and this also marked the lowest point total in the bowls history. The highest point total was West Virginias 49 against Ole Miss in 2000, Ole Miss scored 38 in that game, the attendance record was set at the 2007 Music City Bowl in Kentuckys win over Florida State. † Denotes overtime List of college bowl games Official website
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United Soccer League
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The United Soccer League, formerly known as USL Pro, is a professional mens soccer league in the United States and Canada that began its inaugural season in 2011. USL is sanctioned as a Division II Professional League by the United States Soccer Federation, placing it under Major League Soccer and this multi-year deal encourages MLS and USL Pro team affiliations and player loans, aiming to have more games for teams and developing players. As of March 2017,22 USL teams are affiliated to MLS teams and every MLS team, on September 8,2010, the United Soccer Leagues formally announced the creation of USL Pro in a press release. With this disclosure, the Dutch Lions were the first confirmed team in USL Pro for its inaugural 2011 season, alongside the announcement of the new league, the Richmond Kickers revealed they would be moving to USL Pro for 2011. On September 22,2010, the Caribbean Division of USL Pro was announced, with teams from Puerto Rico and Antigua, with the inclusion of a team from Los Angeles, this division eventually became the International Division. On September 28,2010, USL announced that one of their clubs and reigning 2010 USL Second Division Champions. On September 30,2010, nearly two months following the teams own announcement of a USL Pro Championship Division move, the USL formally announced Dayton Dutch Lions FC would join USL Pro. On October 4 and 7,2010, the USL revealed two Second Division clubs, the Charlotte Eagles and the Harrisburg City Islanders, would be making the jump to USL Pro for 2011, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds were added as the 9th official team on October 22,2010. On November 9,2010, former USL-2 Division side Wilmington Hammerheads officially joined the league as the 12th team, the expected number of teams to launch league play in 2011 was announced as 18–20, alongside the announcement of the Wilmington Hammerheads joining the league. The Los Angeles Blues, associated with the successful womens Pali Blues organization, were added on December 7,2010 with a message of future Western Conference growth into 2012, USL Pro debuted in 2011, starting with 15 teams playing a 24-game regular season schedule. International Division teams played each team in their division four times while traveling to face American or National Division opponents in four games, the original playoff format saw eight teams compete in a one-game quarterfinal. The four remaining teams were re-seeded for a single semi-final match, in all playoff matches the highest seeded team hosted. On May 10,2011, early in the inaugural season. The PRSL clubs were dropped due to economic and ownership issues, the two remaining International Division teams – Antigua Barracuda FC and Los Angeles Blues – were re-aligned into the American and National Divisions. Due to the removal of the International Division, the playoff format featured the top four teams in each of the two divisions. The two division winners met in the USL Pro Championship at the home venue of the team with the better record. Following the 2011 season, USL Pro announced with the release of the 2012 season schedule that F. C, New York would not be returning to play, with the former National and American Divisions being dissolved to form a single, eleven team league table. New York withdrawing in January 2012, the league announced an eleven team single-table schedule for the 2012 season, two expansion teams joined for the 2013 season, Phoenix FC and the VSI Tampa Bay FC. C
15.
American football
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The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs, or plays, or else they turn over the football to the opposing team, if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs. Points are primarily scored by advancing the ball into the teams end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponents goalposts for a field goal. The team with the most points at the end of a game wins, American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of association football and rugby football. The first game of American football was played on November 6,1869, during the latter half of the 1870s, colleges playing association football switched to the Rugby Union code, which allowed carrying the ball. American football as a whole is the most popular sport in the United States, Professional football and college football are the most popular forms of the game, with the other major levels being high school and youth football. As of 2012, nearly 1.1 million high school athletes and 70,000 college athletes play the sport in the United States annually, almost all of them men, in the United States, American football is referred to as football. The term football was established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season. The terms gridiron or American football are favored in English-speaking countries where other codes of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, American football evolved from the sports of association football and rugby football. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6,1869 between Rutgers and Princeton, two college teams, the game was played between two teams of 25 players each and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head or sides, Rutgers won the game 6 goals to 4. Collegiate play continued for years in which matches were played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia, Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19,1873 to create a set of rules for all schools to adhere to. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet were specified, Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. An 1875 Harvard-Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two impressed Princeton athletes and these players introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to selling refrigerators to Eskimos. Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Columbia then agreed to play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association, although Yale did not join until 1879, the introduction of the snap resulted in unexpected consequences. Prior to the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position, however, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they now could hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, both teams in a game between Yale-Princeton used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records, each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0-0 tie
16.
Tennessee State University
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Tennessee State University is a public land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1912, it is the largest and only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee and it is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Tennessee State University is an urban institution offering 38 bachelor’s degrees,24 masters degrees. The university was established as the Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal School for Negroes in 1912 and its dedication was held on January 16,1913. It changed its name to Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal College in 1925, two years later, in 1927, it became known as Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State College. In 1941, the Tennessee General Assembly directed the Board of Education to upgrade the program of the college. Three years later the first masters degrees were awarded and by 1946 the college was accredited the Southern Association of Colleges. In 1968, the officially changed its name to Tennessee State University. And in 1979, the University of Tennessee at Nashville merged into Tenneessee State due to a court mandate, today, Tennessee State University is divided into eight schools and colleges and has seen steady growth since its inception. The universitys health science program is the largest in the state, the 500 acres main campus has more than 65 buildings, and is located in a residential setting at 3500 John A. Tennessee States main campus has the most acres of any campus in Nashville. The Avon Williams campus is located downtown, near the center of the Nashville business, Tennessee State offers on-campus housing to students. There are on campus dorms and two apartment complexes for upperclassmen, Tennessee State is classified as a Doctoral University with Moderate Research Activity. The University Honors College is an academic program founded in 1964 that caters to select academically talented. The Psychology program is accredited by the American Psychological Association and the Teacher Education program by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the College of Engineering has developed corporate partnerships with NASA, Raytheon and General Motors. The School of Nursing boasts a 100% first-time pass-rate for students taking licensure examinations, the College of Health Sciences has recently added much-in-demand programs such as the Masters in Physical Therapy and the Bachelor of Health Sciences. The College of Engineering is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, students receive extensive clinical training in affiliated area hospitals. The Cardio-Respiratory Care Science program of study is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Nursing, The Tennessee State University Division of Nursing is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission
17.
Bowl game
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In North America, a bowl game is one of a number of post-season college football games that are primarily played by teams belonging to the NCAAs Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in career totals. The term bowl originated from the Rose Bowl stadium, site of the first post-season college football games, the Rose Bowl Stadium, in turn, takes its name and bowl-shaped design from the Yale Bowl, the prototype of many football stadiums in the United States. The term has become almost synonymous with any major American football event. In professional football, the names of the National Football League s Super Bowl, the use of the term has crossed over into professional and collegiate Canadian football. A notable example is the annual Banjo Bowl between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League, U Sports plays two semi-final bowl games before the Vanier Cup national championship game, the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl. The matchups are determined on a rotation basis, with the Uteck Bowl being played at the easternmost host team. The history of the game began with the 1902 Tournament East-West football game. The Tournament of Roses eventually sponsored an annual contest starting with the 1916 Tournament East-West Football Game, with the 1923 Rose Bowl it began to be played at the newly completed Rose Bowl stadium, and thus the contest itself became known as the Rose Bowl game. The name bowl to describe the games comes from the Rose Bowl stadium. Other cities saw the value for tourism that the Tournament of Roses parade and Rose Bowl carried. The label bowl was attached to the name, even though the games were not always played in bowl-shaped stadiums. The historic timing of bowl games, around the new year, is the result of two factors—warm climate and ease of travel. The original bowls began in warm climates such as Southern California, Louisiana, Florida and Texas as a way to promote the area for tourism and business. Since commercial air travel was either non-existent or very limited, the games were scheduled well after the end of the season to allow fans to travel to the game site. As the number of games has increased, the number of games a team would need to win to be invited to a bowl game has decreased. With a 12-game schedule, a number of teams with only 5 wins have been invited to a bowl game, as of the completion of the 2016 season, the University of Alabama has played in more bowl games than any other school, with 64 appearances. Alabama also holds the record for most bowl victories with 37, the Florida State Seminoles have the longest active streak of consecutive bowl appearances with 35
18.
Association football
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Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball. It is played by 250 million players in over 200 countries and dependencies making it the worlds most popular sport, the game is played on a rectangular field with a goal at each end. The object of the game is to score by getting the ball into the opposing goal, players are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms while it is in play, unless they are goalkeepers. Other players mainly use their feet to strike or pass the ball, the team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is level at the end of the game, the Laws of the Game were originally codified in England by The Football Association in 1863. Association football is governed internationally by the International Federation of Association Football, the first written reference to the inflated ball used in the game was in the mid-14th century, Þe heued fro þe body went, Als it were a foteballe. The Online Etymology Dictionary states that the word soccer was split off in 1863, according to Partha Mazumdar, the term soccer originated in England, first appearing in the 1880s as an Oxford -er abbreviation of the word association. Within the English-speaking world, association football is now usually called football in the United Kingdom and mainly soccer in Canada and the United States. People in Australia, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand use either or both terms, although national associations in Australia and New Zealand now primarily use football for the formal name. According to FIFA, the Chinese competitive game cuju is the earliest form of football for which there is scientific evidence, cuju players could use any part of the body apart from hands and the intent was kicking a ball through an opening into a net. It was remarkably similar to football, though similarities to rugby occurred. During the Han Dynasty, cuju games were standardised and rules were established, phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on a vase at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship Cup, athenaeus, writing in 228 AD, referenced the Roman ball game harpastum. Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence and they all appear to have resembled rugby football, wrestling and volleyball more than what is recognizable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football, the antecedent of all football codes. Non-competitive games included kemari in Japan, chuk-guk in Korea and woggabaliri in Australia, Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other games played around the world FIFA have recognised that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The modern rules of football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England
19.
