1.
Denver Broncos
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The Denver Broncos are an American football team based in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues American Football Conference West division. The team began play in 1960 as a member of the American Football League. The Broncos are owned by the Pat Bowlen trust, the Broncos have played at Sports Authority Field at Mile High since 2001, after previously playing at Mile High Stadium from 1960 to 2000. The Broncos were barely competitive during their 10-year run in the AFL and they did not complete a winning season until 1973. In 1977, four years later, they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, since 1975, the Broncos have become one of the NFLs more successful teams, having suffered only six losing seasons. However, the Broncos have the NFL record for most Super Bowl losses and they have five players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, John Elway, Floyd Little, Gary Zimmerman, Shannon Sharpe, and the most recently elected member, Terrell Davis. The Denver Broncos were founded on August 14,1959, when Minor League Baseball owner Bob Howsam was awarded an American Football League charter franchise, the Broncos won the first-ever AFL game over the Boston Patriots 13–10, on September 9,1960. On August 5,1967, they became the first-ever AFL team to defeat an NFL team, however, the Broncos were not successful in the 1960s, compiling a record of 39–97–4 in the league. Denver came close to losing its franchise in 1965, until an ownership group took control. The teams first superstar, Franchise Floyd Little, was instrumental in keeping the team in Denver, due to his signing in 1967 as well as his Pro Bowl efforts on, in 1972, the Broncos hired former Stanford University coach John Ralston as their head coach. In 1973, he was the UPIs AFC Coach of the Year, in five seasons with the Broncos, Ralston guided the team to winning seasons three times. Though Ralston finished the 1976 season with a 9–5 record, the team, as was the case in Ralstons previous winning seasons, following the season, several prominent players publicly voiced their discontent with Ralston, which soon led to his resignation. Dan Reeves became the youngest head coach in the NFL when he joined the Broncos in 1981 as vice president, quarterback John Elway, who played college football at Stanford, arrived in 1983 via a trade. Prior to Elway, the Broncos had over 24 different starting quarterbacks in its 23 seasons to that point, Reeves and Elway guided the Broncos to six post-season appearances, five AFC West divisional titles, three AFC championships and three Super Bowl appearances during their 12-year span together. Reeves was fired after the 1992 season and replaced by his protégé and friend Wade Phillips, Phillips was fired after a mediocre 1994 season, in which management felt he lost control of the team. In 1995, Mike Shanahan, who had served under Reeves as the Broncos offensive coordinator. Shanahan drafted rookie running back Terrell Davis, in 1996, the Broncos were the top seed in the AFC with a 13–3 record, dominating most of the teams that year
2.
Cornerback
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A cornerback, also referred to as a corner, is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles, other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position requires speed and agility, a cornerbacks skillset typically requires proficiency in anticipating the quarterback, back-pedalling, executing single and zone coverage, disrupting pass routes, block shedding, and tackling. Cornerbacks are among the fastest players on the field, the chief responsibility of the cornerback is to defend against the offenses pass. The rules of American professional football and American college football do not mandate starting position, movement, there are no illegal defense formations. Cornerbacks can be anywhere on the side of the line of scrimmage at the start of play, although their proximity, formations. Most modern National Football League defensive formations use four defensive backs, a cornerbacks responsibilities vary depending on how the defense assigns protection to its defensive secondary. In terms of defending the run, often corners may be assigned to blitz depending on the decisions in a game. In terms of defending passing plays, a corner will be assigned to either zone or man-to-man coverage. A shutdown corner is most often used to identify a cornerback that lines up on either side of the zone of the field of play. In American football, shutdown corner is used to refer to only an few elite players. In zone coverage, the cornerback defends an area of the field. Many schemes and variations were created to provide defensive coordinators great latitude, when a team is using zone coverage, some areas of the field require special attention when defending against specific pass plays. They include the flats, mid range zones including the void and these are basic terms for the basic zones and routes which vary system to system, league to league, and team to team. At this time the captain attempts to read the alignment of the offensive players in order to best predict. He will base his decision on past experience, game preparation, and a sound comprehension of his teammates strengths, abilities and these adjustments may change on a play by play basis, due to substitutions or even evolving weather or field conditions. The cover 1 defense has just one defender playing in a deep zone downfield, normally the one defender playing the deep zone downfield is the Safety. The corners primary responsibility is to play on or off the receiver, often defensive coordinators will not use Cover 1 unless the cornerbacks for that team are very good at man-to-man coverage
3.
Port Allen, Louisiana
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Port Allen is a city in and the parish seat of West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States. Port Allen is located between Interstate 10 and US Highway 190 on the West bank of the Mississippi River, the population was 5,180 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area, Port Allen is named for Governor Henry Watkins Allen. The City of Port Allen was incorporated in 1916 and operates under the Lawrason Act form of government, the Mayor is elected at large. The elected Mayor is the Citys chief executive officer and responsible for the activities and services of the City. The Mayors office includes the Chief Administrative Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, there are five City Council members with four members elected in districts and one member elected at large. The Council writes policies, adopts ordinances and resolutions, and appoints members to boards, Port Allen Festivals include the Lagniappe Dulcimer Fete Festival, Port Allen Bonfires on the Mississippi River, SugarFest, West Baton Rouge Parish Fair, and the Oldies but Goodies Fest. The West Baton Rouge Museum includes the museum, the c.1830 Aillet House, 1870s Reconstruction Era workers cabin, and a c. 1890s cabin decorated to look as it would have during the Civil Rights Era), 1880s Arbroth Plantation Store, the c.1938 Reed Farm and Ranch Shotgun House, and a reproduction early 20th century barn. The City of Port Allen Railroad Depot is a museum depicting the life of workers in the 1940s. It includes a ticket booth, clothing and memorabilia from that era, the 1950 caboose, which is also open for tours, is the only one in Louisiana that is almost totally restored to its original condition. The Mississippi Riverfront Development offers a view of the Mighty Mississippi. The area includes a pedestrian promenade with special architectural paving, viewing benches, on this site a ferry operated between Port Allen and Baton Rouge from 1820 to 1968. Scott’s Cemetery is the place of African Americans in West Baton Rouges history. It is located at the corner of Court and Commerce Streets near the Riverfront Development and it is one of the top ten ports in the country. It handles roughly 61 million short tons of cargo each year, has 3,000 feet of dock and 550,000 square feet of warehouse space and its facilities include grain elevator storage, molasses, sugar, oil and coffee terminals. The Port Allen Lock connects the Mississippi River to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, the Lock, a free-floating structure is the largest of its kind, as it serves as a man-made break in the levee. The massive structure has 90-ton doors and 64 feet sides, the lock was constructed in 1961 by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to replace the historic Plaquemine Lock
4.
Indiana Hoosiers football
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The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers have played their games at Memorial Stadium since 1960. The team has won the Big Ten Championship twice, once in 1945, the Hoosiers have appeared in nine bowl games, including the 1968 Rose Bowl. The Hoosiers are currently coached by Tom Allen, in the fall of 1884 the Indiana student newspaper made its first reference to football by reporting that a team was being organized. The following year, in 1885, a Yale graduate, professor Arthur B, woodford, came to Indiana to teach political and social science and during the next year he introduced football to the school. Woodford coached the Hoosiers from 1887 to 1888, in the only documented game of the 1889 season, Indiana lost to Wabash College, 40-2. Evan Wollen led the Hoosiers to an 0-1 record, by 1891 Billy Herod was head coach. He had never played football but had seen it played in the East, the Hoosiers continued to struggle to find wins, even forfeiting a game to in-state rival Purdue in the 1894 season. The first winning season came in 1895 under coach Dana Osgood and this was followed by two winning seasons in 1896 and 1897 under coach Madison G. Gonterman, who was hired away from Harvard. After coaching the Hoosiers to winning records in 1898 and 1899, coach James H. Horne, Horne led Indiana to six. 500-or-better records in his seven years. In 1905 coach James M. Sheldon took over and would have the longest tenure of a coach at Indiana until Bo McMillin coached for 14 years. Sheldon proved to be one of the most successful coaches in Indiana footballs early years, leading the Hoosiers to four winning seasons, in 1914 Indiana hired its first full-time coach, Clarence Childs, but continued to struggle to find success. In 1922 construction began on the original Memorial Stadium and it would seat 22,000 fans and $250,000 was raised to erect the new facility. The new stadium was built on the grounds of the course and replaced Jordan Field. Bo McMillin is the person to coach Indiana to an outright Big Ten Championship. In 1945, the Hoosiers achieved their only unbeaten season, the achievement earned Coach McMillan the title of Man of the Year and Coach of the Year. A three-time All-American, Taliaferro led the Hoosiers in rushing twice, punting in 1945 and he helped lead the 1945 undefeated team. Under Coach McMillin, IU had 10 winning seasons, including a stretch of six consecutive years and his Big Ten record of 34–34–6 is the best of any Indiana coach, as is his overall winning percentage
5.
2008 NFL Draft
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The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 26 and April 27,2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft, the NFL Network also broadcast the event, of the 252 selections,220 were regular selections in rounds one through seven, and 32 were compensatory selections, distributed among rounds three through seven. For the first time since the draft began, no wide receiver was selected in the first round. For the first time ever, the first two picks had the same last name, also, a record 34 trades were made during the draft itself. The schedule for the draft was changed, day one began at 3,00 PM EDT, instead of noon, day two began with round three at 10,00 AM EDT, instead of 11,00 AM. Moreover, the limits for day one selections were reduced, from 15 minutes to ten for first-round picks. The limit remained five minutes for all picks in rounds three through seven, in the explanations below, indicates trades completed prior to the start of the draft, while denotes trades that took place during the 2008 draft. Round one Round two Round three Round four Round five Round six Round seven Fourth round Jaguars to Ravens, green Bay traded their fourth round selection and fifth round selection to the Jets for New Yorks fourth round selection Eagles to Dolphins. Philadelphia traded their selection to Miami for running back Lorenzo Booker. Dallas traded their selection to Oakland for their fourth-round selection. Dallas traded their selection to Cleveland for their fourth-round selection. Dallas traded their selection to Cleveland for their 2009 NFL Draft third-round selection. Pittsburgh traded their selection to New York Giants for their fourth-round selection. Washington traded their selection to Tennessee Titans for their fourth-round selection. Baltimore traded the fourth-round selection obtained from Jacksonville in Round 1 to the Oakland Raiders for CB Fabian Washington, Jacksonville traded its fifth-round selection to Dallas for its fifth-round selection and seventh-round selection. Green Bay traded its fifth-round selection to Minnesota for its fifth-round selection, New England traded fifth-round and seventh-round selections to Tampa Bay for its fifth-round selection. Washington traded fifth-round and seventh-round selections to St. Louis for its two sixth-round selections, philadelphia traded to Cleveland the 6th round selection they had previously received from the Browns for Hank Fraley. In return, the Browns gave the Eagles their 5th round pick in the 2009 draft, trade references Specific references NFL Draft at NFL. com ESPN NFL Draft Central 2008
6.
