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Saturday, 28 June 2008 16:00 |
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Though the game was invented and popularized by the YMCA, the organization was discouraging basketball within a decade of its creation, stating that the rough play and animated crowds detracted from their main mission. Basketball wouldn’t fade, however, as other clubs and colleges filled the gap. Before the first World War, the Amateur Athletic Union and Intercollegiate Athletic Association were the dominant clubs. Naismith actually assisted in developing the college basketball game as well, coaching for six years at the University of Kansas. One of his protégés, Amos Alonzo Stagg, spread the game to the University of Chicago, and Adolph Rupp (a former student in Kansas) became a successful coach at the University of Kentucky. The college leagues began in the 1920’s, with the first national championship (the National Invitation Tournament or NIT) taking place in 1938. The current incarnation of the college basketball league is the NCAA. With over 330 teams competing in 31 various conferences, the NCAA is one of the largest sports leagues in the world. In fact, the yearly NCAA Championship tournament is just as popular among viewers as the World Series of baseball, the Superbowl of football, and sometimes even more popular than the Stanley Cup of hockey. Check out our baseball odds when you are looking to bet on baseball this season. |
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Saturday, 28 June 2008 14:01 |
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The Staples Center, located in Los Angeles, California, is the home court of three teams: the Lakers, the Clippers, and the Kings. It contains a total of 12 locker rooms and dressing rooms, with specifically designated rooms for each of the three home teams. Having opened in October of 1999, it is a fairly new facility with lots of new technology. There are 1,200 television monitors throughout the facility, and spectators can choose from 23 different refreshment stands in five separate concourse areas (there are also two restaurants in the arena). The arena accommodates just short of 19,000 people for a basketball game. Madison Square Garden has been the name of four separate arenas in New York, with the original having been in the Garden itself. The Garden, as it is referred to in short, is the home of the New York Knicks, as well as the New York Liberty (of the WNBA). It also houses home games for the Red Storms (St. John’s college basketball team) and is actually one of the busiest venues in the United States, hosting a total of 320 events each year. For a standard game of basketball, the arena seats 19,763 and features 20,976 square feet of floor space. For the latest Basketball odds, check us out.
For Basketball betting systems, check our Systems page. |
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Wednesday, 14 May 2008 04:00 |
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Larry Joe Bird was born in December of 1956 and is listed among the greatest NBA basketball players of all time. His induction to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame took place in 1988. In 1978, he was the sixth overall draft pick, taken by the Boston Celtics, with whom he spent his entire 13-year career. He played small forward and power forward positions for the team. Bird retired as a player in 1992, proceeding to take a position as assistant in the front office for the Celtics until 1997. At that time, he became the head coach for the Indiana Pacers and remained so until 2000. In 2003, he took on the job of president of basketball operations for the Pacers, which he still holds. Born in West Baden Springs, Indiana, Bird grew up here and in the neighboring town of French Lick (thus the nickname “Hick from French Lick”). Bird’s family had financial troubles throughout his childhood, but his mother always made sure the children had what was needed. At times, Bird was sent to live with his grandmother due to the family’s struggles. In high school, Bird was a star player and left his high school as its all time scorer. He attended Indiana University in 1976 on a basketball scholarship (a school with one of the best college basketball programs in the nation), but left the school, homesick, after only a month. He attended community college for a brief stint, then enrolled in Indiana State University, leading his basketball team to the NCAA Championships in 1979 (his senior year). There are much more sports information available at easybaseballbetting. |
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