CMA Music Festival
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The CMA Music Festival is a four-day music festival centered on country music hosted each June by the Country Music Association in Nashville, Tennessee. Beginning in 1972 as Fan Fair, the event now draws over 400 artists and celebrities who hold autograph sessions, in 2011, total combined attendance for the four-day event was estimated to have exceeded 250,000 people at ticketed events and in free areas. Visitors came from 41 different nations, and all 50 states, the CMA Music Festival, hosted by the Country Music Association, encompasses four days of country music concerts and musician and fan interactions. Over 400 artists attend the event each year to hold up to 30 hours of autograph sessions, many artist fan clubs also hold gatherings in the area during the festival. During the festival, attendees can choose from over 151 hours of concerts that are offered on stages at Riverfront Park and LP Field. Until 2001, the concerts were organized by record labels, with each label choosing which of their artists would be able to perform. Beginning with Fan Fair 2001, these concerts were grouped instead by record distribution group. This allowed for four concerts, for Sony, WEA/EMI, UNI. Artists are held to very strict timeframes for their performances, with Martina McBride noting in 2007 that she was expected to be on stage for exactly 34 minutes, ot 30, not 35, but 34. The artists are not paid to attend the festival or for their performances during the festival, half of the proceeds from the festival each year are donated to charity, while the other half are earmarked by the CMA for the advancement of country music. WSM, Inc. coordinating with the CMA, created Fan Fair in 1972 so that fans would refrain from attending the annual convention that the CMA hosts in the fall. The inaugural Fan Fair was held April 12–15,1972 in Nashvilles Municipal Auditorium,5,000 fans attended the event, which featured 20 hours of live entertainment and 100 exhibit booths, including autograph booths. The following year, the event was moved to June in the hope of finding better weather conditions, and attendance doubled to 10,000 fans. In the third year, the first non-country musician, Paul McCartney, was invited to perform, by 1982, the festival was moved to the Tennessee State fairgrounds, and the All American Country Games competition was added. This event raised moved for the Tennessee Special Olympics, but was cancelled in 1989 in order to add more shows, in 1991, singer Kathy Mattea attended Fan Fair despite being under doctors orders not to speak so that her injured vocal cords could heal. She used a computer to type messages for her fans to read as she held conversations with them, two years later, Shania Twain arranged to meet her future husband, producer Mutt Lange, at the festival. Garth Brooks decided at the last minute to attend the 25th anniversary of the festival in 1996 and he was swarmed with fans, and stayed in his booth signing autographs for 23 hours and 10 minutes without a single break. Fan Fair underwent large changes in 2001, for the first time, the event was held over a long weekend instead of during the week
20.
Cumberland River
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The Cumberland River is a major waterway of the Southern United States. The 688-mile-long river drains almost 18,000 square miles of southern Kentucky, the river flows generally west from a source in the Appalachian Mountains to its confluence with the Ohio River near Paducah, Kentucky, and the mouth of the Tennessee River. Major tributaries include the Obey, Caney Fork, Stones, although the Cumberland River basin is predominantly rural, there are also some large cities on the river, including Nashville and Clarksville, both in Tennessee. In addition, the system has been extensively developed for flood control. Its headwaters are three separate forks that begin in Kentucky and converge in its Harlan County, Martins Fork starts in Hensley Settlement on Brush Mountain in Bell County and snakes its way north through the mountains to Baxter. Clover Fork starts on Black Mountain in Holmes Mill, near the Virginia border, poor Fork begins as a small stream on Pine Mountain in Letcher County near Flat Gap, Virginia. It flows southwest in parallel with Pine Mountain until it merges with the two forks in Baxter. From there, the river continues flowing west through the mountains of Kentucky. The 68-foot falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the southeastern United States and is one of the few places in the Western Hemisphere where a moonbow can be seen. Beyond Cumberland Falls, the river turns abruptly west once again and continues to grow as it converges with other creeks and it receives the Laurel and Rockcastle Rivers from the northeast and then the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River from the south. From here it flows into the man-made Lake Cumberland, formed by Wolf Creek Dam, the more than 100-mile reservoir is one of the largest artificial lakes in the eastern US. Near Celina, the river crosses south into Tennessee, where it is joined by the Obey River, northeast of Nashville, the river is dammed twice more, forming Cordell Hull Lake and Old Hickory Lake. After flowing through Nashville and picking up the Stones River, the river is dammed to form Cheatham Lake, finally, the river flows north and merges with the Ohio River at Smithland, northeast of Paducah. The explorer Thomas Walker of Virginia in 1758 named the river, the Cumberland River was called Wasioto by the Shawnee Native Americans, who lived in this area. French traders called it the Riviere des Chaouanons, or river of the Shawnee for this association, the river was also known as the Shawnee River for years after Walkers trip. Important first as a passage for hunters and settlers, the Cumberland River also supported later riverboat trade, villages, towns, and cities were located at landing points along its banks. Through the middle of the 19th century, settlers depended on rivers as the transportation routes for trading. In more recent history, a number of floods have struck various regions that the river flows through
21.
Atlanta Falcons
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The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference South division. The Falcons joined the NFL in 1965 as an expansion team, the AFL instead granted a franchise to Miami. The Falcons are tied with the Dolphins for being the second-oldest NFL franchise in the Deep South, the Falcons played their home games at the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta from the 1992 to 2016 NFL seasons. Construction began on Mercedes-Benz Stadium in May 2014, with play projected to begin there during the 2017 season and their headquarters and practice facilities are located at a 50-acre site in Flowery Branch, Georgia. Two years later, the AFL held another exhibition, this time with the New York Jets taking on the San Diego Chargers, in 1965, after the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium was built, the city of Atlanta felt the time was right to start pursuing professional football. Another group reported it had deposited earnest money for a team in the AFL and he forced the city to make a choice between the two leagues. By June 30, the city picked Rankin Smith and the NFL, former commissioner Pete Rozelle and Smith made the deal in about five minutes and the Atlanta Falcons brought the largest and most popular sport to the city of Atlanta. The Atlanta expansion franchise became the 15th NFL franchise, and they were awarded the first pick in the 1966 NFL draft as well as the pick in each of the first five rounds. The Falcons drafted All-American linebacker Tommy Nobis from the University of Texas with the first pick of the draft, the league also held the 1966 NFL Expansion Draft six weeks later in which the Falcons selected unprotected players from existing franchises. Although the Falcons selected many players in those drafts, they still were not able to win right away. The Atlanta Falcons Football Club received its nickname on August 29,1965, miss Julia Elliott, a school teacher from Griffin, Georgia, was singled out from many people who suggested Falcons as the nickname for the new franchise. Elliott wrote, the Falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and it is deadly and has a great sporting tradition. The Falcons had their first season in 1966, and their first preseason game on August 1,1966, under Head Coach Norb Hecker they lost their first nine regular-season games in 1966 and secured their first victory on the road against the New York Giants. The team finished the 1960s with only 12 wins, the Falcons had their first Monday Night Football game in Atlanta during the 1970 season. The only two winning seasons in this period were 1971 and 1973. In the 1978 season, the Falcons qualified for the playoffs for the first time, the following week, they lost to the Dallas Cowboys 27–20 in the Divisional Playoffs. In the 1980 season, after a winning streak, the Falcons posted a franchise then-best record of 12–4
22.
Cynodon dactylon
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Although it is not native to Bermuda, it is an abundant invasive species there. It is presumed to have arrived in North America from Bermuda, in Bermuda it has been known as crab grass. The blades are a color and are short, usually 2–15 cm long with rough edges. The erect stems can grow 1–30 cm tall, the stems are slightly flattened, often tinged purple in colour. The seed heads are produced in a cluster of two to six together at the top of the stem, each spike 2–5 cm long. It has a root system, in drought situations with penetrable soil. The grass creeps along the ground and roots wherever a node touches the ground, C. dactylon reproduces through seeds, runners, and rhizomes. Growth begins at temperatures above 15 °C with optimum growth between 24 and 37 °C, in winter, the grass becomes dormant and turns brown, growth is promoted by full sun and retarded by full shade, e. g. close to tree trunks. Cynodon dactylon is widely cultivated in warm climates all over the world between about 30° S and 30° N latitude, and that get between 625 and 1,750 mm of rainfall a year. It is also found in the U. S. mostly in the half of the country. Control/eradication It is fast-growing and tough, making it popular and useful for sports fields and it is a highly desirable turf grass in warm temperate climates, particularly for those regions where its heat and drought tolerance enable it to survive where few other grasses do. This combination makes it a frequent choice for golf courses in the southern and southeastern U. S and it has a relatively coarse-bladed form with numerous cultivars selected for different turf requirements. It is also aggressive, crowding out most other grasses and invading other habitats. This weedy nature leads some gardeners to give it the name of devil grass, Bermuda grass is incredibly difficult to control in flower beds and most herbicides do not work. However, Ornamec, Ornamec 170 and Turflon ester have shown effectiveness as well as Imazapyr. All of these items are difficult to find in stores as they are primarily marketed to professional landscapers. The hybrid variety Tifton 85, like some other grasses, produces cyanide under certain conditions, and has been implicated in several livestock deaths
23.