New Orleans Saints
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The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints currently compete in the National Football League as a member of the leagues National Football Conference South division, the team was founded by John W. Mecom Jr. David Dixon and the city of New Orleans. The Saints began play in Tulane Stadium in 1967, the franchise was founded on November 1,1966. The teams primary colors are old gold and black, their logo is a simplified fleur-de-lis and they played their home games in Tulane Stadium through the 1974 NFL season. The following year, they moved to the new Louisiana Superdome, for most of their first 20 years, the Saints were barely competitive, only getting to.500 twice. In 1987, they finished 12–3—their first-ever winning season—and qualified for the NFL playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the next season of 1988 ended with a 10–6 record. In the year 2000, the Saints defeated the St. Louis Rams 31–28 to notch their first-ever playoff win, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast region. The Superdome was used as a temporary shelter for displaced residents. The stadium suffered damage from the hurricane, and from lack of available facilities, ultimately, however, the Superdome was repaired and renovated in time for the 2006 season at an estimated cost of US$185 million. The New Orleans Saints first post-Katrina home game was an emotionally charged Monday Night Football game versus their division rival, the Atlanta Falcons. The Saints, under head coach Sean Payton and new quarterback Drew Brees, defeated the Falcons 23–3. The 2009 season was a one for the Saints. Winning a franchise-record 13 games, they qualified for Super Bowl XLIV, over the course of 49 seasons, the Saints have compiled an overall record of 331–418–5, with a regular-season record of 324–409–5 and a playoff record of 7–9. First the brainchild of local sports entrepreneur Dave Dixon, who founded the Louisiana Superdome and the USFL. Senator Russell Long, and then–NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, the NFL needed congressional approval of the proposed AFL–NFL merger. Dixon and a civic group had been seeking an NFL franchise for over five years and had hosted record crowds for NFL exhibition games. To seal the merger, Rozelle arrived in New Orleans within a week, and announced on November 1,1966, when the deal was reached a week earlier, Dixon strongly suggested to Rozelle that the announcement be delayed until then. Dixon told an interviewer that he cleared the name with New Orleans Archbishop Philip M. Hannan
7.
2008 NFL season
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The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan Believe in Now. Conversely, the Detroit Lions became the first NFL team with a season since the strike-shortened 1982 NFL season. For the first time since the NFL expanded to the sixteen game season in 1978, previously two teams won two or fewer games in 1979,1981,1985,1992 and 2001. In preseason games, the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game was played August 3 between the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins, which aired on NBC. Other preseason highlights included the first game of the Toronto Series, the Bills won that game, 24–21. The games kickoff was ninety minutes earlier than years, at 7 p. m. EDT. Other featured games during the week included the NBC Sunday Night Football game between the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts, in which the Kyle Orton-led Bears upset the Colts 29–13. Also, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady suffered a season ending injury against the Kansas City Chiefs, the 2008 season also was the third season of the use of the flexible scheduling for Sunday games starting with Week 11. This was the second season that the league played at least one regular season game outside the United States as part of its International Series. The contest between the San Diego Chargers and the New Orleans Saints was played at Wembley Stadium in London on October 26, the Chargers played at Buffalo the week beforehand on October 19 so they could immediately travel to London afterward in order to get used to the time difference. The league has also approved the Bills’ request to play at least one regular season game at Torontos Rogers Centre over each of the next five seasons. Team owner Ralph Wilson petitioned the league to play at least one game in Canada to strengthen his clubs fan base in Ontario, the game in Toronto was on December 7, after the end of the 2008 CFL season, against the Miami Dolphins, Miami won 16–3. CBS televised both games regionally, the Toronto game was carried across Canada on Rogers Sportsnet and City TV, a third game on NFL Network, featuring the Arizona Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles followed at 8,15 PM EST. The NFLs Pro Bowl all-star game at the end of the season was played at Aloha Stadium in the Honolulu, the league had the option under their current contract to hold the game elsewhere, including the possibility of moving it to the host site of the Super Bowl. W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against Playoff seeds are marked in parentheses, Giants clinched the NFC #1 seed over Carolina based on a head-to-head victory. B Miami finished ahead of New England in the AFC East based on conference record. C San Diego finished ahead of Denver in the AFC West based on a division record. D Baltimore clinched the AFC #6 seed over New England based on a conference record
8.
Oakland Raiders
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The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football franchise based in Oakland, California. The Raiders currently compete in the NFL as a club of the leagues American Football Conference West division. At the end of the NFLs 2015 season, the Raiders boasted a lifetime record of 444 wins,397 losses. The Raiders plan to remain in Oakland through 2018 – and possibly 2019 –, the Raiders off-field fortunes have varied considerably over the years. The teams first three years of operation were marred by poor performance, financial difficulties, and spotty attendance. In 1963, however, the Raiders fortunes improved dramatically with the introduction of head coach Al Davis, in 1967, after several years of improvement, the Raiders reached the postseason for the first time. The team would go on to win its first AFL Championship that year, in doing so, the Raiders advanced to Super Bowl II, the Raiders run of success intensified during the 1970s. From 1970 to 1977, the team won six division titles, in 1976, the team captured its first NFL Championship with a convincing victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. In 1982, amidst much controversy, the Raiders relocated to Los Angeles, the team finished with the NFLs best regular season record that year, one year later, the Raiders beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII to capture their third Super Bowl championship. The Raiders fortunes declined following the 1985 season, they would win just one division title. In 1995, the Raiders returned to Oakland, after several years of continued mediocrity, the team entered a brief period of pronounced success in the early 2000s. From 2000 to 2002, the Raiders won three division titles and four playoff games, their renaissance culminated with a lopsided 2002 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. The Super Bowl loss marked the beginning of a period of futility for the Raiders, from 2003 through 2015. In 2016, the Raiders finally ended their postseason drought with a victory over the division rival San Diego Chargers. At the end of the 2016 NFL season, the finished with a 12–4 record. The Raiders are known for their fan base and distinctive team culture. Since 1963, the team has won 15 division titles, four AFC Championships, one AFL Championship, fourteen former members of the team have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Having enjoyed a successful coaching career at Navy during the 1950s
9.
2013 NFL season
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The 2013 NFL season was the 94th season in the history of the National Football League. The Super Bowl was played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday and it was the first Super Bowl hosted by New Jersey and the first to be held outdoors in a cold weather environment. The Seahawks scored 12 seconds into the game and held the lead the rest of the way, Manning also was named the Offensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career. Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, scoring reached historic levels throughout the league in 2013. As a whole the league set records for points scored, points scored per game. The Broncos set a new standard for scoring in the regular season with 606 points. In addition to the Broncos, ten teams each scored over 400 points. The regular season got underway on Thursday, September 5,2013, the regular season wrapped up on Sunday night, December 29. The playoffs began with the wild card round which took place the first weekend of January 2014, both home teams prevailed to set up just the second Super Bowl matchup of #1 seeds in the past 20 seasons. The 2013 league year began at 4 pm EST on March 12, the per-team salary cap was set at US$123,000,000. This period, which was referred to by some as the legal tampering period, a total of 524 players were eligible for some form of free agency. Eight players were assigned the franchise tag by their teams. These players were Brandon Albert, Jairus Byrd, Ryan Clady, Michael Johnson, Pat McAfee, Henry Melton, Anthony Spencer, none of these players changed teams. Smith had been the first overall selection of the 2005 NFL Draft, March 11 – Wide receiver Percy Harvin was traded by the Vikings to the Seahawks for the Seahawks 2013 first-round and seventh-round selections as well as the Seahawks third-round pick in 2014. The Seahawks subsequently signed Harvin to a 6-year, $67 million contract extension which includes $25.5 million in guaranteed money, March 11 – The 49ers acquired wide receiver Anquan Boldin from the Ravens for a sixth-round selection in the 2013 draft. Boldin, a three-time Pro Bowler and former Offensive Rookie of the Year, had refused to accept a pay cut that the Ravens had requested, April 21 – Cornerback Darrelle Revis was traded by the Jets to the Buccaneers. The Jets received the Bucs first round pick in 2013, the 13th overall selection and a conditional pick which would become the Bucs fourth-round selection in 2014. The Bucs signed Revis to a 6-year, $96 million contract, in-season September 18 – In a bit of a shocking mid-season move the Browns traded running back Trent Richardson to the Colts in exchange for the Colts first-round pick in the 2014 draft
10.
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
11.
