sport Archives - A Million Lives

May 30, 2018 by Greg Underwood

Ryan Grigson on the History of the NFL

The NFL was officially started on September 17, 1920. Various enterprising men came together and formed what was then called the American Professional Football Association (AFPA). Two years later, it was renamed the National Football League (NFL), with football quickly becoming this country’s favorite sport. Jim Thorpe was the first president of the NFL as well as being a professional player himself. He added a lot of popularity and credibility to the sport. Ryan Grigson, who is now the personnel manager for the Cleveland Browns, felt it was time to take a proper look at the NFL’s history, however.

Ryan Grigson’s Take on the NFL History

While the AFPA was started in 1920 and became the NFL by 1922, pro football began in 1892, when William Heffelfinger, a Yale student, paid against the Allegheny Athletic Association and was paid $500 for this, then a hefty sum. This game took place on November 12, 1892 and was the start of professional football. However, for many years, it was played almost exclusively in Pennsylvania, before moving on to Ohio and other Midwestern states and, finally, the rest of the country.

Initially, there were a number of problems faced by the sport, not in the least getting professional recognition, controlling the players, and having real rules in place. This all improved when the AFPA was formed. 11 different teams (franchises) were represented at the first meeting of the AFPA and, by September 26, 1920, they had agreed on their first game. This took place at Rock Island, IL’s Douglas Park between the Independents and the St Paul Ideals. The following week, the first true league game took place.

Today, two of the original teams that made up the first 11 AFPA franchises still exist. They are the Decatur Staleys, who became the Chicago Bears after a move to Chicago; and the Chicago Cardinals, who became the Arizona Cardinals after they moved to Arizona.

People like Ryan Grigson understand the important role the development of the NFL has played in the overall development of this country. Football is truly a national sport, but also one that is linked to many other things. While the ultimate aim for any football fan is to play in the NFL, even those who don’t make it that far are sometimes able to gain an education thanks to their football skills, albeit only if they also perform well academically at high school and in university. As such, it is a sport that has a strong focus on education, which is something to be applauded.

Where the NFL will head is anybody’s guess. What is known, however, is that they will forever play an important role in all that makes America great. From entertainment to education, from social events to geographical pride, football brings all of it together and the NFL makes it all possible in a way that allows everybody to enjoy it. Ryan Grigson, meanwhile, is part of the executive team of football, which means he works behind the scenes to make great changes.

May 11, 2018 by Greg Underwood

7 Saltwater Fishing Tips You’ll Wish You Knew Earlier

If you want to have a successful saltwater fishing trip, then you won’t want to miss this article. Here you’ll find 7 saltwater fishing tips you’ll wish you knew earlier.

Are you thinking of giving saltwater fishing a try on your next family vacation?

Are you interested in learning more about how to catch your own fish so that you can prepare the freshest possible meals for your family?

Would you just like to spend more time outdoors — and think that trying ocean fishing is the best way to do it?

If so, then you need to read this post.

In it, we’re sharing some of our best saltwater fishing tips.

Whether you’re just getting started or are looking to up your fishing game, we know you’ll be able to put this advice to good use.

1. Give Guided Fishing a Try

Especially if you’re just getting familiar with saltwater fishing basics, then you may not want to try going at it alone.

In addition to lacking knowledge about the general migration patterns of fish, especially if you’re giving fishing in the ocean a shot, you don’t want to put your safety at risk.

Luckily, there are tons of guided fishing options available to you and your family. You’ll be able to learn the reeling techniques you need to succeed, understand which bait and hooks to use for specific fish, and even learn about the best conditions to fish in.

You’ll also be able to enjoy a more private experience — perfect for celebrating a special occasion.

Looking for the very best in guided fishing in Venice, Louisiana?

If so, check out the Intensity Offshore Outfitters website to learn more about what sets their experience apart from the competition.

Who knows?

You might even walk away with your biggest catch yet!