Sod
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Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material. In British English such material is usually known as turf. Sod is typically used for lawns, golf courses, and sports stadiums around the world, in residential construction, it is sold to landscapers, home builders or home owners who use it to establish a lawn quickly and avoid soil erosion. Sod can be used to repair a small area of lawn, golf course, Sod is also effective in increasing cooling, improving air and water quality, and assisting in flood prevention by draining water. Scandinavia has a history of employing sod roofing and a traditional house type is the Icelandic turf house. Following passage of the Homestead Act by the US Congress in 1862, while it might be hard for some to imagine sod as a suitable primary building material, the prairie sod of the Great Plains was so dense and difficult to cut it earned the nickname Nebraska marble. Blacksmith John Deere made his fortune when he became the first to make a plow that could cut the prairie sod. Sod is grown on specialist farms, for 2009, the United States Department of Agriculture reported 1,412 farms had 368,188 acres of sod in production. It is usually grown locally to minimize both the cost of transport and also the risk of damage to the product, the farms that produce this grass may have many varieties of grass grown in one location to best suit the consumers use and preference of appearance. It is usually harvested 10 to 18 months after planting, depending on the growing climate, on the farm it undergoes fertilization, frequent watering, frequent mowing and subsequent vacuuming to remove the clippings. It is harvested using specialized equipment, precision cut to standardized sizes, Sod is typically harvested in small square or rectangular slabs, or large 4-foot-wide rolls. Mississippi State University has developed a method of cultivating sod. For the very few sod farms that export turf internationally, this soil-less sod may travel both lighter and better than traditional sod. Additionally, since the sod is not grown in soil, it does not need to be washed clean of soil down to the bare roots, in many applications, such as erosion control and athletic fields, immediacy is a key factor. Seed may be blown about by the wind, eaten by birds and it takes some weeks to form a visually appealing lawn and further time before it is robust enough for use. Sod reduces erosion by stabilizing the soil, many prized cultivars only reproduce vegetatively, not sexually. Sod cultivation is the means of producing additional plants. To grow these varieties for sale, turf farms use a technique called sprigging, Bermudagrass is quite commonly used for golf courses and sports fields across the southern portions of the United States
24.
Houston Texans
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The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team competes in the National Football League as a club of the American Football Conference South division. The Texans first played in 2002 as a team, making them the youngest franchise in the NFL currently. The Texans replaced Houstons previous franchise, the Houston Oilers, which moved to Nashville, the teams majority owner is Bob McNair. While the team struggled in the 2000s, they clinched its first playoff berth during the 2011 season as AFC South division champions. The Texans have gone on to win more AFC South championships in 2012,2015, to date, the Texans are the only NFL franchise to have never played in a conference championship game. In 1996, an earlier, the Cleveland Browns had controversially relocated to become the Baltimore Ravens. As part of the settlement between the NFL, the city of Cleveland, Ohio, and the owned by Art Modell. In order to out the franchisees at 32, the league also contemplated adding another expansion franchise. In association with Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, they would push for a domed stadium as part of the bid to lure the NFL back to Houston, on October 6,1999 the NFL awarded the 32nd team to Houston, at the cost of $700 million. The Houston Texans joined the league at the 2002 NFL season, while the team struggled in early seasons, results began to improve once native Houstonian Gary Kubiak became the head coach in 2006. The Texans finished with a.500 season in both 2007 and 2008, and nearly qualified for the 2009–10 NFL playoffs with a 9–7 result in 2009. In 2010, the team started the season on a 4–2 record going into a Week 7 bye week, the Texans then beat wild card Cincinnati Bengals 31–10 in the first round of the 2011–12 NFL playoffs, before a 20–13 defeat by the Ravens in the semifinals. The Texans surged as the team to beat in the AFC South in 2012, however, they lost three of their last four games to finish 12–4, beating the rival Indianapolis Colts in that four-game stretch allowed them to clinch their 2nd AFC South title. The Texans beat the Bengals again in the round. The Texans started 2–0 in 2013 but went into a tailspin, Kubiak was fired as head coach after being swept by the rival Jacksonville Jaguars, who themselves started 0–8. Wade Phillips filled in as coach, but the Texans poor form did not change. The 14-game losing streak is also the worst in franchise history, the Texans entered the 2014 season with a 14-game losing streak
25.
History of the Houston Oilers
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The professional American football team now known as the Tennessee Titans previously played in Houston, Texas, from 1960 to 1996. This article chronicles the history during their time as the Houston Oilers during that period. The Oilers began play in 1960 as a member of the American Football League. The team won two AFL championships before joining the NFL as part of the AFL–NFL merger in the late 1960s, the Oilers competed in the East Division of the AFL before the merger, after which they joined the newly formed AFC Central. The Oilers throughout their existence were owned by Bud Adams and played their games at the Astrodome for the majority of their time in Houston. The Oilers were the first champions of the American Football League, winning the 1960 and 1961 contests, from 1978 to 1980, the Oilers, led by Bum Phillips and in the midst of the Luv Ya Blue campaign, appeared in the 1978 and 1979 AFC Championship Games. For the rest of the Oilers time in Houston, however, they were generally in the division of the league. The Oilers main colors were Columbia blue and white, with scarlet trim, Oilers jerseys were always Columbia blue for home and white for away. The Oilers played the 1997 season in Memphis before moving to Nashville in 1998, the NFL would return to Houston in 2002 with a new franchise, the Houston Texans. The Houston Oilers began in 1960 as a member of the American Football League. They were owned by Bud Adams, a Houston oilman, who had several previous unsuccessful bids for an NFL expansion team in Houston. The Oilers appeared in the first three AFL championships and they scored an important victory over the NFL when they signed LSUs Heisman Trophy winner, All-America running back Billy Cannon. Cannon joined other Oiler offensive stars such as quarterback George Blanda, flanker Charlie Hennigan, running back Charlie Tolar, after winning the first-ever AFL championship over the Los Angeles Chargers in 1960, they repeated over the same team in 1961. They lost to the Dallas Texans in the classic 1962 double-overtime AFL championship game, in 1962, the Oilers were the first AFL team to sign an active NFL player away from the other league, when wide receiver Willard Dewveall left the Bears to join the champion Oilers. Dewveall that year caught the longest pass reception for a touchdown in professional American football history,99 yd, from Jacky Lee, previously, the Oilers had played at Jeppesen Stadium at the University of Houston from 1960 to 1964, and Rice Universitys stadium from 1965 to 1967. Adams had intended the play at Rice from the first. After the Astrodome opened for business, Adams attempted to move there, the 1969 season, the last as an AFL team, saw Houston begin 3–1, but tumble afterwards. They qualified for the playoffs, but were defeated by the Raiders 56–7, the years immediately after the AFL-NFL Merger were not as kind to the Oilers, who sank to the bottom of the AFC Central division
26.
Washington Redskins
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The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Redskins compete in the National Football League as a member of the National Football Conference East division. The Redskins have played more than 1,000 games since 1932, the Redskins have won five NFL Championships. The franchise has captured 14 NFL divisional titles and six NFL conference championships, the Redskins were the first team in the NFL with an official marching band, and also the first team to have a fight song, Hail to the Redskins. The team began play as the Boston Braves in 1932, based in Boston, before relocating to Washington, the Redskins won the 1937 and 1942 Championship games, as well as Super Bowls XVII, XXII, and XXVI. They also played in, and lost, the 1936,1940,1943 and they have made 24 postseason appearances, and have an overall postseason record of 23–18. All of the Redskins league titles were attained during two 10-year spans, from 1936 to 1945, the Redskins went to the NFL Championship six times, winning two of them. The second period lasted between 1982 and 1991 where the Redskins appeared in the seven times, captured four Conference titles. The Redskins have also experienced failure in their history, the most notable period of general failure was from 1946 to 1970, during which the Redskins posted only four winning seasons and did not have a single postseason appearance. During this period, the Redskins went without a winning season during the years 1956–1968. In 1961, the franchise posted their worst regular season record with a 1–12–1 showing, since 1992, the Redskins have only won the NFC East three times, made five postseason appearances, and had nine seasons with a winning record.85 billion. They also set the NFL record for attendance in 2007. The team name and logo have been the subject of controversy, with lawsuits being filed by Native American groups who consider the team name, polls conducted in the 2010s have shown a lack of major support among fans for a name change. The team originated as the Boston Braves, based in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1932, at the time the team played in Braves Field, home of the Boston Braves baseball team. The following year the club moved to Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, to round out the change, Marshall hired William Lone Star Dietz, who was part Sioux, as the teams head coach. However, Boston wasnt much of a town at the time. The Redskins relocated to Washington, D. C. in 1937, in their early years in Washington, the Redskins shared Griffith Stadium with the Washington Senators baseball team. The Redskins played and won their first game in Washington, D. C. on September 16,1937, on December 5,1937, they earned their first division title in Washington against the Giants, 49–14, for the Eastern Championship
27.