2014 NFL season
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The 2014 NFL season was the 95th season in the history of the National Football League. The 2014 league year began at 4 pm EST on March 11, the per-team salary cap was set at US$133 million, a $10 million increase from the previous year. A total of 471 players were eligible for some form of free agency at the beginning of the free agency period, in addition, a number of highly paid players were released after the start of the league year to allow their teams to regain space under the salary cap. These players were defensive end Greg Hardy, tight end Jimmy Graham, placekicker Nick Folk, players given the transition tag were Jason Worilds and Alex Mack. Mack signed a five-year, $42 million offer sheet with the Jacksonville Jaguars which included $26 million in guaranteed money, the Browns matched the offer and retained Mack who became the leagues highest paid center. One restricted free agent switched teams in 2014, wide receiver Andrew Hawkins of the Bengals was signed by the Browns, restricted free agents are players with three or fewer seasons in the league whose contracts have expired. Teams may tender contract offers which allow them to match offers from other teams, Hawkins was tendered at the minimum level, which means the Bengals would not receive any draft compensation. The Browns signed him to a $13.6 million, four-year offer, Saints safety Rafael Bush signed an offer from the Falcons, but the Saints retained Bush by matching the offer. The 2014 NFL Draft was held May 8–10,2014, in New York City, the draft process began with the NFL Scouting Combine, where draft-eligible players were evaluated by team personnel, which was held in Indianapolis on February 19–25. The draft included a number of 98 non-seniors. In the draft the Houston Texans made University of South Carolina defensive end, there was discussion leading up to the draft as to the future of the event in New York City, where it had been held since 1965. Given the increased interest in the draft over the past decade, there was a belief that the event may have outgrown Radio City Music Hall, the possibility of extending the draft to four days was also being discussed. On October 2,2014, Auditorium Theatre in Chicago was announced as the site for the following years draft. Training camps for the 2014 season were held in late July through August, teams may start training camp no earlier than 15 days before the teams first scheduled preseason game. Prior to the start of the season, each team played four preseason exhibition games. The preseason schedule got underway with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Sunday evening, the Hall of Fame game is a traditional part of the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame induction weekend celebrating new Hall of Fame members. It was played at Fawcett Stadium which is located adjacent to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, the game, which was televised in the U. S. on NBC, featured the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills, with the Giants winning 17–13. The others who were inducted into the Hall of Fame are linebacker Derrick Brooks, punter Ray Guy, defensive end Claude Humphrey, offensive tackle Walter Jones, the 65-game preseason schedule wrapped up on Thursday, August 28, a week before the start of the regular season
12.
Chicago Bears
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The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference North division. The Bears have won nine NFL Championships and one Super Bowl and hold the NFL record for the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Bears have also recorded more victories than any other NFL franchise. The franchise was founded in Decatur, Illinois, in 1919 and it is one of only two remaining franchises from the NFLs founding. The team played games at Wrigley Field on Chicagos North Side through the 1970 season, they now play at Soldier Field on the Near South Side. The Bears have a rivalry with the Green Bay Packers. The team headquarters, Halas Hall, is in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, the Bears practice at adjoining facilities there during the season. They hold their training camp from late July to mid-August at Ward Field on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. Originally named the Decatur Staleys, the club was established by the A. E. Staley food starch company of Decatur and this was the typical start for several early professional football franchises. The company hired George Halas and Edward Dutch Sternaman in 1920 to run the team, the 1920 Decatur Staleys season was their inaugural regular season completed in the newly formed American Professional Football Association. Full control of the team was turned over to Halas and Sternaman in 1921, official team and league records cite Halas as the founder as he took over the team in 1920 when it became a charter member of the NFL. The team relocated to Chicago in 1921, where the club was renamed the Chicago Staleys, under an agreement reached by Halas and Sternaman with Staley, Halas purchased the rights to the club from Staley for US$100. In 1922, Halas changed the name from the Staleys to the Bears. The team moved into Wrigley Field, which was home to the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, as with several early NFL franchises, the Bears derived their nickname from their citys baseball team. Halas liked the bright colors of his alma mater, the University of Illinois. The Staleys/Bears dominated the league in the early years and their rivalry with the Chicago Cardinals, the oldest in the NFL, was key in four out of the first six league titles. During that span, the Bears posted 34 shutouts, the Bears rivalry with the Green Bay Packers is one of the oldest and most storied in American professional sports, dating back to 1921. The franchise was a success under Halas, capturing the NFL Championship in 1921
13.
2015 NFL season
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The 2015 NFL season was the 96th season in the history of the National Football League, and the 50th of the Super Bowl era. The Panthers became the first team since the 2011 Green Bay Packers to win all but one of their regular season games and not win the Super Bowl. During the 2015 season, the Oakland Raiders, the St. Louis Rams, NFL owners eventually only approved the relocation of the Rams, by a vote of 30–2 on January 12,2016. Thus,2015 ended up being the Rams last season in St. Louis, the 2015 NFL League Year began on Tuesday, March 10,2015 at 4,00 p. m. ET. m. ET and trading period for 2015 began, a total of 453 players were eligible for some form of free agency at the beginning of the free agency period. Four players were assigned the franchise tag by their teams. These players were wide receivers Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas, linebacker Justin Houston, the player given the transition tag was Charles Clay. On March 19,2015, Clay signed a five-year, $38M contract with the Buffalo Bills, an unusually large number of big name players switched teams via trade prior to the 2015 season. Eagles coach Chip Kelly used his newly obtained GM powers to make many blockbuster trades, the Philadelphia Eagles traded 2-time All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso. The Eagles also traded Pro Bowl quarterback Nick Foles along with their selection in the round of the 2016 NFL Draft to the St. The Saints also traded away Pro Bowl guard Ben Grubbs and wide receiver Kenny Stills, the Detroit Lions acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Haloti Ngata from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for draft picks to help make up for the loss of Ndamukong Suh in free agency. The 2015 NFL Draft was held April 30 – May 2,2015, the draft process began with the NFL Scouting Combine, where draft-eligible players were evaluated by team personnel, which was held in Indianapolis on February 17–23. On October 2,2014, Auditorium Theatre in Chicago was announced as the site of the draft. The previous fifty NFL drafts had been held in New York, in the draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made Florida State University quarterback Jameis Winston the first overall selection. Training camps for the 2015 season began July 22 and continued through the end of preseason, the normal training camp window ran from late July to late August or early September. Most of the camps had rookies report first, then veterans, at that point, some teams practiced versus another organization, like the Bills practiced against the Browns this year. Teams started training camp no earlier than fifteen days before the teams first scheduled preseason game, at that point, the rosters for each team were open to 90 players. Those rosters were cut to 75 by Week 3 of preseason, prior to the start of the regular season, each team played at least four exhibition games
14.
2016 NFL season
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For the first time since the 2003 NFL season, neither of the previous seasons Super Bowl participants made the playoffs. The 2016 season was also the last season for the San Diego Chargers before their return to their city of Los Angeles for 2017. The 2016 NFL league year began on March 9,2016 at 4,00 p. m. ET, all 2015 players contracts expired and trading period for 2016 begin. A total of 496 players were eligible for some form of free agency at the beginning of the free agency period, in addition, a number of highly paid players were released after the start of the league year to allow their teams to regain space under the salary cap. On March 9, the Philadelphia Eagles traded cornerback Byron Maxwell, linebacker Kiko Alonso, on March 9, the Philadelphia Eagles traded running back DeMarco Murray along with a 2016 fourth-round draft pick to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for a 2016 fourth-round draft pick. On March 11, the Philadelphia Eagles traded quarterback Mark Sanchez to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a conditional 2017 seventh-round draft pick. On March 15, the New England Patriots traded Pro Bowl defensive end Chandler Jones to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for guard Jonathan Cooper and a 2016 second-round draft pick. On March 16, the Chicago Bears traded tight end Martellus Bennett along with a 2016 sixth-round draft pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for a 2016 fourth-round draft pick. On April 9, the Denver Broncos traded offensive tackle Ryan Clady, on August 16, the Tennessee Titans traded wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for G/T Dennis Kelly. On September 3, the Philadelphia Eagles traded quarterback Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2017 first-round draft pick, on October 31, the New England Patriots traded linebacker Jamie Collins to the Cleveland Browns for a conditional 2017 third-round draft pick. The 2016 NFL Draft was held between April 28 − April 30,2016 in Chicago, by way of a trade with the Tennessee Titans, the Los Angeles Rams held the first overall pick and selected QB Jared Goff. Oakland Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson announced he would retire from football at the end of the 2015 season on December 21,2015. He played eighteen seasons, starting with the Raiders for eight seasons and after spending seven with the Green Bay Packers, he returned to the Raiders for his final three seasons. He was the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the 2009 season and is tied with Rod Woodson, Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch announced his retirement from professional football on February 7,2016. Lynch played nine seasons, four with the Buffalo Bills and the five with the Seahawks. Lynch was a five-time Pro Bowler, led the league in rushing touchdowns two seasons, co-led in total touchdowns one season, and won a title with the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII. Carolina Panthers defensive end Jared Allen announced his retirement from football on February 18,2016. Allen played twelve seasons, his first four with the Kansas City Chiefs, then six with the Minnesota Vikings, a five-time Pro Bowl and four-time All-Pro selection, Allen tallied 136 quarterback sacks during his career
15.
Big Ten Conference
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The Big Ten Conference, formerly Western Conference and Big Nine Conference, is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference includes the public university in each of 11 states stretching from New Jersey to Nebraska. The Big Ten Conference was established in 1895 when Purdue University president James H, in 1905, the conference was officially incorporated as the Intercollegiate Conference Athletic Association. Big Ten member institutions are predominantly major flagship research universities with large financial endowments, large student enrollment is also a hallmark of Big Ten universities, as 12 of the 14 members feature enrollments of 30,000 or more students. Northwestern University, one of just two members with a total enrollment of fewer than 30,000 students, is the lone private university among Big Ten membership. Collectively, Big Ten universities educate more than 520,000 total students and have 5.7 million living alumni, Big Ten universities engage in $9.3 billion in funded research each year. Big Ten universities are members of the Big Ten Academic Alliance. In 2014–2015, members generated more than $10 billion in research expenditures, Johns Hopkins University was invited in 2012 to join the Big Ten as an associate member participating in mens lacrosse only. In 2015, it was accepted as an associate member in womens lacrosse. Notre Dame is scheduled to join the Big Ten in 2017 as a member in mens ice hockey. Notes Notes Notes The University of Chicago was a co-founder of the conference, lake Forest College attended the original 1895 meeting that led to the formation of the conference, but did not join it. Full members Full members Sport Affiliate Other Conference Other Conference The Big Ten Conference sponsors championship competition in 14 mens and 14 womens NCAA sanctioned sports, Notes, * Notre Dame will join the Big Ten in the 2017–18 school year as an affiliate member in mens ice hockey. It continues to field its other sports in the ACC except in football where it will continue to compete as an independent, ° Johns Hopkins joined the Big Ten in 2014 as an affiliate member in mens lacrosse, with womens lacrosse to follow in 2016. Ohio State and Penn State, like most NCAA fencing schools, have coed teams,2, Mens rowing, whether heavyweight or lightweight, is not governed by the NCAA, but instead by the Intercollegiate Rowing Association. Rutgers Mens Rowing was downgraded to Club status in 2008,3, Unlike rifle, pistol is not an NCAA-governed sport. 4, Rifle is technically a mens sport, but mens, womens, Ohio State fields a coed team. The eligibility of student-athletes was one of the topics of discussion. The Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives was founded at a meeting on February 8,1896
16.
