Posts Tagged ‘sports’

Roller Derby was a staple of the early television era and was similar in its promotional format to its better known “sports entertainment” cousin, professional wrestling. It was frequently seen in the same bad timeslots on the same low powered UHF TV stations, and it was run by the same loose confederation of Runyanesque promoters and businessmen that characterized the regional territory era of pro wrestling. Unfortunately, roller derby didn’t catch on the way professional wrestling did. There was obviously a serious athletic component to it, but the “angles” and storylines surrounding roller derby made pro wrestling seem like Ibsen by comparison. The sport does have its own history–most know that the LA T-Birds were the perennial champions of 1970′s, and Ann Calvello and Ralphie Valladares had been in the sport forever and were considered legends–but it never really stuck in the public consciousness like the pre-Hulk Hogan era of pro wrestling.

When the original purveyors of the sport quit promoting in the early 1980s most thought it was dead and gone until a ‘new school’ of roller derby surfaced on cable TV via the A&E reality series Roller Girls. It featured a local, all-girl roller derby league in Austin, Texas and followed the lives of the players on and off the track. A sport that had faded into the lowest level of obscurity had been rediscovered and embraced by an eclectic group of young women. They had kept the same essential format, thrown in a healthy dose of burlesque camp and Varga pin-up inspired glamour and changed the competitive format and renamed the competitions “bouts” a la MMA or boxing. The result was a compelling mixture of glamour, toughness and athleticism driven by a healthy dose of punk rock “do it yourself” mentality.

Today, roller derby is a full blown worldwide phenomenon. There are hundreds of local roller derby leagues not only in the United States, but Canada, Australia and Europe. Most of the local groups similarly play up the campy retro pin-up/hot rod iconography and everyone involved sure looks like they’re having a good time. Between teams there’s a vibe of good natured competitiveness and camaraderie.

This organic rebirth and growth of roller derby is a result of young women taking what essentially was TV time filler and made it into their own distaff ‘action sport’. The community that has sprung up around it bears a striking resemblance to the skateboarding or snowboarding subculture. Granted, there are plenty of talented female skateboarders and snowboarders but they’re typically male dominated disciplines. The roller derby circa 2009 is just the opposite–a living, breathing matriarchal success story. No one is in it for the money, as these local groups are typically run as non-profit organization. The women involved have recreated this sport, and run it, promote it and compete in it on their own terms.

The new generation rollergirls also pay homage to their sports’ pioneers much in the same way that skateboarders give props to Duane Peters and Tony Alva. Many of the individual group websites have sections devoted to the history of roller derby, and the late Ann Calvello–regarded as the Queen of the original Roller Derby–is revered as something of a patron saint. The Texas Rollergirl group featured in the A&E series has renamed their championship the Calvello Cup.

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published writer specializing in college football and Internet sports betting. He is a frequent contributor to print publications, and often appears on talk radio where he gives tips on successful NFL betting. He lives in Las Vegas with his two dogs and an emu.

Airsoft guns as a hobby are becoming more and more popular. There are a few considerations to keep in mind when deciding to take up such a hobby, the first being that such a replica gun is considered a toy, though it is very, very realistic-looking. They shoot soft plastic or rubber BBs at high muzzle velocities, which is part of their attraction for many enthusiasts.

The first thing to know about airsoft guns is that they are usually made to look exactly like some of the most popular handguns, rifles (including of the military variety) and shotguns in the world today. The only difference and looks will be that most of the military versions of rifles will have a brightly colored orange or other color tip at the muzzle.

Some of the most popular replica toy gun versions in this brand of hobby or enthusiast market are the M4 carbine, the MP5 and the AK-47. There are also numerous replica versions of handguns and some of the most popular tactical shotguns, though most enthusiasts normally start out — for some reason — using one of the military rifle replicas.

Generally, these sorts of toy gun replicas are used much as paintball hobbyists use their own equipment. This means that competitions among persons in teams of airsoft gun users have been set up, and with muzzle velocities exceeding 300 feet per second, these guns can really send the BBs downrange and at their targets. This is part of the fun, for sure.

Also, anyone investing the money in a complete package for something like an M4 carbine will get a number of accessories to go with it. Usually a tactical harness or vest is included along with extra bits and pieces for the weapon such as spare magazines, for instance. As was said, a nice looking grenade launcher is included with the more expensive replica gun models.

The quality airsoft guns are normally electric powered, and will come with a rechargeable battery that powers a piston that uses air to fire the BB. It usually takes around four hours to fully charge up a new battery. After that the charge is normally from one to two hours. Make sure to always watch how long the battery is charged, as it can be ruined by overcharging.

Batteries can develop what experts call a memory, and it would be a shame to be in the middle of a mock firefight with a battery that suddenly shut the weapon down. Usually, though, a good air softgun package will include at least one rechargeable battery. Smart enthusiasts carry at least one spare battery in their tactical harnesses. Also, carrying a few spare parts is a good idea.

When it comes to price, a basic package can be had for around $50 after discounts. Airsoft guns, though, can range up to more than $300 for the very nice models and their accessories that would come with them. Relatively speaking, however, it’s not a lot of money when one considers how much safer and airsoft replica gun can be in comparison to paintballs or traditional copper BBs. Spare soft BBs will also be a consideration, so keep that in mind.

Personal-use premiums such as towels and blankets offer a wide range of opportunities for brand building. Usually identified with personal-care products, they have become efficient tools in boosting customer service for the hospitality, travel, and leisure industries.

Hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and resorts wanting to take customer service a notch up can do so by making sure they cater to every room with plush towels and comfortable blankets decorated with corporate logos. Similarly, cruise ships can ensure comfort over high seas by serving cabins with ultra-soft towels and blankets.

Small gestures such as these arent lost on guests, many of whom are nitpicky about enjoying the comforts of home wherever they go.Transients will be sufficiently impressed that theyll ask you where you get your towels and blankets, so it always helps to stock the gift shop with these. Earn extra points by offering an embroidery service so your guests can have these towels and blankets emblazoned with their initials.

Pampering is the sole reason people patronize salons and spas, and these companies can spoil their customers even more, starting with the softest towels. Adding corporate logos to hand and bath towels and even robes not only helps in marketing your brand but also shows clients that you take customer service seriously.

Towels are also perfect advertising for travel agencies and airlines wanting to promote an island resort or a destination. These logo gifts can be offered as rewards to customers who book and pay for their travel packages. In the same way, airlines wanting to emphasize that they go the extra mile to offer comfort might want to welcome transcontinental passengers with a rejuvenating parcel that includes a towel, eye mask, and soap. Bonuses like these are sure to impress travelers who dont mind a little pampering a thousand feet above ground.