Neyland Stadium
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Neyland Stadium is a sports stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. It serves primarily as the home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, the stadiums official capacity is 102,455. Neyland Stadium is the fifth largest stadium in the United States, the sixth largest stadium in the world, the stadium is named for Robert Neyland, who served three stints as head football coach at the University of Tennessee between 1926 and 1952. The Tennessee Volunteers football team played at Baldwin Park, which was once located between Grand Avenue and Dale Avenue, north of Fort Sanders. From 1909 to 1920, the played at Wait Field. The stadium was first conceived in 1919, colonel W. S. Shields, president of Knoxvilles City National Bank and a University of Tennessee trustee, provided the initial capital to prepare and equip an athletic field. At the groups behest, students and faculty finished the field over a two-day period, an invitational track meet was then held as a celebration and thus became the very first event at Neyland Stadium. The first UT football game at the stadium took place on September 24,1921, with the Vols defeating Emory & Henry, the first night game at Neyland Stadium was played on September 16,1972, with the Vols defeating Penn State, 28–21. In 1962, the stadium was renamed Neyland Stadium in honor of General Robert Neyland, the playing field continued to be named Shields-Watkins field. Neyland, the man credited with making the Vols a national power, coached the team from 1926–1952. Reflecting the Vols growth in stature, the stadiums capacity jumped more than 14-fold during his 38-year association with UT as either an assistant coach, head coach, or athletic director. By comparison, when it had originally built in 1921, it was not even a fraction the size of Tennessees largest football stadium at the time. Shortly before his death, he spearheaded the stadiums first major expansion, the plans he drafted were so far ahead of their time that they have formed the basis for every expansion since then. The playing surface is still named Shields–Watkins Field, the latest additions and updates to the facility were part of a $136.4 million series of renovations, beginning in 2004 and completed by 2010. In a Spring 2001 poll in The Sporting News, Neyland Stadium was ranked as the nations #1 college football stadium, in 2004, Sports Illustrated ranked Neyland Stadium, the University of Tennessee campus, and the surrounding Knoxville area, as the best college football weekend experience. On April 8,2009, it was announced that Neyland Stadium was one of the 70 stadiums named for the United States bid to either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, attendance has been recorded for Tennessee Volunteer football games at Neyland Stadium since 1946. Average attendance since that year has been 68,925 fans per game, the largest crowd ever recorded at Neyland Stadium was 109,061 on September 18,2004, when Tennessee defeated Florida, 30–28. Tennessee set a record by averaging 107,595 fans per home game in 2000
28.
Knoxville, Tennessee
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Knoxville is a city in the U. S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Knox County. The city had an population of 185,291 in 2015. Knoxville is the city of the Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The KMSA is, in turn, the component of the Knoxville-Sevierville-La Follette Combined Statistical Area. First settled in 1786, Knoxville was the first capital of Tennessee, the city struggled with geographic isolation throughout the early 19th century. The arrival of the railroad in 1855 led to an economic boom, during the Civil War, the city was bitterly divided over the secession issue, and was occupied alternately by both Confederate and Union armies. Following the war, Knoxville grew rapidly as a wholesaling and manufacturing center. The citys economy stagnated after the 1920s as the manufacturing sector collapsed, Knoxville is the home of the flagship campus of the University of Tennessee, whose sports teams, called the Volunteers or Vols, are extremely popular in the surrounding area. The first people to form settlements in what is now Knoxville arrived during the Woodland period. One of the oldest artificial structures in Knoxville is a burial mound constructed during the early Mississippian culture period, the earthwork mound is now surrounded by the University of Tennessee campus. By the 18th century, the Cherokee had become the dominant tribe in the East Tennessee region, although they were consistently at war with the Creek, the Cherokee people called the Knoxville area kuwandatalunyi, which means Mulberry Place. Most Cherokee habitation in the area was concentrated in the Overhill settlements along the Little Tennessee River, the first Euro-American traders and explorers were recorded as arriving in the Tennessee Valley in the late 17th century. There is significant evidence that Hernando de Soto visited Bussell Island in 1540, the end of the French and Indian War and confusion brought about by the American Revolution led to a drastic increase in Euro-American settlement west of the Appalachians. By the 1780s, Euro-American settlers were established in the Holston. The U. S. Congress ordered all illegal settlers out of the valley in 1785, as settlers continued to trickle into Cherokee lands, tensions between the settlers and the Cherokee rose steadily. In 1786, James White, a Revolutionary War officer, and his friend James Connor built Whites Fort near the mouth of First Creek, on land White had purchased three years earlier. In 1790, Whites son-in-law, Charles McClung—who had arrived from Pennsylvania the previous year—surveyed Whites holdings between First Creek and Second Creek for the establishment of a town, mcClung drew up 640. 5-acre lots. The waterfront was set aside for a town common, two lots were set aside for a church and graveyard
29.
Bud Adams
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Kenneth Stanley Bud Adams, Jr. was the owner of the Tennessee Titans, a National Football League franchise. He was instrumental in the founding and establishment of the former American Football League, Adams became a charter AFL owner with the establishment of the Titans franchise, which was originally known as the Houston Oilers. He was the owner with his team in the National Football League. Adams also was one of the owners of the Houston Mavericks of the American Basketball Association, Adams had many business interests in the Houston area. A Cherokee person who made his fortune in the petroleum business, Adams was chairman and CEO of Adams Resources & Energy Inc. a wholesale supplier of oil. He also owned several Lincoln-Mercury automobile franchises, born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma on January 3,1923, Adams was the son of K. S. Boots Adams and Blanch Keeler Adams and he became an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation by virtue of his maternal line. Two of his great-grandmothers were Cherokee women who married European-American men, Nelson Carr, Keeler, who played roles in trade and oil in early Oklahoma. Keeler drilled the first commercial oil well, near the Caney River, Adamss father succeeded the founder Frank Phillips as president of Phillips Petroleum Company in 1939. Keeler was democratically elected and served until 1975, Adamss ancestors include other prominent Cherokee leaders. Adams graduated from Culver Military Academy in 1940 after lettering in three sports, after a brief stint at Menlo College, he transferred to the University of Kansas, where he played briefly on the varsity football team as he completed an engineering degree. During World War II, Adams served in the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater of operations, attaining the rank of Lieutenant, after the war, he returned to KU for additional studies and became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Shortly after his 1946 discharge, Adams was on a trip in which his plane was fogbound in Houston and he liked the area and decided to settle there. Soon afterward, Adams launched a wildcatting firm, ADA Oil Company, the companys basketball team was an Amateur Athletic Union powerhouse, finishing third nationally in 1956. Adams soon became interested in owning an NFL team, in 1959, Adams and fellow Texas oilman Lamar Hunt tried to buy the struggling Chicago Cardinals and move them to Texas. When that effort failed, he tried to get an expansion team, a few days after returning to Houston, Adams got a call from Hunt proposing an entirely new football league. They met several times that spring, and Hunt convinced Adams to field a team in Houston, in Hunts view, a regional rivalry between Hunts Dallas Texans and a Houston team would be critical to the leagues growth. On August 3, Adams and Hunt held a conference in Adamss boardroom to announce formation of the new league
30.
Phil Bredesen
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Philip Norman Phil Bredesen, Jr. is an American entrepreneur and politician who served as the 48th Governor of Tennessee from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected Governor in 2002 and he previously served as the fourth mayor of Nashville and Davidson County, from 1991 to 1999. Bredesen is the founder of the HealthAmerica Corporation, which he sold in 1986, Bredesen was born in Oceanport, New Jersey. His parents were Norma Lucille and Philip Norman Bredesen and his father, a captain in the U. S. Army Signal Corps, was stationed at Fort Monmouth in New Jersey at the time of Bredesens birth. The family lived in various locations during Bredesens early childhood, including Canandaigua, New York and Arlington, shortsville is the community Bredesen considers to be his hometown, and he lived there until he left for college. He attended the Red Jacket Central Elementary and Secondary School, located in the village of Manchester. In 1961, Bredesen entered Harvard College, where he concentrated in physics and he received his A. B. in 1967. After graduating, he moved to Lexington, Massachusetts, where did classified work for Itek, Bredesen married Susan Cleaves in 1968, but they divorced in 1974 and had no children. In 1968, Bredesen worked for the campaign of Minnesota congressman Eugene McCarthy, Bredesen launched his first political campaign in 1969, when he ran for the Massachusetts State Senate. He was defeated by a popular incumbent Republican, Ronald MacKenzie, Bredesen joined pharmaceutical firm G. D. Searle & Company in 1971, and moved to London in 1973 to manage one of the companys divisions. In 1974, Bredesen married Andrea Conte in Wheatley, Oxfordshire, England, in 1975, the family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where Conte had been recruited by Hospital Corporation of America. In Nashville, Bredesen founded HealthAmerica Corp. an insurance company eventually grew to more than 6,000 employees and was publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. He sold his controlling interest in HealthAmerica in 1986, and because of the wealth he earned from his work with the company, in 1987, Bredesen ran for Mayor of Nashville. He finished second out of 10 candidates with 30% of the vote, losing only to 5th District Congressman Bill Boner, since Boner fell short of the necessary threshold for an outright victory, he and Bredesen faced each other in a runoff. Boner won the runoff,75,790 votes to 66,153, in December 1987, Bredesen ran in the Democratic primary for the 5th District congressional seat left open by Boners victory. However, he finished a distant second behind Bob Clement, son of former governor Frank G. Clement, in the years following his loss in the 1987 election, Bredesen quietly established relationships with city officials and prepared for a second run. In the 1991 mayoral race, Boner was dealing with a personal scandal, in the general election, Bredesen defeated his chief opponent, Councilwoman Betty Nixon,78,896 votes to 30,282. As mayor of Nashville, Bredesen added more than 440 new teachers, built 32 new schools and he also implemented a back-to-basics curriculum to teach students the fundamentals of learning
31.