Super Bowl
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The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League. The game is the culmination to a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. Normally, Roman numerals are used to each game, rather than the year in which it is held. For example, Super Bowl I was played on January 15,1967, the single exception to this rule is Super Bowl 50, which was played on February 7,2016, following the 2015 regular season. The next game, Super Bowl LII, scheduled for February 4,2018, the game was created as part of a merger agreement between the NFL and its then-rival league, the American Football League. It was agreed that the two champion teams would play in the AFL–NFL World Championship Game until the merger was to officially begin in 1970. After the merger, each league was redesignated as a conference, currently, the National Football Conference leads the league with 26 wins to 25 wins for the American Football Conference. The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most Super Bowl championship titles, with six, the New England Patriots have the most Super Bowl appearances, with nine. The day on which the Super Bowl is played, now considered by some as an unofficial American national holiday, is called Super Bowl Sunday and it is the second-largest day for U. S. food consumption, after Thanksgiving Day. In addition, the Super Bowl has frequently been the most-watched American television broadcast of the year, in 2015, Super Bowl XLIX became the most-watched American television program in history with an average audience of 114. The NFL restricts the use of its Super Bowl trademark, it is called the Big Game or other generic terms by non-sponsoring corporations. As a result, watching and discussing the broadcasts commercials has become a significant aspect of the event, for four decades after its 1920 inception, the NFL successfully fended off several rival leagues. However, in 1960, it encountered its most serious competitor when the American Football League was formed. The AFL vied heavily with the NFL for both players and fans, but by the middle of the decade the strain of competition led to merger talks between the two leagues. Prior to the 1966 season, the NFL and AFL reached an agreement that was to take effect for the 1970 season. As part of the merger, the champions of the two agreed to meet in a world championship game for professional American football until the merger was effected. A bowl game is a college football game. Exploiting the Rose Bowl Games popularity, post-season college football contests were created for Miami, New Orleans, and El Paso, Texas in 1935, by the time the first Super Bowl was played, the term bowl for any major American football game was well established
17.
Super Bowl XLIV
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The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of 31–17, earning their first Super Bowl win. The game was played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida for the time, on February 7,2010. This was the Saints first Super Bowl appearance and the fourth for the Colts franchise, the Saints entered the game with a 13–3 record for the 2009 regular season, compared to the Colts 14–2 record. In the playoff games, both placed first in their respective conferences, marking the first time since Super Bowl XXVIII that both number one seeds have reached the Super Bowl. It was also the first time both teams started out with a winning streak. The Colts responded with Joseph Addais 4-yard touchdown run to regain the lead at 17–13, the Saints then scored 18 unanswered points, including Tracy Porters 74-yard interception return for a touchdown, to clinch the victory. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who completed 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and his 32 completions tied a Super Bowl record set by Tom Brady in Super Bowl XXXVIII. The live broadcast of the game on CBS was watched by an average U. S. audience of 106.5 million viewers, the National Anthem was sung by Carrie Underwood and the halftime show featured the British rock band The Who. The league initially voted on March 23,2005, that New York City host the game, after New York state government officials declined to approve $400 million for the stadium, the NFL decided to reopen the bidding for the games site. The league reconsidered the other, unsuccessful candidates for Super Bowl XLIII, Atlanta, Houston, on October 6,2006, the league selected Miami as the host city, with the formerly-named-Joe Robbie Stadium as the venue. The Colts franchise was playing its fourth Super Bowl, all of which were played in Miami and they are the only franchise to play all of its Super Bowls in the same city and the second to play two or more Super Bowls in two different stadiums. With Tampa as the host of Super Bowl XLIII, Super Bowl XLIV also marked the time that consecutive Super Bowls have been played in the same state. Super Bowls II and III were both played at the Orange Bowl, Super Bowls XXI and XXII were both played in California, XXI at Pasadenas Rose Bowl Stadium and XXII at San Diegos Jack Murphy Stadium. Miami became the first city to host two Super Bowls designated as a National Special Security Event, in the wake of the September 11,2001 terrorist attacks, every Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXXVI has been designated as an NSSE. Super Bowl XLI was Miamis first Super Bowl designated as an NSSE, the game also changed venues from Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, where it had been held since 1979, to Sun Life Stadium in Miami. Fourteen players from the Super Bowl participants, seven from each team, had been selected but were unable to due to the change. The new schedule took advantage of the bye week given to the champions to rest. The NFL has indicated this may not be a permanent transition, the game has been played in Hawaii every year since 2011
18.
Tackle (football move)
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Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary and important purposes of tackling are to dispossess an opponent of the ball, the word is used in some contact variations of football to describe the act of physically holding or wrestling a player to the ground. In others, it simply one or more methods of contesting for possession of the ball. It can therefore be used as both a defensive or attacking move, in Middle Dutch, the verb tacken meant to grab or to handle. By the 18th century, a use was applied to harnesses or equipment used with horses. Modern use in football comes from the sport of rugby. In any such case, the ball becomes dead, the down is over, a tackle is known as a quarterback sack when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage while attempting to throw a pass. A tackle for loss indicates a tackle that causes a loss of yardage for the running back or wide receiver. When a player who does not have the ball is taken down it is referred to as a block. Tackles can also be made by grabbing the ball carriers jersey, as mentioned above, the referee can declare that a play is dead if the ball carriers forward progress has been stopped, even if he has not actually been taken to the ground. To protect players from potentially catastrophic injury, there are restrictions on tackles. At no time may a defensive player tackle a player by grabbing the facemask of their helmet, doing so incurs a 15-yard penalty. A similar penalty is assessed to any player attempting to contact with his helmet against another opponents helmet. Grabbing a ball carrier by the pads behind his neck and pulling him down is known as a horse collar, a method which has been made illegal at all levels of American football. However, in the NFL a player can continue forward for one step, place kickers and punters are afforded an even greater protection from being tackled. Once the play is ruled complete, no contact is permitted, a player who makes contact with an opponent after the play is charged with unnecessary roughness and his team is assessed a 15-yard penalty. However, a player who plays on the line can block below the knees as long the block is five yards of the line. In the National Football League, tackles are tracked as a statistic by a scorekeeper hired by the home team
19.
Quarterback sacks
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A quarterback that is pressured but avoids a sack can still be adversely affected by being forced to hurry. In the National Football League, it is possible to record a sack for zero yards, the QB must pass the statistical line of scrimmage to avoid the sack. A sack is also credited when a defender causes the quarterback to fumble the ball at or behind the line of scrimmage, to be considered a sack the quarterback must intend to throw a forward pass. If the play is designed for the quarterback to rush the ball, if the quarterbacks intent is not obvious, statisticians use certain criteria, such as the offensive line blocking scheme, to decide. Unique situations where a loss reduces a quarterbacks rushing total are kneel downs, a player will receive credit for half of a sack when multiple players contribute to the sacking of a quarterback, even if more than two players contributed. In the NFL yards lost on the play are added as negative yardage to the teams passing totals, however, NCAA continues to subtract sack yardage from individual rushing totals. The term sack was first popularized by Hall of Fame defensive end Deacon Jones in the 1960s, according to former NFL coach Marv Levy, it was Washington Redskins coach George Allen who actually coined the term when referring to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton. Allen purportedly stated before a game, Before we play those Dallas Cowboys, we’re going to take that Morton salt, prior to sack, the term dump was often used, and the NFLs statistical office recorded all sacks under dumping the passer. The NFL only began to track of times passers lost yardage in 1961. Researcher John Turney of the Pro Football Researchers Association estimated that Jones recorded 173 1⁄2 sacks in his career, of all forms of defensive pressure against the oppositions passer, sacks provide the most immediate impact by ending the offensive play. However, quarterbacks sometimes avoid a sack by throwing a pass or risking an interception. According to Football Outsiders, a quarterback hurry is the most common form of pass pressure. In the 2009 NFL season, there were 1,106 sacks and 3,268 hurries,30,2007 NFL Game More Sacks Taken than Yards Passing, Five sacks and four yards passing by Colin Kaepernick on Dec.4,2016. NFL Super Bowl Most sacks, single game, 3*** Reggie White – Green Bay vs, new England, XXXI Darnell Dockett – Arizona vs. Pittsburgh, XLIII Kony Ealy – Carolina vs. Denver,50 Grady Jarrett – Atlanta vs. New England, LI NFL Super Bowl Most sacks, career,4, however, as sacks were not officially recorded by the NFL at that point, Michael Strahan is attributed the single season record. **Al Bubba Baker had 23 sacks in his rookie 1978 season, however, as sacks were not officially recorded by the NFL at that point, Jevon Kearse is attributed the single season rookie record. Since 1982, when the NFL first began keeping track of sacks, only 31 players have managed to reach the 100 sack milestone
20.
Interception
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In American or Canadian football, an interception occurs when a forward pass is caught by a player of the opposing team. This leads to a change of possession during the play. Following the stoppage of play, if the interceptor retained possession of the ball, interceptions are predominantly made by the secondary or the linebackers, who are usually closest to the quarterbacks intended targets, the wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends. Less frequently, a defensive lineman may get an interception from a ball, a near sack, a shovel pass, or a screen pass. For example, on December 4,2016, the Kansas City Chiefs strong safety Eric Berry scored the winning points via a pick two in a 29-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Berry also achieved an ordinary pick six earlier in the same game, if the intercepting team can run out the clock, the intercepting player may down the ball immediately and not attempt to gain any yardage. This eliminates the chance of a fumble that could be recovered by the other team, there are also player safety implications, when the ball is turned over, the play is now suddenly and unexpectedly moving in the opposite direction. All of the players on offense are instantly susceptible to unexpected blocks, even if not attempting to stop the ball carrier, additionally, offensive players, particularly the quarterback, are often inexperienced tacklers and are at risk of injuring themselves while tackling the ball carrier. Only the interception of a pass is recorded statistically as an interception. The interception of a pass is recorded as a fumble by the passer. Lester Hayes of the Oakland Raiders was one of the National Football Leagues leaders at interceptions in the late 1970s and he was known for covering his chest, shoulders and forearms with a copious amount of the adhesive Stickum to help him hold on to the ball. He continued to use the substance, which he called pick juice, paul Krause holds the record for most career interceptions, with 81, and is tied for third place for most interceptions by an NFL rookie in his first season, with 12. He played his first three years in the NFL from 1964 to 1967 with the Washington Redskins but was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, Krause played until 1979 and appeared in four Super Bowls with the Vikings. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998, Rod Woodson played 16 seasons with Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Baltimore, and Oakland, and holds the NFL record for most interception returns for touchdown in an NFL career with 12. Also, he holds the NFL record for most total defensive TD returns in a career with 13, Woodson, who is third on the NFL all-time career interception list with 71, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. Sharper holds the NFL record for return yardage in a single season with 376 yards in 2009. He is also tied with Rod Woodson for most total defensive TD returns career with 13, charles Woodson, formerly with the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders has 65 career interceptions and tied Rod Woodson for most defensive touchdowns with 13. Woodson and Sharper are tied for all time in interceptions returned for touchdowns with 11
21.
