This past weekend was the first opportunity during the 2006 season for fans and teams alike to renew relatively young but sometimes heated rivalries between teams of different leagues. It?s hard to believe, but this is already the 10th season of interleague play, and the argument for and against the scheduling of games between different leagues continues to rage. The ?purists? who decry interleague play generally lean on a few standard points to make their case, and we?ll exa...

Once again loyal fans from around the world descend on a major football tournament to support and encourage their teams to glory. Year on year they turn up in their thousands only for the majority of them to return home early and disappointed following defeat and another broken dream. So why do the footballing authorities continue to give priority to corporations and members of the public with no vested interest in either team? The inevitable result is thousands of t...

Form is beginning to take hold in the NL Central, as the Cincinnati Reds have come back to the pack and the St. Louis Cardinals have assumed their customary position atop the division standings. The Astros recently made a big splash, and things could still be very interesting before the season ends. St. Louis Cardinals Currently: Although the Cardinals haven?t been spectacular in their last 20 games, they have been solid, posting a 13-7 record. They did enjoy a five-ga...

In recent years in the NFL, the term "OTA" (Organized Team Activity) has come to the forefront this time of year. There are a few reasons for that. One is that the calendar reads May and June, and this is the time of year when activity is at its lowest. The draft is over, free agency, for all intents and purposes, is finished and coaches and staff members are going to cycle into their much-needed vacations. Another, and perhaps more important reason, is that these OTA?s ha...

This offseason saw nearly one third of the teams in the NFL bring new coaches aboard, and each situation presents questions that will ultimately lead to the success or failure of the new regimes. History suggests that some will succeed and others fail. We?re betting that the new coaches are spending many of their working hours pondering some of the same issues detailed below. Buffalo Bills Dick Jauron walks into a program that has seemingly been rebuilding for years. Tw...

The originator of ?shock rock? is brining his live act back to the stage in 2006, and Alice Cooper is sure to create the same frenzy he always has. Cooper?s past acts on stage are famous, or infamous, depending on your point of view, but one thing that?s indisputable is that his show is one that every member of the audience remembers. Cooper?s sound is as memorable as his live act, and a look at his life may help explain how his persona came to be. Early Life Vincent Da...

Melissa Etheridge has long been known as an artist who produces music that fits the core of what many consider ?American Rock and Roll.? Her style combines folk, blues, rock and roll and searing guitar melodies that cut to the soul. Her wide-ranging style has captured the hearts and ears of millions of fans, and Etheridge is returning to the stage in the summer of 2006. A look at her life will at least partially explain how her style came to be. Early Life Etheridge was...

With over 200 straight sellouts and the diminutive Fenway Park (capacity 36,298) as their home, the Boston Red Sox are one of the hottest tickets in Major League baseball (MLB). If you are part of Red Sox Nation, the innumerable fans who live and die by each pitch and swing of the bat, and can?t get through the turnstiles of the home park, there is an alternative - road trip! Many fans have found it to be fairly economical to take a mini-vacation on the weekend or use a we...

Whether you are traveling on business or pleasure you will always want to find the cheapest travel deal available. Looking for cheap airline tickets or bus tickets can be easier than you think. Your first question is which mode of transportation are you looking to travel by. After you have decided that then you are ready to start researching different travel deals. If you decided you are traveling by plane there are a lot of competitors to compare deals with. Some airline ...

The no-frills airline, launched by Southwest in the 1980s, is no longer a U.S. phenomena. Low cost carriers are popping up around the world. They are taking over domestic and international routes throughout Europe and Asia and select routes in South America, Africa and the Middle East. A few even operate intercontinental flights. And many are profitable. Yet there is a flip side to cheap tickets. Travelers can spend a significant amount of time scouring the web for the bes...