Middle Tennessee
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Middle Tennessee is a distinct portion of the state of Tennessee, delineated according to state law as the 41 counties in the Middle Grand Division of Tennessee. Middle Tennessee is characterized by rolling hills and fertile stream valleys and its principal city, Nashville, is the state capital. Other major sizeable cities in Middle Tennessee include Clarksville and Murfreesboro, geographically it is composed predominantly of the Nashville Basin and the Highland Rim, although the western portion of the Cumberland Plateau also extends into Middle Tennessee. Unlike the geographic designations of regions of most U. S. states, Middle Tennessee, West Tennessee, and East Tennessee are the states three Grand Divisions. According to the Tennessee State Constitution, no more than two of the supreme courts five justices can come from any one Grand Division. The Supreme Court rotates meeting in courthouses in each of the three divisions, the Supreme Court building for Middle Tennessee is in Nashville. A similar rule applies to other commissions and boards, in order to prevent a geographic bias. Middle Tennessee is the largest in area and least densely populated of the three Grand Divisions, at the 2000 census it had 2,069,976 inhabitants living in its 41 counties, which have a combined land area of 17,009.41 square miles. Its population was 36.38 percent of the states total and its population density was 121.696 inhabitants per square mile at the census
32.
Astrodome
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The NRG Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply The Astrodome, is the worlds first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas. Construction on the began in 1962, and it officially opened in 1965. Additionally, the Astrodome was the venue of the Houston Livestock Show. When opened, it was named the Harris County Domed Stadium and was nicknamed the Eighth Wonder of the World, while originally utilizing a natural grass playing surface, the Astrodome became the first major sports venue to feature artificial turf, which became known as AstroTurf. In another technological first, the Astrodome featured the Astrolite, which was the first animated scoreboard, the Astrodome received considerable renovations in 1988 that significantly expanded seating, and altered many original features. By the 1990s, the Astrodome was becoming obsolete, unable to secure a new stadium, Oilers owner Bud Adams moved the team to Tennessee after the 1996 season, where they eventually became the Tennessee Titans. Although it no longer had any primary tenants, the venue regularly hosted events during the 2000s, the Astrodome was declared non-compliant with fire code by the Houston Fire Department in 2008 and parts of it were demolished in 2013 after several years of disuse. In 2014 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in 2017, the Texas Historical Commission designated the Astrodome a State Antiquities Landmark. Major League Baseball expanded to Houston in 1960 when the National League agreed to add two teams, the Houston Colt. 45s were to begin play in 1962, along with their expansion brethren New York Mets. Roy Hofheinz, a mayor of Houston, and his group were granted the franchise after they promised to build a covered stadium. It was thought a covered stadium was a must for a league team to be viable in Houston due to the areas subtropical climate. Game-time temperatures are usually above 97 °F in July and August, with high humidity, Hofheinz abandoned his interest in the worlds first air-conditioned shopping mall, The Galleria, and set his sights on bringing major league baseball to Houston. The Astrodome was designed by architects Hermon Lloyd & W. B, morgan, and Wilson, Morris, Crain and Anderson. Structural engineering and structural design was performed by Walter P Moore Engineers and it was constructed by H. A. Lott, Inc. for Harris County, Texas. It stands 18 stories tall, covering 9.5 acres, the dome is 710 feet in diameter and the ceiling is 208 feet above the playing surface, which itself sits 25 feet below street level. The scoreboard, eventually known as the Astrolite, was designed by Fair Play Scoreboards of Des Moines, having designed the scoreboard for Dodger Stadium several years prior, team owner Roy Hofheinz was not impressed with the initial proposal for a much more generic type of scoreboard. Project designer Jack Foster teamed up with a creative professional based in Kansas City to create the first animated scoreboard and its reported cost was $2.1 million. The Dome was completed in November 1964, six ahead of schedule
33.
Houston
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Houston is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States. With a census-estimated 2014 population of 2.239 million within an area of 667 square miles, it also is the largest city in the southern United States and the seat of Harris County. Located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf of Mexico, it is the city of Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land. Houston was founded on August 28,1836, near the banks of Buffalo Bayou and incorporated as a city on June 5,1837. The city was named after former General Sam Houston, who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded, the burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in the citys population. Houstons economy has an industrial base in energy, manufacturing, aeronautics. Leading in health care sectors and building equipment, Houston has more Fortune 500 headquarters within its city limits than any city except for New York City. The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled, the city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community. Houston is the most diverse city in Texas and has described as the most diverse in the United States. It is home to cultural institutions and exhibits, which attract more than 7 million visitors a year to the Museum District. Houston has a visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District. In August 1836, two real estate entrepreneurs from New York, Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen, purchased 6,642 acres of land along Buffalo Bayou with the intent of founding a city. The Allen brothers decided to name the city after Sam Houston, the general at the Battle of San Jacinto. The great majority of slaves in Texas came with their owners from the slave states. Sizable numbers, however, came through the slave trade. New Orleans was the center of trade in the Deep South. Thousands of enslaved African Americans lived near the city before the Civil War, many of them near the city worked on sugar and cotton plantations, while most of those in the city limits had domestic and artisan jobs. Houston was granted incorporation on June 5,1837, with James S. Holman becoming its first mayor, in the same year, Houston became the county seat of Harrisburg County and the temporary capital of the Republic of Texas
34.
2010 Tennessee floods
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Floods from these rains affected the area for several days afterwards, resulting in a number of deaths and widespread property damage. Two-day rain totals in areas were greater than 19 inches. The Cumberland River crested at 51.86 feet in Nashville, a level not seen since 1937, which was before the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control measures were in place. According to the Memphis Office of the National Weather Service, A significant weather system brought heavy rain and severe thunderstorms from Saturday, May 1 through Sunday morning. A stalled frontal boundary coupled with very moist air streaming northward from the Gulf set the stage for repeated rounds of heavy rainfall. Many locations along the I-40 corridor across western and middle Tennessee reported in excess of 10 to 15 inches, several rainfall records in the Nashville area were broken during the rain event. 13.57 inches fell during the period of May 1–2. On May 2 alone,7.25 inches of rain fell, including 7.20 inches during a 12-hour period and 5.57 inches in a 6-hour period, eclipsing records set on September 13,1979. The event also set a record for wettest May on record, heavy rain also affected large portions of Arkansas, northern Mississippi and southern Kentucky. In Arkansas, over 5 inches fell in the Little Rock area, up to 8 inches in West Memphis, similar amounts were recorded across western and southern Kentucky where over 7 inches fell in the Hopkinsville area and up to 4 inches across the Missouri Bootheel. Twenty-one deaths were recorded in Tennessee, including ten in Davidson County, of the ten dead in Davidson County, four victims were found in their homes, two were in cars and four were outdoors. Floods killed six people in northern Mississippi, and four deaths were reported in Kentucky, Mississippi deaths occurred in the following counties, Alcorn County – one dead Benton County – two dead Lafayette County – one dead Lee County – one dead in hydroplaning accident on U. S. This translates to about 31% of Tennessee being designated a major disaster area, almost all schools in the area were closed including Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, some for a week or more. Many roads were damaged by water erosion, Interstate 40 west of Nashville had numerous spots that had been inundated. Repair work on I-40 continued for several months, the first site of major flooding was along Mill Creek in southeastern Davidson County, which was affected by a flash flood on May 1. The creek quickly spilled over its banks, and completely covered Interstate 24 near Antioch, another person was killed along Mill Creek while attempting to tube the floodwaters. Flooding on the Cumberland River damaged the Grand Ole Opry House, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Opry Mills Mall, Bridgestone Arena, Grand Ole Opry performances were moved to other venues in the Nashville area, with the Ryman Auditorium serving as the primary venue when available. Other venues hosting the Opry include the War Memorial Auditorium, TPACs Andrew Jackson Hall, Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Lipscomb Universitys Allen Arena, both the Ryman and War Memorial Auditoriums were previous homes to the Opry
35.