Fumble
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A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, a fumble may be forced by a defensive player who either grabs or punches the ball or butts the ball with his helmet. A fumbled ball may be recovered and advanced by either team and it is one of three events that can cause a turnover, where possession of the ball can change during play. Under American rules a fumble may be confused with a muff, a muff occurs where a player drops a ball that he does not have possession of, such as while attempting to catch a lateral pass or improperly fielding a kicking play such as a punt. Ball security is the ability of a player to control over the football during play. If the ball is fumbled the defensive team may recover the ball, the same is true for the offense, but usually when the offense recovers the ball it simply tries to down it. In American football the offense cannot advance the ball if it recovers its own fumble on fourth down, in American football, there is no separate signal to indicate a fumble recovery. If the offense recovers its own fumble, the official will indicate the recovery by a signal showing the next down. If the defense recovers the fumble, the official will indicate with a first down signal in the direction the team is driving the ball. Some officials have used a first down signal when the offense recovers its own fumble. This is not the thing as when a forward pass is attempted and is not caught. In this latter case, it is simply an incomplete pass, however, if the receiver catches the ball, but then drops it after gaining control of the ball, that is considered a fumble. Any number of fumbles can be committed during a play, including fumbles by the team originally on defense, Most famously, Dallas Cowboys defender Leon Lett fumbled during Super Bowl XXVII while celebrating during his own fumble return. A sometimes controversial rule is referred to as the ground cannot cause a fumble. If a player is tackled and loses control of the ball at or after the time he makes contact with the ground, the player is treated as down and the ball is not in play. However, in the NFL and CFL, if a ball carrier falls without an opponent contacting him and this is because in those leagues the ball carrier is not down unless an opponent first makes contact, or the runner is out of bounds. If a player fumbles in most other leagues, as soon as the knee or elbow touches the ground and it is also possible for the ground to cause a fumble in college football if the ball hits the ground before any part of the ball carriers body touches the ground. An example was the fumble by Arkansas quarterback Clint Stoerner vs. Tennessee in 1998, the effects of fumbles vary when the ball goes out of bounds without being recovered, A fumble going out-of-bounds between the end zones is retained by the last team with possession
22.
Touchdown
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A touchdown is a means of scoring in both American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, to score a touchdown, one team must take the football into the opposite end zone. The touchdown is scored the instant the ball crosses the plane of the line while in possession of a player whose team is trying to score in that end zone. The play is dead and the scores the moment the ball crosses the goal line in possession of a player. The slightest part of the ball being over the line is sufficient for a touchdown to score. However, only the ball counts, not a players helmet, foot, touching one of the pylons at either end of the goal line with the ball constitutes breaking the plane as well. Touchdowns are usually scored by the offense by running or passing the ball, however, the defense can also score a touchdown if they have recovered a fumble or made an interception and return it to the opposing end zone. Special teams can score a touchdown on a kickoff or punt return, in short, any play in which a player legally carries the ball across the goal line scores a touchdown, and the manner in which he gained possession is inconsequential. A touchdown is worth six points, the scoring team is also awarded the opportunity for an extra point or a two-point conversion. Afterwards, the team scored the touchdown kicks off to the opposing team. This rule was changed to the iteration in 1889. If the teammate could fair catch the ball, he could follow with a try for goal from the spot of the catch, the governing rule at the time read, A match shall be decided by a majority of touchdowns. A goal shall be equal to four touchdowns, but in the case of a tie, in 1881, the rules were modified so that a goal kicked from a touchdown took precedence over a goal kicked from the field in breaking ties. In 1882, four touchdowns were determined to take precedence over a goal kicked from the field, two safeties were equivalent to a touchdown. In 1883, points were introduced to football, and a touchdown counted as four points, a goal after a touchdown also counted as four points. In 1889, the provision requiring the ball to actually be touched to the ground was removed, a touchdown was now scored by possessing the ball beyond the goal line. In 1897, the touchdown scored five points, and the goal after touchdown added another point, in 1900, the definition of touchdown was changed to include situations where the ball becomes dead on or above the goal line. In 1912, the value of a touchdown was increased to six points, the end zone was also added
23.
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
24.
Indianapolis Colts
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The Indianapolis Colts are an American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues American Football Conference South division. Since the 2008 season, the Colts have played their games in Lucas Oil Stadium, previously, the team had played for over two decades at the RCA Dome. Since 1986, the Colts have been the host team for the NFL Scouting Combine, the Colts have been a member club of the NFL since their founding in 1953 in Baltimore. The Colts were one of three NFL teams to join the teams of the American Football League to form the AFC following the 1970 merger. While in Baltimore, the team advanced to the playoffs 10 times, the Colts played in two Super Bowl games while it was based in Baltimore, losing to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III, while defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V. The Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984 and have appeared in the playoffs 16 times. Following World War II, a professional football league was organized known as the All America Football Conference which began play in the 1946 season. These Colts played for the three seasons in the old AAFC. With the organization in 1920 of the original American Professional Football Conference, the NFL considers the Texans and Colts to be separate teams, although many of the earlier teams shared the same colors of blue and white. Thus, the Indianapolis Colts are legally considered to be a 1953 expansion team, the third version of the Colts football team played their first season in Baltimore in 1953, where the team compiled a 3–9 record under first year head coach Keith Molesworth. The franchise struggled during the first few years in Baltimore, with the team not achieving their first winning record until the 1957 season. The Colts faced the New York Giants in the 1958 NFL Championship Game in what is considered to be among the greatest contests in professional football history. The Colts defeated the Giants 23–17 in the first game ever to utilize the overtime rule, a game seen by 45 million people. Following the two championships in 1958 and 1959, the Colts did not return to the NFL Championship for four seasons, in Shulas second season the Colts compiled a 12–2 record, but lost to the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship. However, in 1968 the Colts returned with the leadership of Unitas and Shula and went on to win the Colts third NFL Championship. The Colts, however, were stunned by the Jets, who won the game 16–7 in the first Super Bowl victory for the young AFL. The Colts immediately went on a rampage in the new league, as new head coach Don McCafferty led the 1970 team to an 11–2–1 regular season record, winning the AFC East title
25.
College football
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It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. No minor league farm organizations exist in American football and it is in college football where a players performance directly impacts his chances of playing professional football. The best collegiate players will declare for the professional draft after 3 to 4 years of collegiate competition. Those not selected can still attempt to land an NFL roster spot as a free agent. Even after the emergence of the professional National Football League, college football remained extremely popular throughout the U. S, in many cases, college stadiums employ bench-style seating, as opposed to individual seats with backs and arm rests. This allows them to more fans in a given amount of space than the typical professional stadium. College athletes, unlike players in the NFL, are not permitted by the NCAA to be paid salaries, colleges are only allowed to provide non-monetary compensation such as athletic scholarships that provide for tuition, housing, and books. Modern North American football has its origins in various games, all known as football, by the 1840s, students at Rugby School were playing a game in which players were able to pick up the ball and run with it, a sport later known as Rugby football. The game was taken to Canada by British soldiers stationed there and was soon being played at Canadian colleges, the first documented gridiron football match was a game played at University College, a college of the University of Toronto, November 9,1861. One of the participants in the game involving University of Toronto students was William Mulock, a football club was formed at the university soon afterward, although its rules of play at this stage are unclear. In 1864, at Trinity College, also a college of the University of Toronto, F. Barlow Cumberland, modern Canadian football is widely regarded as having originated with a game played in Montreal, in 1865, when British Army officers played local civilians. The game gradually gained a following, and the Montreal Football Club was formed in 1868, early games appear to have had much in common with the traditional mob football played in England. The games remained largely unorganized until the 19th century, when games of football began to be played on college campuses. Each school played its own variety of football, Princeton University students played a game called ballown as early as 1820. A Harvard tradition known as Bloody Monday began in 1827, which consisted of a mass ballgame between the freshman and sophomore classes, in 1860, both the town police and the college authorities agreed the Bloody Monday had to go. The Harvard students responded by going into mourning for a figure called Football Fightum. The authorities held firm and it was a dozen years before football was again played at Harvard. Dartmouth played its own version called Old division football, the rules of which were first published in 1871, all of these games, and others, shared certain commonalities
26.
Quarterback
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A quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the team and line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is considered the leader of the offensive team. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually the leader of the offense, the quarterback touches the ball on almost every offensive play, and his successes and failures can have a significant impact on the fortunes of his team. Accordingly, the quarterback is among the most glorified and scrutinized positions in team sports, prior to each play, the quarterback will usually tell the rest of his team which play the team will run. After the team is lined up, the center will pass the ball back to the quarterback, usually on a running play, the quarterback will then hand or pitch the ball backwards to a half back or full back. On a passing play, the quarterback is almost always the responsible for trying to throw the ball downfield to an eligible receiver downfield. Depending on the scheme by his team, the quarterbacks role can vary. While quarterbacks in Canadian football need to be able to throw the ball often, in the NFL, quarterbacks are required to wear a uniform number between 1 and 19. In the CFL, the quarterback can wear any number from 0 to 49 and 70 to 99. Because of their numbering, quarterbacks are eligible receivers in the NCAA, NFHS, after a Super Bowl victory, the starting quarterback is the first player to be presented with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The starting quarterback of the victorious Super Bowl team is chosen for the Im going to Disney World. Campaign, whether they are the Super Bowl MVP or not, examples include Joe Montana, Trent Dilfer, Dilfer was chosen even though teammate Ray Lewis was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXV, due to the bad publicity from Lewis murder trial the prior year. In addition to their role, quarterbacks are occasionally used in other roles. Most teams utilize a backup quarterback as their holder on placekicks, in the Wildcat, a formation where a halfback lines up behind the center and the quarterback lines up out wide, the quarterback can be used as a receiving target or a blocker. A more rare use for a quarterback is to punt the ball himself, Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway was known to perform quick kicks occasionally, typically when the Broncos were facing a third-and-long situation. As Roger Staubachs back-up, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White was also the teams punter, ascending the starting role upon Staubachs retirement, White held his position as the teams punter for several seasons—a double duty he performed to All-American standard at Arizona State University. White also had two touchdown receptions as a Dallas Cowboy, both from the halfback option, if quarterbacks are uncomfortable with the formation the defense is using, they may call an audible change to their play
27.