2. Pick the Right Time of Day

When it comes to the time of the day that you choose to go saltwater fishing, we recommend waiting until the early evening, when fish are most likely to come out and feed.

If you’d prefer to fish in the morning, get there early — crowds will certainly make fish skittish.

Also, you should be sure to take a look at the weather report before you head out for the day. Many people feel that it’s much easier to cast your line further out if there’s a little bit of offshore wind. Plus, these winds will also make it easier for you to see underneath the water’s surface.

Additionally, one of the biggest saltwater fishing basics is to get familiar with the tides in the area where you plan to fish. This is especially important if you’re interested in going surf fishing at the beach.

In general, you’ll likely have the most success when the tide is about two hours before and the two hours after high tide. Despite what you might think, you should avoid fishing during high tide.

Sites like this one will help you to determine the specific tide times in the area where you plan to fish.

3. Use Live Bait

It might not be the most pleasant part of learning how to saltwater fish, but trust us when we tell you that using live bait is usually the way to go if you want to have a successful day out.

Lures may look great, but they don’t help fish to come to you based off of scent and even the color.

If you’re fishing in saltwater, you should use things like tuna, clams, and ballyhoo. Make sure that you’ve done your research (or stopped at a bait and tackle shore) to understand what the fish you want to catch love to eat.

Remember that you may need to buy different bait according to the time of the year. We suggest that you buy a wide variety of bait in order to catch as many different species of fish as is possible.

Finally, always make sure you familiarize yourself with the legalities of using live bait.

4. Choose the Right Hook

Of course, one of the most important saltwater fishing tips is making sure that you’ve chosen the right hook for the job!

If you’re interested in catching the highest number of fish, and aren’t really concerned about the type of fish, then we suggest using a small hook.

In most cases, a small hook will allow you to catch fish that are anywhere from under one pound to up to twenty-five pounds. However, if you’re still just learning how to saltwater fish, we suggest leaving the larger ones in the water for now.

It’s smart to go with a trusted, brand-name hook — this is one place where you shouldn’t necessarily shop by price.

If you’re concerned about getting the fish off of the hook, then use a long shank hook, which makes the process easier. It also helps the fish to exhaust itself, so by the time you pull it out of the water, the fight will be over.

If you’re doing the “bait and wait” technique, then use a circular hook — especially when using live bait.

Put These Saltwater Fishing tips into Practice

We hope that this post has helped to take some of the guesswork out of saltwater fishing.

Use these saltwater fishing tips to catch more fish, learn more about migration patterns, and above all, to have more fun while going fishing in the ocean.

Looking for more ways to live a self-sufficient and independent lifestyle?

We’ve got your back.

Be sure to check out our website and blogs for more life hacks that will help you to get the most not only out of your next vacation, but out of every possible experience.

April 1, 2018 by Greg Underwood

How to get the right bowling ball

If you’re thinking of taking up bowling, but you find it challenging to get the perfect bowling ball, maybe the list of tips that we have put together for your consideration might prove to be helpful.

Below we’ve showcased some of the most important factors that you should keep in mind whenever you’re trying to make the difference between a ball you need and one you can definitely do without.

Set a budget

One thing that we have to make clear right off the bat is that bowling balls can be cheap or expensive, depending on what you want to purchase. Polyester balls are priced from fifty to one hundred while entry-level performance balls cost somewhere between eighty and one hundred and thirty.

It goes without saying that you don’t have to get the most expensive ball you can afford, especially if you know little to nothing about bowling. However, the cheapest model might not be good enough or may have various defects.

Urethane bowling balls have made a comeback in recent years, and that’s because these balls come with a coverstock that reduces friction. Compared to them, though, reactive resin covers are capable of producing even more friction with the surface of the lane.

The weight matters a lot

Your bowling ball should match your physical attributes as best as possible. On top of that, the ball has to be drilled so as to match the size of your fingers and to allow you to grip it comfortably and efficiently. Some house balls come with particularly large finger holes.