AT&T Stadium
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AT&T Stadium, formerly Cowboys Stadium, is a retractable roof stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. It serves as the home of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League and was completed on May 27,2009 and it is also the home of the Cotton Bowl Classic. It replaced the partially covered Texas Stadium, which served as the Cowboys home from 1971 through the 2008 season, the stadium is sometimes referred to as Jerrys World after Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who originally envisioned it as a large entertainment mecca. The stadium seats 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in the NFL by seating capacity, the maximum capacity of the stadium with standing room is 105,000. The record attendance for an NFL game was set in 2009 with a crowd of 105,121, the Party Pass sections are behind seats in each end zone and on a series of six elevated platforms connected by stairways. It also has the worlds 24th largest high definition video screen, originally estimated to cost $650 million, the stadiums current construction cost was $1.15 billion, making it one of the most expensive sports venues ever built. The City of Arlington provided over $325 million in bonds as funding, also, the NFL provided the Cowboys with an additional $150 million loan, following its policy for facilitating financing for the construction of new stadiums. A pair of nearly 300 ft -tall arches spans the length of the stadium dome and it also houses a center-hung Mitsubishi video display board that was the largest high-definition television screen in the world at the time of their installation. It has since surpassed in size by the Panasonic Big Hoss video board at Texas Motor Speedway. Glass doors, allowing each end zone to be opened, were designed and constructed by Dallas-based Haley-Greer glass systems, the retractable roof was designed by structural engineering firm Walter P Moore and the systems were implemented by mechanization consultants Uni-Systems. The electrification of Cowboys Stadiums retractable roof was developed by VAHLE and these Kinetic Architecture fundamentals will be employed in order to create quick conversions of the facility to accommodate a variety of events. When the design was unveiled on December 12,2006, it showed that, from inside the stadium. However, it can be covered by the roof panel to protect against the elements. A Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame is planned for the Hall of Fame level, the drawings also include a site for a large sculpture northeast of the stadium, close to Randol Mill Road. Attorney Bob Cohen, who is representing some of the property owners and it is claimed that the stadium uses more electricity than the whole of Liberia. 1997–2000, The Cowboys hold preliminary talks with Arlington officials about building a stadium there, the team also publicly discusses a $260 million plan to upgrade Texas Stadium. In 2000, the Cowboys compile a list of potential sites, which include Grapevine, Coppell. The team continues negotiating with Irving to renovate Texas Stadium,2001, Jones says Arlington is a leading contender for a $500 million stadium
36.
Naming rights
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For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three to 20 years. Longer terms are common for higher profile venues such as a professional sports facility. The distinctive characteristic for this type of naming rights is that the buyer gets a marketing property to promote products and services, there are several forms of corporate sponsored names. A presenting sponsor attaches the name of the corporation or brand at the end of a generic, usually traditional, a title sponsor replaces the original name of the property with a corporate-sponsored one, with no reference to the previous name. In a few cases, naming rights contracts have been terminated prematurely, such terminations may be the result of contractual options, sponsor bankruptcy, or scandals. Stadium naming may have shifted in recent years to promoting corporate trade names, the record for the highest amount paid for naming rights belongs to Citi Field and Barclays Center, both located in New York City, US. Each garnered deals of $20 million per year for at least 20 years and it ultimately fell short of that benchmark, with MetLife Stadium earning $17 million annually from its naming rights deal with MetLife. Naming rights in United States may have traced back to 1912 with the opening of Fenway Park in Boston. The stadiums owner had owned a realty company called Fenway Realty, despite this, it is more widely believed to have begun in 1926 when William Wrigley, the chewing gum magnate and owner of the Chicago Cubs, named his teams stadium Wrigley Field. In 1953, Anheuser-Busch head and St. Louis Cardinals owner August Busch, Jr. proposed renaming Sportsmans Park, occupied by the Cardinals, Budweiser Stadium. When this idea was rejected by Ford Frick, the Commissioner of Baseball at that time, the name was readily approved, and Anheuser-Busch subsequently released a new product called Busch Bavarian Beer. The name would later be shifted to the Busch Memorial Stadium in 1966, shortened in the 1970s to Busch Stadium, the public reaction to this practice is mixed. Selling the naming rights to a venue has been notably less successful. The general public continued to call the facility what it had known as for over three decades–i. e. After the agreement with 3Com expired, the rights were resold to Monster Cable, the initiative proved largely ceremonial, however, and it was overturned by the passage of Proposition C in 2009 in response to desperate economic times. The naming rights to the park were never resold and the closed in 2014. Sports stadiums with naming rights deals are not limited to the United States, in cricket, the most famous example is The Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club. It has had several sponsors over the years, and is known as The Kia Oval, having originally been known as the Kennington Oval
37.
Adelphia Communications Corporation
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Adelphia Communications Corporation, named after the Greek word αδελφοί adelphoi brothers, was a cable television company headquartered in Coudersport, Pennsylvania. Adelphia was the fifth largest cable company in the United States before filing for bankruptcy in 2002 as a result of internal corruption. Adelphia was founded in 1952 by John Rigas in the town of Coudersport, the majority of Adelphias revenue-generating assets were officially acquired by Time Warner Cable and Comcast on July 31,2006. LFC, a real estate marketing firm, auctioned off the remaining Adelphia real estate assets. As a result of acquisition, Adelphia no longer exists as a cable provider. Adelphias long-distance telephone business with 110,000 customers in 27 states was sold to Pioneer Telephone for about $1.2 million, upon divesting its cable assets, Adelphia retained a skeleton crew of 275 employees to handle remaining bankruptcy issues. It still exists as an entity, continuing largely to settle ongoing financial obligations and litigation claims, as well as to consummate settlements with the SEC. Adelphia went bankrupt after internal corruption in 2002, the effective date of the Adelphia Plan of Reorganization occurred on February 13,2007. Time Warner Cable was allowed to distribute approximately $6 billion in shares to Adelphia stakeholders, the founders of Adelphia were charged with securities violations. Five officers were indicted and two were found guilty, Rigas founded Adelphia with a $300 license in 1952, took the company public in 1986 and built it by acquiring other systems in the 1990s. The company collapsed into bankruptcy in 2002 after it disclosed $2.3 billion in off-balance-sheet debt, Federal prosecutors proved that the Rigases used complicated cash-management systems to spread money around to various family-owned entities and as a cover for stealing $100 million for themselves. The evidence suggests less that they intended to defraud than that intended to hide inconvenient facts until they could be righted. This is also, of course, against the law, its just a more tragic crime than ordinary looting, a second Rigas son, Michael, former executive vice president for operations, was acquitted of conspiracy and wire fraud in 2005. A former Adelphia assistant treasurer, Michael Mulcahey, was acquitted of all criminal charges, John and Timothy Rigas started their prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Complex, Butner, near Raleigh, North Carolina, on August 13,2007. John received a sentence of 15 years and Timothy received 20 years, in addition to its cable interests, Adelphia had substantial interests in the sporting world. In 1990, it launched Empire Sports Network, a sports network serving central. It bought the NHLs Buffalo Sabres in 1997, and added a sports station, WNSA. On the day John Rigas and his sons were arrested, the NHL seized control of the Sabres, the team remained a ward of the league until 2003
38.
Louisiana-Pacific
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Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, commonly known as LP, is a United States building materials manufacturer. It was founded in 1973 and is based in Nashville. LP pioneered the U. S. production of oriented strand board panels, today, LP is the worlds largest producer of OSB, and manufactures engineered wood building products. LP products are sold to builders and homeowners through building materials distributors and dealers, as of 2011, LP has 24 mills including 15 in the United States, six in Canada, two in Chile and one in Brazil. A leading manufacturer and marketer of building and lumber products, Louisiana-Pacific Corporation revolutionized the industry by inventing alternatives to plywood, instead of relying on larger, more expensive old-growth timber, LP found ways to make structural building products from small-diameter, fast-growing trees. LP pioneered the use of oriented strand board — a reconstituted plywood substitute made by pressing wood wafers together, OSB is the basis for many of LPs structural building products. LP also manufacturers industrial wood products, such as hardboard and medium density fiberboard, furthermore, along with wood products such as LPI joists and laminated veneer lumber, the company also produces Cocoon cellulose insulation. Plywood and pulp manufacturing round out LPs operations, the company controls over 950,000 acres of timberland, and owns plants in 29 states, as well as in Canada and Ireland. LP was incorporated on January 5,1973 as part of a court-ordered monopoly breakup of Georgia-Pacific, LP was headed by company president Harry A. Merlo for the first 22 years, who was known for his flamboyant style and generous civic contributions. For its first 33 years, Louisiana-Pacific was based in Portland, Oregon, over the years, LP has been associated with professional sports in different manners. From 1979–82, the owned the Portland Timbers soccer club in the defunct North American Soccer League. From 2006–15, it owned the rights to LP Field. Louisiana-Pacific was formed in July 1972 when the Georgia-Pacific Corporation spun off the wholly owned subsidiary, after Georgia-Pacific had acquired 16 small firms in the southern United States, the Federal Trade Commission accused the company of becoming a monopolist in the softwood plywood industry. As part of its settlement with the FTC, Georgia-Pacific agreed to divest 20 percent of its assets, william H. Hunt, a vice-chairman at Georgia-Pacific, was selected as Louisiana-Pacifics first chairman. In 1974 Harry A. Merlo, who had been executive officer of LP since its foundation, succeeded Hunt as chairman while remaining CEO. However, Georgia-Pacific had kept most of its low-cost timber reserves, thus the newly independent LP had to scramble for raw materials, particularly timber, as the July 29,1990 Portland Oregonian explained. This proved to be a difficult task as timber shortages wracked the entire industry. Overcutting, Japanese demand for logs, and pressure on the U. S. Forest Service to tighten harvesting restrictions on large trees caused prices to soar
39.