Running back
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A running back is an American and Canadian football position, a member of the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a play, to catch passes from out of the backfield. There are usually one or two running backs on the field for a play, depending on the offensive formation. A running back may be a halfback or a fullback, a running back will sometimes be called a feature back if he is the teams starting running back. The halfback or tailback position is responsible for carrying the ball on the majority of running plays, in the modern game, an effective halfback must have a blend of both quickness and agility as a runner, as well as sure hands and good vision up-field as a receiver. Quarterbacks depend on halfbacks as a safety valve receiver when primary targets downfield are covered or when they are under pressure, occasionally, halfbacks line up as additional wide receivers. As a trick play, running backs are used to pass the ball on a halfback option play or halfback pass. The difference between halfback and tailback is the position of the player in the offensive formation. In historical formations, the lined up approximately halfway between the line of scrimmage and the fullback. Because the halfback is usually the main ball carrier, modern offensive formations have positioned the halfback behind the fullback. As a result, some systems or playbooks will call for a tailback as opposed to a halfback, in most modern college and professional football schemes, fullbacks carry the ball infrequently, instead using their stronger physiques as primary lead blockers. On most running plays, the leads the halfback, attempting to block potential tacklers before they reach the ball carrier. When fullbacks are called upon to carry the ball, the situation calls for gaining a short amount of yardage. Fullbacks are technically running backs, but today the term running back is used in referring to the halfback or tailback. Although modern fullbacks are rarely used as carriers, in previous offensive schemes fullbacks would be the designated ball carriers. In high school football, where player sizes vary greatly, fullbacks are still used as ball carriers. In high school and college offenses, the triple option uses the fullback as a primary ball carrier. The fullback plays a role by establishing an inside running threat on every play
28.
Wide receiver
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A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. They get their name because they are split out wide, furthest away from the rest of the team, wide receivers are among the fastest players on the field. The wide receiver functions as the pass-catching specialist, the wide receivers principal role is to catch passes from the quarterback. On passing plays, the attempts to avoid, outmaneuver. If the receiver becomes open, or has a path to the destination of a catch. Once a pass is thrown in his direction, the goal is to first catch the ball. A receivers height and weight also contribute to his expected role, a wide receiver has two potential roles during running plays. Particularly in the case of draw plays and other trick plays, alternatively, he may block normally for the running back. Well-rounded receivers are noted for blocking defensive backs in support of teammates in addition to their pass-catching abilities, sometimes wide receivers are used to run the ball, usually in some form of end-around or reverse. This can be effective because the defense usually does not expect them to be the carrier on running plays. For example, wide receiver Jerry Rice rushed the ball 87 times for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns in his 20 NFL seasons, in even rarer cases, receivers may pass the ball as part of a trick play. Despite the infrequency of these plays, some receivers have proven to be capable passers, wide receivers may also serve on special teams as kick returners or punt returners, as gunners on kick coverage teams, or as part of the hands team during onside kicks. Finally, on errant passes, receivers must frequently play a role by attempting to prevent an interception. If a pass is intercepted, receivers must use their speed to chase down, in the NFL, wide receivers can use the numbers 10–19 and 80–89. The wide receiver out of a position known as the end. Originally, the played on the offensive line, immediately next to the tackles. By the rules governing the forward pass, ends and backs are eligible receivers, most early football teams used the ends as receivers sparingly, their position often left them in heavy traffic with many defenders around. By the 1930s, some teams were experimenting with moving one end far out near the sideline and these split ends became the prototype for the modern wide receiver
29.
Point guard
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The point guard, also called the one or point, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position, point guards are expected to run the teams offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right players at the right time. A point guard, like other player positions in basketball, specializes in certain skills, a point guards primary job is to facilitate scoring opportunities for his/her team, or sometimes for themselves. Lee Rose has described a point guard as a coach on the floor and this involves setting up plays on the court, getting the ball to the teammate in the best position to score, and controlling the tempo of the game. A point guard should know when and how to instigate a fast break, point guards are expected to be vocal floor leaders. A point guard needs always to have in mind the times on the clock and the game clock, the score. Among the taller players who have enjoyed success at the position is Magic Johnson, other point guards who have been named NBA MVP include Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Derrick Rose and two-time winners Stephen Curry and Steve Nash. In the NBA, point guards are usually about 65 or shorter, having above-average size is considered advantageous, although size is secondary to situational awareness, speed, quickness, and ball handling skills. Shorter players tend to be better dribblers since they are closer to the floor, after an opponent scores, it is typically the point guard who brings the ball down court to begin an offensive play. Passing skills, ball handling, and court vision are crucial, speed is important, a speedy point guard is better able to create separation and space off the dribble, giving him/herself room to work. Point guards are often valued more for their assist totals than for their scoring, another major evaluation factor is Assist-to-Turnover ratio, which reflects the decision-making skills of the player. Still, a point guard should also have a reasonably effective jump shot. The point guard is positioned on the perimeter of the play and this is a necessity because of the point guards many leadership obligations. Many times, the point guard is referred to by announcers as a coach on the floor or a floor general, in the past, this was particularly true, as several point guards such as Lenny Wilkens served their teams as player-coaches. This is not so common anymore, as most coaches are now solely specialized in coaching and are non-players, former Suns head coach Mike DAntoni had often allowed Steve Nash to freelance when leading the Suns offense, even letting him call his own plays at times. Even point guards who are not given this much freedom, however, are extensions of their coach on the floor. John Stockton is widely considered to be the point guard. He also used the pick and roll maneuvre with Karl Malone, along with leadership and a general basketball acumen, ball-handling is a skill of great importance to a point guard
30.
Basketball
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Basketball is a non-contact team sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of five players each. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high that is mounted to a backboard at each end of the court. The game was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket being defended by the opposition team during regular play. A field goal scores three points for the team if the player shoots from behind the three-point line. A team can also score via free throws, which are worth one point, the team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but additional time is mandated when the score is tied at the end of regulation. The ball can be advanced on the court by passing it to a teammate and it is a violation to lift, or drag, ones pivot foot without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling. The game has many techniques for displaying skill—ball-handling, shooting, passing, dribbling, dunking, shot-blocking. The point guard directs the on court action of the team, implementing the coachs game plan, Basketball is one of the worlds most popular and widely viewed sports. Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the Euroleague, the FIBA Basketball World Cup attracts the top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for teams, like EuroBasket. The FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup features the top womens basketball teams from continental championships. The main North American league is the WNBA, whereas the EuroLeague Women has been dominated by teams from the Russian Womens Basketball Premier League, in early December 1891, Canadian Dr. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied, after rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot elevated track. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball and these laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith, dribbling was not part of the original game except for the bounce pass to teammates. Passing the ball was the means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the shape of early balls. Dribbling only became a part of the game around the 1950s
31.
Sprint (running)
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Sprinting is running over a short distance in a limited period of time. It is used in sports that incorporate running, typically as a way of quickly reaching a target or goal. In athletics and track and field, sprints are races over short distances and they are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, there are three sprinting events which are currently held at the Summer Olympics and outdoor World Championships, the 100 metres,200 metres, and 400 metres. The set position differs depending on the start, body alignment is of key importance in producing the optimal amount of force. Ideally the athlete should begin in a 4-point stance and push off using both legs for maximum force production, athletes remain in the same lane on the running track throughout all sprinting events, with the sole exception of the 400 m indoors. Races up to 100 m are largely focused upon acceleration to a maximum speed. All sprints beyond this distance increasingly incorporate an element of endurance, the 60 metres is a khaled and Rion indoor event and it is an indoor world championship event. Less common events include the 50 metres,55 metres,300 metres, biological factors that determine a sprinters potential include, The 60 metres is normally run indoors, on a straight section of an indoor athletic track. Since races at this distance can last around six or seven seconds, having good reflexes and this is roughly the distance required for a human to reach maximum speed and can be run with one breath. It is popular for training and testing in other sports, the world record in this event is held by American sprinter Maurice Greene with a time of 6.39 seconds. 60-metres is used as a distance by younger athletes when starting sprint racing. Note, Indoor distances are less standardized as many facilities run shorter or occasionally longer distances depending on available space, the 100 metres sprint takes place on one length of the home straight of a standard outdoor 400 m track. Often, the holder in this race is considered the worlds fastest man/woman. The current world record of 9.58 seconds is held by Usain Bolt of Jamaica and was set on 16 August 2009, the womens world record is 10.49 seconds and was set by Florence Griffith-Joyner. World class male sprinters need 41 to 50 strides to cover the whole 100 metres distances, the 200 metres begins on the curve of a standard track, and ends on the home straight. The ability to run a good bend is key at the distance, as a well conditioned runner will typically be able to run 200 m in an average speed higher than their 100 m speed. Usain Bolt, however, ran 200 m in the time of 19.19 sec, an average speed of 10.422 m/s, whereas he ran 100 m in the world-record time of 9.58 sec
32.
