Made Moon Blog

Falcons and Lions Talk Turkey …

Atlanta dropped to 6-4 (SU) and 5-5 (ATS) after losing in consecutive weeks for the first time all season. This mini-slump can mainly be attributed to turnovers and penalties, as the soaring Falcons offense managed 52 points in the two setbacks. Atlanta still boasts the NFL’s top overland attack pounding out an eye-opening 176.2 rushing yards per game.

Even though the overmatched Paper Lions offense has been outgained in 7 of 10 games this season, their tandem of DT Wilkinson and DT Rogers might be what the doctored ordered against one dimensional Atlanta. After all, the run-stuffing duo spearhead a Detroit run defense permitting just 82.4 yards (!!!) on 3.4 yards per carry when at Ford Field this season.

This is a large reason why the Lions have scratched out an enviable 4-1 (ATS) mark in their last five home games And who can argue with the magic of the Motor City on Thanksgiving Day, where the host has won and covered seven of their last eleven.

Surging Broncos a Burr in Cowboys Saddle?

The second installment of Turkey Day’s double header matches the Broncos and Cowboys from “Big D”.

Denver grounded the Jets 27-0 in its latest game, which improved the Orange Ponies to an in the green 8-1 (SU) and 7-2-1 (ATS) their past nine on the board. The Broncos second ranked ground attack has now galloped for 196, 121, 255, 191, 178, 165, 188, and 221 rushing yards in its past eight tilts.

This is anything but an easy out though, as Denver takes to the road on just three days rest and will face a tough Dallas team that happens to be playing its second straight home game. Make no mistake; this is a BIG deal as far as performance is concerned. Let’s also not forget the Cowboys 5th ranked defense in the NFL has given up fewer than 14 points in six of its past seven tilts.

Good luck today, be safe and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

William Foote is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League.
Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com/William_Foote.htm

Throughout my maddening two-year struggle with target panic, I sought to fix my problem with a long list possible cures. Some were suggested to me, some I read about in books and articles, and the rest were original ideas based upon my own understanding of target panic. I firmly believe target panic is a learned behavior developed through the act of shooting your bow over and over again. This repetition, over time, causes us to release the arrow sooner and sooner. The target acts as a stimulus and our response upon bringing our bow on target is to release immediately. Apprehension over shooting in front of others or in pressure situations tends to exacerbate the problem. The feeling of target panic is an overwhelming urge to shoot resulting in a loss of mental and physical control of the shooting process.

One of the possible cures I tried is called rotational aiming. I read about it in a book about compound archery. I liked this method because it helps you to improve your level of control over the shooting process (i.e. form, draw, hold, release). Target panic essentially causes a loss of control, and counteracting this loss of control with control practice, in theory, should help. Here is how it works. Set up six or eight spots in a circular pattern on an otherwise blank bale. I used 1 in. by 1 in. florescent stickers I found at a drug store. Space them roughly five or six inches apart. Stand two or three yards away, draw your bow, and focus (aim) on one of the spots. Hold on the spot for two or three seconds and then rotate to the next spot and do the same. Continue around the circle in this fashion until your muscles grow weary, at this point go ahead and release your arrow at one of the spots. Repeat the process until you feel you are in better control of your shooting. When you go back to your normal practice, you should feel more in control and less influenced by your target panic symptoms.

In my case, rotational aiming did in fact help improve my shooting and relieve my target panic symptoms to some degree. However, it wasn’t a cure for target panic. My target panic symptoms would always return shortly after these practice sessions, but I did find rotational aiming valuable. Eventually, I was able to cure my target panic permanently using a technique called the Push Release.

Bird Watching is a great way to escape the rat race and be one with nature. Alas, your bird watching experiences can fade with time. The best way to prevent this is to keep a bird watching journal for your sightings and trips.

Bird Watching Journals

Take a minute to give some consideration to your most recent bird watching experience. What sticks out in your mind? Now think about the first time you ever went bird watching. Undoubtedly, you remember few things about the geography, people you went with, every bird sighted and so on. The experiences you’ve forgotten are lost to time. If you had kept a bird watching journal, this wouldn’t be the case.

There are famous instances of people keeping journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank’s Diary is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a running commentary of the two years her family spent hiding from the Nazis. While your bird watching experiences better be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will let you remember them as the years pass.

A good bird watching journal combines a number of characteristics. First, it should be compact so you don’t have to take up unnecessary space for other things. Second, it should have a case to protect it from rain, spills and so on. Third, the journal should contain blank areas to write your notes. Fourth, the journal should contain cue spaces to remind you to keep notes on specific things. Cues should include:

1. Who you went birding with,

2. Where you stayed and if you enjoyed it,

3. Who you met and contact information for them,

4. The geographic and weather conditions, and

5. The birds you sighted and added to your life list.

At the end of the trip, you should be able to get the following from your journal:

1. Contact information for other bird watchers and people you met,

2. Enough detail to provide you or a friend with a guide if you travel to the location a second time.

3. Memories to reflect upon years later, and

4. Something to pass on to your children and grandchildren.

To get the most out of your bird watching journal, you should write in it during and immediately after birding. Every sighting brings new experiences even if you’re just sitting in your backyard.

Bird watching is a great way to commune with nature. Make sure to preserve the experience.

Rick Chapo is with www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals for outdoor activities and traveling. Visit www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read articles and stories on travel and outdoor activities.

The Outdoor Life Network has broken into the NHL hockey broadcast market. Rights to show 58 regular season games and some playoff were obtained by cable giant Comcast for $200 million US. ESPN, who has carried NHL hockey for 20 years declined to match the offer from Comcast.

I think this is a good move for OLN as NHL hockey looks to make a fresh start after a long lockout wiped out the entire 2004/05 season. The changes made to level the competitive playing field on and off the ice will generate a lot of interest from hockey fans and OLN will cash in on this.

The rules have been modified somewhat in an attempt to make the game faster and more entertaining to new and borderline hockey fans in the US. The new $39 million team salary cap will eliminate the past disparities in total salaries paid for each team. Some team payrolls were over $70 million while poorer market teams barely cracked the $20 million mark. This gave big market teams a distinct advantage when it came to attracting the more expensive star players.

Revenue sharing was another important ingredient in the new labor deal which came out of the lockout. The new system requires the top ten revenue generating teams to share some of their earnings with the bottom ten teams in the 30 team league.

The new NHL is poised to become a major player in the professional sports market once again and ESPN will be sitting on the sidelines.

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