Daktronics
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The company is known for its electronic LED displays. Daktronics was founded in 1968 by Aelred Kurtenbach and Duane Sander, professors of engineering at South Dakota State University in Brookings. The company began with the design and manufacture of electronic voting systems for state legislatures,1971 Daktronics developed the patented Matside wrestling scoreboard, the first product in the companys line. 1976 Daktronics scoreboards were first used at Olympics, became a publicly traded company, offering shares under the symbol DAKT on the NASDAQ National Market system. 2014 Daktronics installs worlds largest HD display for the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field, Daktronics acquired Keyframe Inc. a video production and consulting company, in 2000. Today, Daktronics Creative Services designs digital content in HD video, 3D animation and motion graphics, specializing in media networks, Daktronics has been supplying scoreboards and video displays for the Olympics for several years. However, the Olympic Games often have contracts with corporations, such as Swiss Timing. Daktronics has been an influence in NBA rule changes in the 2000s, the company manufactured the first backboard light strips to comply with buzzer beater instant replay rulings, and in 2004, developed a see-through shot clock to improve spectator visibility. Aquatic timing system Scoreboard Official website
40.
Nissan
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Nissan Motor Company Ltd, usually shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama. The company sells its cars under the Nissan, Infiniti, since 1999, Nissan has been part of the Renault–Nissan Alliance, a partnership between Nissan and French automaker Renault. As of 2013, Renault holds a 43. 4% voting stake in Nissan, Carlos Ghosn serves as CEO of both companies. Taken together, the Renault–Nissan Alliance would be the fourth largest automaker, however Nissan is the leading Japanese brand in China, Russia. Nissan is the worlds largest electric vehicle manufacturer, with sales of more than 275,000 all-electric vehicles as of mid-December 2016. Masujiro Hashimoto founded the Kaishinsha Motor Car Works 1 July 1911, in 1914, the company produced its first car, called DAT. DAT Motors built trucks in addition to the DAT and Datsun passenger cars, beginning in 1918, the first DAT trucks were produced for the military market. At the same time, Jitsuyo Jidosha Co. Ltd. produced small trucks using parts, Commercial operations were placed on hold during Japans participation in World War I, and the company contributed to the war effort. In 1926 the Tokyo-based DAT Motors merged with the Osaka-based Jitsuyo Jidosha Co. Ltd. a. k. a, Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo to become DAT Jidosha Seizo Co. Ltd Automobile Manufacturing Co. Ltd. in Osaka until 1932, from 1923 to 1925, the company produced light cars and trucks under the name of Lila. In 1931, DAT came out with a new car, called the Datsun Type 11. Later in 1933 after Nissan Group zaibatsu took control of DAT Motors, in 1933, the company name was Nipponized to Jidosha-Seizo Co. Ltd. and was moved to Yokohama. In 1928, Yoshisuke Aikawa founded the holding company Nihon Sangyo, the name Nissan originated during the 1930s as an abbreviation used on the Tokyo Stock Exchange for Nihon Sangyo. This company was the famous Nissan Zaibatsu which included Tobata Casting, at this time Nissan controlled foundries and auto parts businesses, but Aikawa did not enter automobile manufacturing until 1933. The zaibatsu eventually grew to include 74 firms, and became the fourth-largest in Japan during World War II, in 1931, DAT Jidosha Seizo became affiliated with Tobata Casting, and was merged into Tobata Casting in 1933. As Tobata Casting was a Nissan company, this was the beginning of Nissans automobile manufacturing, in 1934, Aikawa separated the expanded automobile parts division of Tobata Casting and incorporated it as a new subsidiary, which he named Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. The shareholders of the new company however were not enthusiastic about the prospects of the automobile in Japan, at this time, Nissan Motor effectively became owned by Nihon Sangyo and Hitachi. In 1935, construction of its Yokohama plant was completed,44 Datsuns were shipped to Asia, Central and South America
41.
Franklin, Tennessee
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Franklin is a city in and county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. Located about 21 miles south of Nashville, it is one of the cities of the Nashville metropolitan area. Since 1980, its population has increased more than fivefold and, based on its 2013 estimated population of 68,886, it is ranked as the seventh-largest city in Tennessee. The city of Franklin was founded October 26,1799, by Abram Maury, Maury named the town after national founding father Benjamin Franklin, who was a close friend of Dr. Hugh Williamson, a member of the Continental Congress after whom Williamson County was named. Ewen Cameron built the first European-American house in the town of Franklin, Cameron was born February 23,1768, in Balgalkan, Ferintosh, Scotland. He emigrated to Virginia in 1785 and from there came to Tennessee, Cameron died February 28,1846, having lived 48 years in the same log house. His second wife, Mary, and he are buried in the old City Cemetery and his descendants have lived in Franklin continuously since 1798, when his son Duncan was born. During the American Civil War, the Battle of Franklin was fought in the city on November 30,1864, forty-four buildings were converted to use as field hospitals. The Carter, Carnton, and the Lotz historic homes are still standing from this era, long a suburb to Nashville, Tennessee, Franklin has expanded more than fivefold since 1980, when its population was 12,407. In 2012, it had an population of 68,280. This makes it rank as the seventh-largest city in the state, many of its residents commute to businesses in Nashville, but considerable growth has occurred in Franklin and the county of a regional economy. In the early morning hours of Christmas Eve of 1988, one died when an F4 tornado struck the city. Franklin is located at 35°55′45″N 86°51′27″W, according to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 78.0 km².77.8 km² of it is land and 0.2 km² of it is covered by water. Since the late 20th century, the city has grown rapidly in population, as of the census of 2010,62,487 people,16,128 households, and 11,225 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,393.3 people per square mile, the 17,296 housing units averaged 575.9 per square mile. The average household size was 2.55 and the family size was 3.09. In the city, the population was distributed as 27. 9% under the age of 18,7. 5% from 18 to 24,38. 1% from 25 to 44,19. 2% from 45 to 64, the median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males, for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males
42.
Smyrna, Tennessee
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Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Smyrnas population was 39,974 at the 2010 census and 43,063 in 2013, in 2007, U. S. News & World Report listed Smyrna as one of the best places in the United States to retire. The town of Smyrna has its European-American roots in the early 19th century and it was important during the Civil War because its railroad station lies between Nashville and Chattanooga. He was captured November 20,1863, and was hanged by Union forces on November 27 of that year, the Sam Davis Plantation, located on 160 acres of well-maintained farmland, is the towns most important historical site. Smyrna was originally incorporated in 1869 but its charter was rescinded by the several years later. In 1915, the town re-incorporated and adopted a form of government. In 1941 during World War II, Sewart Air Force Base was established here and served as a B-17 Flying Fortress, during the 1950s and 1960s, the military personnel and dependents totaled more than 10,000 persons stationed at the base. The base was scheduled for closing in 1971, most of the property was divided among the State of Tennessee, Rutherford County, and the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. On its portion, the opened and operates a Tennessee Army National Guard base. Much of the land was developed as the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority in 1990. During the 1970s, many new industries moved to the area, the city began a period of growth stimulated by production of such companies as Better Built Aluminum, Cumberland Swan, and Square D building plants. In the early 1980s, planning began to build a Nissan Motors manufacturing plant and, in 1983, the first vehicle was produced. The Nissan plant now employs around 8,400 workers, has a capacity of 640,000 vehicles annually. In 2012, Smyrna began manufacturing Nissans electric car, the Nissan Leaf, on March 14,2000, the mayor and board of commissioners adopted a new charter. The city now operates under the city form of government. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has an area of 23.0 square miles. Portions of the Percy Priest Lake reservoir lies within the town limits, the two main waterways are Stones River and Stewarts Creek. As of the census of 2000, there were 25,569 people,9,608 households, the population density was 1,119.8 people per square mile
43.