Track and field
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Track and field is a sport which includes athletic contests established on the skills of running, jumping, and throwing. The name is derived from the sports venue, a stadium with an oval running track enclosing a grass field where the throwing and jumping events take place. Track and field is categorised under the sport of athletics, which also includes road running, cross country running. The foot racing events, which include sprints, middle- and long-distance events, the jumping and throwing events are won by the athlete who achieves the greatest distance or height. Regular jumping events include long jump, triple jump, high jump and pole vault, while the most common throwing events are shot put, javelin, discus and hammer. There are also combined events or multi events, such as the pentathlon consisting of five events, heptathlon consisting of seven events, in these, athletes participate in a combination of track and field events. Most track and field events are individual sports with a victor, the most prominent team events are relay races. Events are almost exclusively divided by gender, although both the mens and womens competitions are held at the same venue. It is one of the oldest sports, in ancient times, it was an event held in conjunction with festivals and sports meets such as the Ancient Olympic Games in Greece. The ancient Olympic Games began in the year 776 BC, when Koroibos, a cook from the city of Elis, won the stadium race. According to some traditions, this was the only athletic event of the games for the first 13 Olympic festivals. In modern times, the two most prestigious track and field competitions are athletics competition at the Olympic Games and the IAAF World Championships in Athletics. The International Association of Athletics Federations is the governing body. Records are kept of the best performances in specific events, at world and national levels, however, if athletes are deemed to have violated the events rules or regulations, they are disqualified from the competition and their marks are erased. In North America, the track and field may be used to refer to other athletics events, such as the marathon. The sport of track and field has its roots in human prehistory, Track and field-style events are among the oldest of all sporting competitions, as running, jumping and throwing are natural and universal forms of human physical expression. The first recorded examples of organized track and field events at a festival are the Ancient Olympic Games. At the first Games in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece, only one event was contested, Track and field events were also present at the Panhellenic Games in Greece around this period, and they spread to Rome in Italy around 200 BC
33.
100 metres
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The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and it has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896 for men and since 1928 for women. The reigning 100 m Olympic champion is named the fastest runner in the world. The World Championships 100 metres has been contested since 1983, jamaicans Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce are the reigning world champions, Bolt and Elaine Thompson are the Olympic champions in the mens and womens 100 metres, respectively. On an outdoor 400 metres running track, the 100 m is run on the home straight, runners begin in the starting blocks and the race begins when an official fires the starters pistol. Sprinters typically reach top speed after somewhere between 50–60 m and their speed then slows towards the finish line. The 10-second barrier has historically been a barometer of fast mens performances, the current mens world record is 9.58 seconds, set by Jamaicas Usain Bolt in 2009, while the womens world record of 10.49 seconds set by American Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988 remains unbroken. The 100 m emerged from the metrication of the 100 yards, the event is largely held outdoors as few indoor facilities have a 100 m straight. US athletes have won the mens Olympic 100 metres title more times than any country,16 out of the 28 times that it has been run. US women have dominated the event winning 9 out of 21 times. At the start, some athletes play psychological games such as trying to be last to the starting blocks, at high level meets, the time between the gun and first kick against the starting block is measured electronically, via sensors built in the gun and the blocks. A reaction time less than 0.1 s is considered a false start, the 0. 2-second interval accounts for the sum of the time it takes for the sound of the starters pistol to reach the runners ears, and the time they take to react to it. For many years a sprinter was disqualified if responsible for two false starts individually, however, this rule allowed some major races to be restarted so many times that the sprinters started to lose focus. The next iteration of the rule, introduced in February 2003, meant that one false start was allowed among the field, but anyone responsible for a subsequent false start was disqualified. To avoid such abuse and to improve spectator enjoyment, the IAAF implemented a change in the 2010 season – a false starting athlete now receives immediate disqualification. This proposal was met with objections when first raised in 2005, justin Gatlin commented, Just a flinch or a leg cramp could cost you a years worth of work. The rule had an impact at the 2011 World Championships. Runners normally reach their top speed just past the point of the race
34.
Indiana Hoosiers
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The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the colloquial term for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 22 sports, the schools official colors are crimson and cream. The Indiana Hoosiers have won 24 NCAA national championships and one with the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, the Hoosiers athletic program is perhaps best known for its basketball program, with its five NCAA Championships tying for third in history. Indianas 1976 squad squad remains the last undefeated NCAA mens basketball champion, a 2012 study listed Indiana as the third most valuable collegiate basketball program in the country. Additionally, Hoosiers athletics is well known for its program, by a number of indicators. Indiana has two main rivalries including in-state, with the Purdue Boilermakers, and a rivalry against the Kentucky Wildcats. The schools official colors are cream and crimson, the official IU Crimson is Pantone®201. However, in the 1970s former basketball coach Bob Knight and football coach Lee Corso started using uniforms that were more scarlet or bright red, during the same time, cream gave way almost universally to white. Indiana cheerleaders still chant Go Big Red, the changes over the years has led to some clashing of colors in some varsity sport uniforms, as is the case with the baseball teams jackets being a different color than their caps and uniforms. Athletic Director Fred Glass said, My view is that were an awfully big, I think cream and crimson and Go Big Red can survive in one place. Only four other major college programs claim crimson as their dominant color, Alabama, Harvard, Oklahoma, and only Oklahoma pairs crimson with cream. The school does not have a mascot, but student-athletes are known as Hoosiers, a bulldog named Ox served as the football teams mascot from 1959–1965. Indiana had a bison as its mascot in the late 1960s, but that mascot didn’t go over well with fans and was quickly abandoned. The Indiana Hoosiers have two fight songs – Indiana, Our Indiana and Indiana Fight. – along with an alma mater song, Hail to Old IU. Indianas most recognized song, Indiana, Our Indiana, was first performed by the IU Band in November,1912 at a football game against Northwestern. The song has since played at every Indiana football and basketball game. Indianas popular fight song melody is Indiana Fight, though the words are rarely sung at an Indiana sporting event. The crowd usually just sings GO, indianas official Alma Mater song, Hail to Old IU was first performed on March 10,1893 in Indianapolis
35.
National Football League Draft
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The National Football League Draft, also called the player selection meeting, is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players. It serves as the leagues most common source of player recruitment, from this position, the team can either select a player or trade their position to another team for other draft positions, a player or players, or any combination thereof. The round is complete when each team has selected a player or traded its draft position. Currently the draft consists of seven rounds, the original rationale in creating the draft was to increase the competitive parity between the teams as the worst team would, ideally, have chosen the best player available. In the early years of the draft, players were based on hearsay, print media. In the 1940s, some franchises began employing full-time scouts, the ensuing success of their corresponding teams eventually forced the other franchises to also hire scouts. Colloquially, the name of the each year takes on the form of the NFL season in which players picked could begin playing. For example, the 2010 NFL draft was for the 2010 NFL season, however, the NFL-defined name of the process has changed since its inception. The location of the draft has continually changed over the years to more fans. The drafts popularity now garners prime-time television coverage, in recent years, the NFL draft has occurred in late April or early May. The 2015 and 2016 NFL drafts were held in Chicago, in late 1934, Art Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, gave the right of usage of two players to the New York Giants because Rooneys team had no chance to participate in the post-season. After the owner of the Boston Redskins, George Preston Marshall, protested the transaction, at a league meeting in December 1934, the NFL introduced a waiver rule to prevent such transactions. Any player released by a team during the season would be able to be claimed by other teams, the selection order to claim the player would be in inverse order to the teams standings at the time. Throughout this time, Bert Bell, co-owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, felt his teams lack of competitiveness on the field made it difficult for the Eagles to sell tickets and to be profitable. As a result, the NFL was dominated by the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Giants, and Redskins. At a league meeting on May 18,1935, Bell proposed a draft be instituted to enhance the possibility of competitive parity on the field in order to ensure the viability of all franchises. His proposal was adopted unanimously that day, although the first draft would not occur until the next off-season. The rules for the selection of the players in the first draft were, first, from this pool, each franchise would select, in inverse order to their teams record in the previous year, a player
36.
NFL Scouting Combine
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With increasing interest in the NFL draft, the scouting combine has grown in scope and significance, allowing personnel directors to evaluate upcoming prospects in a standardized setting. Its origins have evolved from the National, BLESTO, and Quadra Scouting organizations in 1977 to the event it has become today. Implications of a performance during the combine can affect their draft status and salary. The 2017 NFL scouting combine occurred from February 28,2017 to March 6,2017, tex Schramm, the president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1989, proposed to the NFL competition committee a centralization of the evaluation process for NFL teams. Prior to 1982, teams had to schedule individual visits with players to run them through drills, the national invitational camp was first held in Tampa, Florida, in 1982. It was originated by National Football Scouting, Inc. as a means for member organizations to look at NFL draft prospects, for non-member teams, two other camps were created and used 1982–1984. The NIC was renamed the NFL scouting combine following the merger of the three camps in 1985 to cut the cost of running the extra camps, the NIC was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1984 before the merger. It was held in Arizona in 1985 and once again in New Orleans in 1986 before permanently moving to Indianapolis in 1987, the NFL is now questioning the drills and may change them in the next few years. In fact, the Lyons et al. study suggests that a prospects past performance in college is an indicator of future NFL performance than the aforementioned physical ability tests. At the NFL combine, bench press is used as a test of strength and stamina, since 1998, only fifteen men at the combine have managed to achieve more than 40 reps. 51 reps, Justin Ernest NFL Combine record holder and it is now known simply as BLESTO despite the fact that the Bears and Eagles are no longer members. The groups offices stayed in Pittsburgh until 2007 when the headquarters moved to Jacksonville, Florida, CEPO, formed in 1964, was a joint venture of the Colts, Browns, Packers and Cardinals. National Football Scouting is now simply as The National. Another scouting organization formed in 1964 was Troika, launched by the Cowboys, Rams and it was renamed Quadra when the Saints joined in 1967. Quadra no longer exists, its members now all belong to The National. As of the 2015 season, eighteen franchises participate in The National, each of the six non-affiliated teams relies on its in-house scouting staffs. In a typical year, there are about 330 invited players, about 250 invitations are sent before bowl games are completed to those who have completed their seasons. However, underclassmen have until mid-January to confirm their draft status, invitations are made to those receiving supermajority support from the selection committee
37.