If you have the time, go to a bowling alley and try out several different balls to determine what the most comfortable weight is for you and what the diameter of the holes needs to be to match your fingers.

The design

Do the looks of the product matter for you or are you more focused on how it is going to perform on the lane? It’s very likely that, should you loathe the way that your bowling ball looks, you might not feel too confident about using it.

Playing with confidence is very important and can even affect your posture and the way you interact with other players. Both the color and the pattern of the ball have to be a good fit for your personality.

Accessories

If the ball comes with several extras, it might offer you more value. What else should you need other than the ball itself? You could use a cleaning solution to make sure that you keep your bowling equipment on par all the time. You’ll need a bowling towel, as well as an appropriate bowling glove if you’re focused on comfort and ease of use.

While it might not pertain to the ball, you’ll also need a pair of decent shoes. Of course, you can always go with those provided by the alley, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to wear something that you actually own and that you feel comfortable in.

February 9, 2018 by Greg Underwood

Cycle Your Way to Health

Wouldn’t it be great if you could maintain ideal weight and perfect body without much effort? Sadly, until we manage to do so with wishful thinking, we should focus on ‘old’ methods such as healthy diets and exercise. Exercise doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to sweat in the gym for long hours, as you can keep moving and stay active by walking, jogging, and cycling. Today, we are going to talk about the benefits of cycling and why so many people seem to find this activity useful in staying healthy.

Benefits of cycling

Much like swimming and running, cycling is an aerobic exercise which helps you get in shape, stimulates your heart rate, and by far improves your blood flow and stamina. Still, in order to get there, you should start slowly, especially if you haven’t been cycling before (or you haven’t been cycling for a while). The best thing is that cycling can be as intense as you want – you can start with low intensity and work your way up until it becomes a demanding workout. Unlike running, cycling doesn’t put much stress on your joints and bones and it increases your flexibility as well as your muscle strength.

Healthy hobby

You can cycle in pairs and this will actually help make the activity more appealing to you: when you and your friend or family member set off on an adventure, you can have a blast and still manage to complete a serious workout. You keep moving around and exercising while, at the same time, you can soak in the environment and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings. You can make a new hobby out of it and even include some of your friends: you can cycle to a nearby park, bring tea and sandwiches and make a picnic when you get to a nice spot, or you can build strength and when the time comes, even go on a cycling holiday.

It makes you happy

As with other forms of workout, cycling will make you feel happy along with making you lose weight and build strength. Any form of exercise is great for your mental health, and working out can help you cope with and battle depression and anxiety. When you go out on your bike and cycle for a while, your brain enters a meditative state of mind and you feel calm and much happier. When you focus on getting stronger and cycling from one place to another as fast you can, you become more confident and start feeling better about yourself. Not to mention that people usually appreciate the weight loss and muscles they get from cycling, and this also boosts their self-esteem.

Commuting

Another thing that makes cycling so much fun is the fact that it allows you to move and get from one place to another. Cycling to and from work is a great way to save money on gas as well as do something good for our planet. When you don’t rely on your car so much, you reduce your carbon footprint as well. Cycling is a time-efficient mode of transport which will also make up for all the sedentary time in your office and being a couch potato at home.

Off-road cycling

Even though cycling causes less strain and results in fewer injuries than other forms of exercise, off-road cycling is more challenging and a bit more dangerous than cycling around your neighborhood. Make sure you are well protected: gloves to help you grip the handles, sturdy full face helmets, and knee pads are all great equipment which will protect you from sustaining any injuries. Enjoy the beauty of nature and breathe in the fresh air, but don’t forget to carry a bottle of water and wear sunglasses – you will not be stumbling upon any supermarkets while cycling through the woods.

One of the best things about cycling is that it’s easy – once you learn to ride a bike, you never forget it. You don’t need to buy an expensive bike nor do you need to worry about where you’ve put your keys like with your car. Cycling is a great way to stay healthy and get in shape and save some money, and if you go out and buy a raincoat, you’ll be able to ride your bike regardless of the weather conditions.