Nissan Titan
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The Nissan Titan is a full-size pickup truck manufactured in the United States for the North American market by Nissan. It was named for the Titans of Greek mythology, development of the Titan began in September 1999, with design work under Diane Allen. Giovanny Arrobas TA60 exterior was chosen in late 2000, with a final production freeze in July 2001, the design language of the future truck was previewed by the 2001 Alpha T concept shown at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show, which had previously developed through November 2000. Production began on September 21,2003 and sales on December 1,2003, the Titan used Nissans new full-size F-Alpha platform. This new platform was shared with the Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX56 SUVs, the first generation Titan continued without a major redesign through 2015. All models came standard with a 32-valve,5. 6-liter engine, VK56DE, an automatic brake-limited slip system was available on all Titans. The first generation was available as a King Cab or a cab with a full-sized back seat. The King Cab featured a 6-foot-7-inch bed, while the cab had a 5-foot-7-inch bed. In 2008, a longer wheelbase model was offered either an 8-foot-3-inch bed on the King Cab or a 7-foot-3-inch bed on the crew cab. There were originally four trim levels available, the S, SV, Pro-4x, SE, the SE and LE trim were eventually replaced by the luxury SL trim. The second generation Titan was designed in California, engineered in Michigan and is assembled in Mississippi, the V8 Cummins are built in Indiana and Tennessee. Cummins has partnered with Nissan and has announced that the next generation Titan will offer a 310-horsepower Cummins 5. 0-liter turbo diesel V8 that produces almost 555 pound-feet of torque, the engine is referred to as the ISV. The engine will be built in Columbus, Indiana, and have a different version of the engine for commercial trucks, the 5. 6-liter gasoline engine will remain standard. Additionally, the engine has increased in power compared to the previous model. The Titan will be available in two forms, regular and XD, with the XD being released for sale first, the XD version will be built on a heavy-duty frame based on Nissans commercial vehicle line and will include the Cummins diesel engine as an option. The platform is shared with the Nissan NV, Nissan Junior Nissan Trucks - Official Nissan USA site Official Canadian site NHTSA crash test results
44.
Baltimore Ravens
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The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League as a club of the American Football Conference North division. The team plays its games at M&T Bank Stadium and is headquartered in Owings Mills. The Ravens were established in 1996, when Art Modell, who was then the owner of the Cleveland Browns, in return, he was allowed to take his own personnel and team to Baltimore, where such personnel would then form an expansion team. The Ravens organization has been led by general manager Ozzie Newsome since 1996, the team is owned by Steve Bisciotti and valued at $1.5 billion, making the Ravens the 24th-most valuable sports franchise in the world. The name Ravens was inspired by Edgar Allan Poes poem The Raven, chosen in a fan contest that drew 33,288 voters, the allusion honors Poe, who spent the early part of his career in Baltimore and is buried there. As the Baltimore Sun reported at the time, fans also liked the tie-in with the birds in town, the Orioles. After the controversial relocation of the Colts to Indianapolis, several attempts were made to bring an NFL team back to Baltimore. In 1993, ahead of the 1995 league expansion, the city was considered a favorite, behind only St. Louis and this led to public outrage and the Baltimore Sun describing Taglibue as having an Anybody But Baltimore policy. Maryland governor William Donald Schaefer said afterward that Taglibue had led him on, praising Baltimore, by May 1994, Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos had gathered a new group of investors, including author Tom Clancy, to bid on teams whose owners had expressed interest in relocating. Angelos found a partner in Georgia Frontiere, who was open to moving the Los Angeles Rams to Baltimore. Jack Kent Cooke opposed the move, intending to build the Redskins new stadium in Laurel, Maryland and this led to heated arguments between Cooke and Angelos, who accused Cooke of being a carpetbagger. Following this, Angelos made an unsuccessful $200 million bid to bring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Baltimore, enticed by Baltimores available funds for a first-class stadium, Modell announced on November 6,1995 his intention to relocate the team from Cleveland to Baltimore the following year. The resulting controversy ended when representatives of Cleveland and the NFL reached a settlement on February 8,1996, tagliabue promised the city of Cleveland that an NFL team would be located in Cleveland, either through relocation or expansion, no later than 1999. Additionally, the agreement stipulated that the Browns name, colors, uniform design, the franchise history includes Browns club records and connections with Pro Football Hall of Fame players. Modells Baltimore team, while retaining all current player contracts, would, for purposes of history, appear as an expansion team. Not all players, staff or front office would make the move to Baltimore, after relocation, Modell hired Ted Marchibroda as the head coach for his new team in Baltimore. Marchibroda was already well known because of his work as coach of the Baltimore Colts during the 1970s
45.
Music City Miracle
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The Music City Miracle is an American football play that took place on January 8,2000 during the National Football League s 1999–2000 playoffs. It occurred at the end of the Wild-Card playoff game between the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills at Adelphia Coliseum, now known as Nissan Stadium, in Nashville, Tennessee. Going into the game, Bills coach Wade Phillips created a stir by starting quarterback Rob Johnson, rather than Doug Flutie, after a scoreless first quarter, the Titans opened up the scoring when Jevon Kearse sacked Buffalo quarterback Rob Johnson in the end zone for a safety. Johnson completed just 10 of 22 passes while being sacked 6 times, Wide receiver Derrick Mason returned the free kick 42 yards to the Bills 28-yard line, five plays later, Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. After forcing a punt, the Titans drove 56 yards in 11 plays, at the end of the half, the Bills were trailing 12–0 and had gained only 64 yards, while also losing 44 yards on 9 penalties. In the second half, the Bills rallied, on Buffalos first play of the third quarter, Antowain Smith broke off a 44-yard run, sparking a 62-yard drive that ended with his 4-yard touchdown run 4 plays later. Later on, the Bills drove 65 yards, featuring a 37-yard completion from Johnson to Eric Moulds, Smith finished the drive with another 4-yard touchdown run, giving the Bills a 13–12 lead after receiver Kevin Williams dropped a pass from Johnson on the two-point conversion attempt. Late in the quarter, the stage was set for an exciting finish. Tennessee received the ball with 6,15 remaining, Titans receiver Isaac Byrds 16-yard punt return and five carries from Eddie George for 17 yards set up a wobbly 36-yard field goal by Al Del Greco, giving the Titans a 15–13 lead with 1,48 to go. On the ensuing drive, with no timeouts remaining, Bills quarterback Rob Johnson led a 5-play, 37-yard drive to the Titans 24-yard line. On the last play from scrimmage, Johnson played wearing only one shoe, having lost the shoe in a scramble. With only 16 seconds remaining in the game, Bills kicker Steve Christie made a 41-yard field goal to put Buffalo in the lead, moments later, Christie kicked off, and the Titans Lorenzo Neal received. Neal handed the ball off to tight end Frank Wycheck, who threw the ball across the field to Kevin Dyson, the officials ruled Wychecks pass to have been a legal lateral rather than an illegal forward pass, and awarded the Titans the touchdown. The play was named Home Run Throwback by the Titans and was developed by special-teams coordinator Alan Lowry, Dyson, as one of the teams lead wide receivers, rarely practiced with the special-teams unit and was mostly unfamiliar with the layout of the play. Nevertheless, his execution of Lowrys vision was flawless, per the instant replay rules, a booth review was called. The play was reviewed by referee Phil Luckett to determine whether the judges ruling that the throw had not been a forward pass was correct. One of the on-field sideline mobile cameras had been repositioned to provide a view of the Titans reception of the kickoff. This camera angle showed the reception of the kickoff by Neal
46.
Buffalo Bills
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The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League, as a club of the leagues American Football Conference East division. The team plays their games at New Era Field in Orchard Park. The Bills are the only NFL team that plays its games in the state of New York. The Bills conduct summer training camp at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, New York, the Bills began play as an original franchise of the American Football League in 1960. The club joined the NFL as a result of the AFL–NFL merger for the 1970 season, the 1964 and 1965 Bills were the only teams representing Buffalo that won major league professional sports championships. The Bills are the team to win four consecutive conference championships and are the only NFL team to lose four consecutive Super Bowl games. The team was owned by Ralph Wilson from the founding in 1960. After his death, Wilsons estate reached an agreement to sell the team to Terry and Kim Pegula, which was approved by the other NFL team owners on October 8,2014. The Bills began competitive play in 1960 as a member of the American Football League led by head coach Buster Ramsey. The Bills won two consecutive American Football League titles in 1964 and 1965, but the club has yet to win a championship since. Once the AFL–NFL merger took effect, the Bills became the second NFL team to represent the city, they followed the Buffalo All-Americans, Buffalos team in the All-America Football Conference in 1946 was the Bisons. In 1947 a contest was held to rename the team, which was owned by James Breuil of the Frontier Oil Company, the winning entry suggested Bills, reflecting on the famous western frontiersman, Buffalo Bill Cody. Carrying the frontier theme further, the contestant offered the team was being supported by Frontier Oil and was opening a new frontier in sports in Western New York. When Buffalo joined the new American Football League in 1960, the name of the citys earlier pro football entry was adopted, on October 8,2014, Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula received unanimous approval to acquire the Bills during the NFL owners meetings. The Bills uniforms in its first two seasons were based on those of the Detroit Lions at the time, the teams original colors were Honolulu blue, silver and white, and the helmets were silver with no striping. There was no logo on the helmet, which displayed the players numbers on each side, in 1962, the standing red bison was designated as the logo and took its place on a white helmet. In 1962, the colors also changed to red, white
Los Angeles Galaxy
Tecos UAG
Canada
Morocco
Honduras
Guatemala
Trinidad and Tobago
Paraguay
El Salvador
Cuba
Panama
Martinique
Nicaragua
Manchester City