Miami Dolphins
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The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football franchise based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues American Football Conference East division. The Dolphins play their games at Hard Rock Stadium in the northern suburb of Miami Gardens, Florida. The Dolphins and the Atlanta Falcons are the oldest NFL franchises in the Deep South, however, of the four AFC East teams, they are the only team in the division that was not a charter member of the American Football League. The Dolphins team was founded by attorney-politician Joe Robbie and actor-comedian Danny Thomas and they began play in the AFL in 1966. For the first few years the Dolphins full-time training camp and practice facilities were at Saint Andrews School, in 1970 the Dolphins joined the NFL when the AFL–NFL merger occurred. The team made its first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl VI, Miami also appeared in Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XIX, losing both games. For most of their history, the Dolphins were coached by Don Shula. Under Shula, the Dolphins posted losing records in two of his 26 seasons as the head coach. During the period spanning 1983 to the end of 1999, quarterback Dan Marino became one of the most prolific passers in NFL history, Marino led the Dolphins to five division titles,10 playoff appearances, and Super Bowl XIX before retiring following the 1999 season. During the summer of 1966, the Dolphins training camp was in St. Pete Beach with practices in August at Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport. The Dolphins had a combined 15–39–2 record in their first four seasons under head coach George Wilson, before Don Shula was hired as head coach. Shula was a Paul Brown disciple who had been lured from the Baltimore Colts after losing Super Bowl III two seasons earlier to the AFLs New York Jets and finishing 8–5–1 the following season. Interestingly, Shula got his first NFL coaching job from then-Detroit Head Coach George Wilson, when Shula replaced Wilson at Miami the Colts charged the Dolphins with tampering in their hiring of Shula, costing the Dolphins their first round draft pick in 1971. Shula introduced himself to the Miami press by saying that he didnt have any magic formulas, Shulas early training camps with the Dolphins, with four workouts a day, would soon be the stuff of sweltering, painful legend. But Shulas hard work paid dividends, as Miami improved to a 10–4 record and their first-ever playoff appearance. The Dolphins were successful in the early 1970s, becoming the first team to advance to the AFC Championship for three consecutive seasons and they captured the AFC championship in 1971 behind quarterback Bob Griese, running backs Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick, and wide receiver Paul Warfield. The AFC Divisional Playoff Game, in which the Dolphins defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, was the longest contest in NFL history, in Super Bowl VI, however, Miami lost to the Dallas Cowboys 24–3
38.
Chad Henne
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Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He attended the University of Michigan and he was subsequently rewarded as the games MVP after throwing for over 350 yards. Hennes professional career began when he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the fifty-seventh overall selection in the round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Henne spent most of his season on the bench, being the back-up to veteran quarterback Chad Pennington. In his second season with the Dolphins, Henne started in the last 13 games of the 2009 season after Pennington was unable to due to an injury. In 2000, five games into his season at Wilson Senior High School in West Lawn, Pennsylvania. After putting up quality numbers, the Bulldogs coach decided to allow Henne to finish the season as the starter, finishing the 2000 season on a high note, Henne ended up starting his sophomore year and ultimately the rest of his high school career. Before his first game as a senior, Henne announced his plans to become a Wolverine at the University of Michigan. By the end of his year in 2004, Henne had thrown for a total of 7,071 passing yards. Following high school, Henne played in the 2004 U. S. Army All-American Bowl as a member of the East team. In 2004, Henne entered the season as a freshman for the Wolverines, the Monday prior to the season opener against Miami, Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr announced Gutierrez would start even though he was suffering from a sore shoulder. A few days later Carr decided to allow Henne to start in relief of Gutierrez, Henne ended his first career game with a 43–10 win, completing 14 of 24 passes for 142 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Henne was just the true freshman in Michigan history to start on opening day. Alongside freshman running back Mike Hart, he galvanized an explosive offensive unit that featured receivers Braylon Edwards, Jason Avant, all five would later go on to the NFL. Hennes freshman season was highlighted by a win over in-state rival Michigan State. He also tied the Michigan season record for passes with 25. Henne was criticized in 2005 after Michigan, ranked in the top five of the preseason polls, after their 3–3 start, Michigan won four consecutive games to clinch the programs 21st consecutive winning season. As a junior in 2006, Henne earned Rivals. com All-American third-team honors and he was a Manning Award finalist, Maxwell Award semifinalist, Davey OBrien Award semifinalist and Walter Camp Award candidate
39.
Minnesota Vikings
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The Minnesota Vikings are an American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as a team in 1960. The team competes in the National Football Conference North division, before that, the Vikings were in the NFC Central, the team has played in four Super Bowl games, but lost each one. The team plays its games at U. S. Bank Stadium in the Downtown East section of Minneapolis, professional football in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area began with the Minneapolis Marines/Red Jackets, an NFL team that played intermittently in the 1920s and 1930s. However, a new team in the area did not surface again until August 1959. Skoglund, and Max Winter were awarded a franchise in the new American Football League. Ole Haugsrud was added to the NFL team ownership because, in the 1920s, when he sold his Duluth Eskimos team back to the league, the agreement allowed him 10 percent of any future Minnesota team. Coincidentally or not, the teams from Ole Haugsruds high school, Central High School in Superior, Wisconsin, were called the Vikings. From the teams first season in 1961 to 1981, the team called Metropolitan Stadium in suburban Bloomington home, the Vikings conducted summer training camp at Bemidji State University from 1961 to 1965. In 1966, the moved to their current training camp at Minnesota State University in Mankato. The Vikings played their games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis from 1982 to 2013. The Vikings played their last game at the Metrodome on December 29,2013, since the teams first season in 1961, the Vikings have had one of the highest winning percentages in the NFL. As of 2014, they have won at least three games in every season except in 1962, and are one of only six NFL teams to win at least 15 games in a regular season. The Vikings have won one NFL Championship, in 1969, before the merger with the American Football League. Since the league merger in 1970, they have qualified for the playoffs 26 times, the team has played in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, and XI, though failing to win any of them. In addition, they have lost in their last five NFC Championship Game appearances since 1978, the team currently has 13 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team was named the Minnesota Vikings on September 27,1960
40.
Bernard Berrian
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Bernard Berrian is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State, Berrian also played for the Minnesota Vikings. Berrian was born in Spain, and grew up in Winton, Berrian attended Atwater High School in Atwater, California, where he played football and basketball and ran track. He was named Modesto Bee player of the year in 1998, cal High All-Northern California team member. He was known as an explosive two-way starter for Atwater High School, in track & field, he competed in the 200- and 400-meter dashes, recording times of 22.6 in the 200m and 50.6 in the 400m. The Chicago Bears selected Berrian with the 78th pick in the 3rd round of the 2004 NFL Draft, Berrian spent a majority of his early years with the Bears as a back-up wide receiver and return specialist. His playtime increased during the 2005 Chicago Bears season, but an injury kept him sidelined for a portion of the season, Berrian returned to play during the Bears NFC Divisional game against the Carolina Panthers, but eventually was forced to leave after sustaining an injury. During the early half of the 2006 Chicago Bears season, Berrian emerged as one of the Bearss most productive receivers, on November 5,2006, Berrian suffered an injury to his ribs during a game against the Miami Dolphins. According to Berrian, he sustained the injury after hitting the ground during the very first play of the game, Berrian returned from the injury after missing only one game, but struggled at times. His surrogate, Mark Bradley, momentarily became the Bears deep threat, Berrian finished the regular season as the Bears second leading wide receiver, only a few catches behind team leader Muhsin Muhammad. During the 2006 playoffs, in the divisional game against the Seattle Seahawks, Berrian caught five passes for 105 yards. The Chicago Bears went on to win 27-24 in overtime, in the NFC championship game against the New Orleans Saints, Berrian led the Bears with five receptions for 85 yards. He also made a clutch, 33-yard diving touchdown reception behind a jumping Fred Thomas, giving the Bears an eleven-point lead, well after the seasons conclusion, the catch was named one of the Bears top ten plays in 2006. Berrian played in Super Bowl XLI against the Indianapolis Colts, where he caught four passes for 38 yards, Berrian was in the last year of his contract with the Bears and the Bears chose not to put a franchise tag on Berrian. The Bears had to wait until the Free Agency period on February 29,2008 for Berrian to become a free agent. On March 1,2008, Berrian signed a six-year, $42 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings that included $16 million in guaranteed money and his first touchdown as a Viking was against the New Orleans Saints which tied up the game 27–27 they would later win that game 30-27. He led all wideouts with 102 yards off a career playoff-high nine catches and he also caught an 86-yard catch and run against the Lions
41.
Brett Favre
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Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings. Favre was the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for 500 touchdowns, throw for over 70,000 yards, over 6,000 completions, and over 10,000 pass attempts. Favre started at the position for the University of Southern Mississippi for four years before being selected in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft by Atlanta. He was traded to Green Bay on February 10,1992, Favre became the Packers starting quarterback in the fourth game of the 1992 season, stepping in for injured quarterback Don Majkowski, and started every game through the 2007 season. He was traded to the New York Jets and started at quarterback for the 2008 season before signing with the Vikings on August 18,2009 as their starting quarterback and he made an NFL record 297 consecutive starts. He is the player to win the AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award three consecutive times, and is one of only six quarterbacks to have won the award as well as the Super Bowl in the same season. He has led teams to eight division championships, five NFC Championship Games and he holds many NFL records, including most career pass completions, most career pass attempts, most career interceptions thrown, most consecutive starts by a player, most sacked, and most fumbles. At the time of his retirement, he was the NFLs all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns and he is also referred to by his nickname The Gunslinger. Favre was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016, Favre was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, the son of Bonita Ann and Irvin Ernest Favre, and raised in the small town of Kiln. Both his parents were schoolteachers in the Hancock County School District and he is of part French ancestry. He was the second of four children and attended Hancock North Central High School, Favre started for the Hancock North Central baseball team as an eighth-grader and earned five varsity letters. Irvin Favre said he knew his son had a great arm, as a result, in the three years Brett was on the team, his father ran the wishbone, a run-oriented offense. Favre rarely threw more than five passes in a game, after high school, Southern Mississippi offered Favre a football scholarship, which was the only one he received. Southern Miss wanted him to defensive back, but Favre wanted to play quarterback instead. Favre began his year as the seventh-string quarterback and took over the starting position in the second half of the third game of the year against Tulane on September 19,1987. Favre, despite suffering a hangover from the night before and vomiting during warm-ups, Favre started ten games during his freshman year and won six of them. In his junior season, Favre led the Golden Eagles to an upset of Florida State on September 2,1989, Favre capped a six-and-a-half-minute drive with the game-winning touchdown pass with 23 seconds remaining
