Curling is a very interesting sport. Curling involves sliding heavy rocks on to a target to score points. The twist is that the other team can knock your rocks out of scoring position. At the end of regulation, the team with the most points is crowned victorious.
Curling is played between two teams of four using eight granite stones each. The “pitch”, or the field of play is a flat. It is always made of ice. The pitch is usually measuring 45-46m long and 4.4-5m wide. There is a “house” at each end, a circular target made up of a blue outer circle with a 12ft diameter, a white circle inside that with a diameter of eight feet and a red circle with a diameter of four feet.
The stones themselves weight between 17 and 20kg, are at least 11cm high with a maximum circumference of 91cm and have a handle attached to the top. They are made of granite all coming from a special place in Scotland, where the sport originated in the mid 1500s. The handles are usually red for one side and yellow for the other.
On a curling team there are two sweepers who follow the rock down the ice. They use brushes or brooms usually made of horsehair but there are no restrictions on the materials from which it is constructed. different kinds of brushes make different speed and angle changes. In addition, the players wear curling shoes which are similar to standard trainers except that one sole is very smooth like a discus shoe to enable the competitors to slide down the ice.
Scoring is obviously the most important part of the game. After all 16 stones are delivered in an end, the player with the rock closer to the middle red circle is the winner of the "end". Confusing, right? The winning team gets one point for each of their rocks that is closer to the middle than the opponent's closest rock. Such rocks are marked during the game by brighter colours.
Only rocks within the house count towards your points.
After completing an end, players may choose to continue for another end, for a total of 10 ends, or they can set the number of ends to be played before the match as well.
The scores for each end are added together for both teams, and the winner of the match is the player with more points from all ends.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
Darts: 501
Have you ever seen movies about ninjas that can throw knives with pinpoint accuracy? Well, there are real people that have this kind of accuracy with weapons. A lot of these people are dart throwers.
Dart throwers usually play a game called 501. In 501 you must throw three darts at a dart board and score exactly 501 points. However, to score 501 points you must hit a "Double" number on your last throw.
A dart board is divided into 20 sections. each section starts from the middle and extends to the edge of the circular board- much like a pie. Each section is numbered 1 to 20 to show how many points you score for each dart you throw into that section.
The outermost rim is about .5 inches in thickness and is a different color than the rest of the board (Usually alternating green and red). Putting a dart in this region means that you double the score that is signified. For example, I hit a 20 on the colored outer rim. I would receive 40 points for that dart.
There is also an inner rim that is the same thickness as the outer. This rim is about 7 inches in diameter and triples your score. Inside the inner rim there is a bull's-eye and a double bull's-eye. These small parts in the very middle of the board are some of the most difficult to hit. They give you 25 points and 50 points respectively.
To win 501 you must reach exactly 501 points with your last darts being worth double or triple face value.
You throw three darts, then your turn is over and the opponent throws three darts. This is repeated until the game concludes.
Dart throwers usually play a game called 501. In 501 you must throw three darts at a dart board and score exactly 501 points. However, to score 501 points you must hit a "Double" number on your last throw.
A dart board is divided into 20 sections. each section starts from the middle and extends to the edge of the circular board- much like a pie. Each section is numbered 1 to 20 to show how many points you score for each dart you throw into that section.
The outermost rim is about .5 inches in thickness and is a different color than the rest of the board (Usually alternating green and red). Putting a dart in this region means that you double the score that is signified. For example, I hit a 20 on the colored outer rim. I would receive 40 points for that dart.
There is also an inner rim that is the same thickness as the outer. This rim is about 7 inches in diameter and triples your score. Inside the inner rim there is a bull's-eye and a double bull's-eye. These small parts in the very middle of the board are some of the most difficult to hit. They give you 25 points and 50 points respectively.
To win 501 you must reach exactly 501 points with your last darts being worth double or triple face value.
You throw three darts, then your turn is over and the opponent throws three darts. This is repeated until the game concludes.
Football: Long-Snapper
Football is a very funny sport. A man sits down in what seems to be an invisible chair, then hands the ball to another man between his legs. When this happens, 22 men run at each other and come together in very vicious collisions. Then, the defense (the team without the ball) tries to bring the ball carrier to the ground by means of throwing his body toward the ball carrier. You have four chances to get 10 yards, or 30 feet to receive a new "set" of chances (downs). Though most people kick the ball toward their own goal on their fourth and final down to avoid giving the ball to the other team. This is called a punt.
Teams will punt a ball when they are far away from their goal on 4th down. If they are close, they have an option to kick a field goal through uprights (like Rugby) to score 3 points. In both of these situations, a team will use a special position called a long-snapper.
Long snappers are only on the field on a punt, field goal, and a point after touchdown situation. Much like the center, the long-snapper snaps the ball. However, instead of snapping to the quarterback who will try to gain yards on a play, he snaps to the kicker or the holder. You will snap to a holder in a field goal or a PAT. The holder is on a knee, catches the ball, and puts in on the ground for the kicker to kick through the uprights. Punting doesn't require a holder because the main purpose is just to kick the ball as far as you can.
Another difference between the long-snapper and the center is the distance of the snap. The long snapper must throw the football behind him, through his legs 7-15 yards on target. Simple enough, right? No. Getting the ball where it needs to go is difficult. And that's the easy part. You've also got to shoot up and block a 300 pound defensive lineman from getting to the ball. Then you must tackle who catches the ball before he scores a touch down.
Long-snappers spiral the ball with two hands and aim to make the punter's job easy to kick without the kick being blocked by an opposing player. The defense will often times "load" one side of the field to leave them unblocked due to the offensive lineman not being to move to the other side of the ball. This is why there is distance between the kicker and the snapper. If there isn't enough, the defensive player can run around the outside of the line and block the kick- setting them up in good position to score. The long snapping position is very important.
Teams will punt a ball when they are far away from their goal on 4th down. If they are close, they have an option to kick a field goal through uprights (like Rugby) to score 3 points. In both of these situations, a team will use a special position called a long-snapper.
Long snappers are only on the field on a punt, field goal, and a point after touchdown situation. Much like the center, the long-snapper snaps the ball. However, instead of snapping to the quarterback who will try to gain yards on a play, he snaps to the kicker or the holder. You will snap to a holder in a field goal or a PAT. The holder is on a knee, catches the ball, and puts in on the ground for the kicker to kick through the uprights. Punting doesn't require a holder because the main purpose is just to kick the ball as far as you can.
Another difference between the long-snapper and the center is the distance of the snap. The long snapper must throw the football behind him, through his legs 7-15 yards on target. Simple enough, right? No. Getting the ball where it needs to go is difficult. And that's the easy part. You've also got to shoot up and block a 300 pound defensive lineman from getting to the ball. Then you must tackle who catches the ball before he scores a touch down.
Long-snappers spiral the ball with two hands and aim to make the punter's job easy to kick without the kick being blocked by an opposing player. The defense will often times "load" one side of the field to leave them unblocked due to the offensive lineman not being to move to the other side of the ball. This is why there is distance between the kicker and the snapper. If there isn't enough, the defensive player can run around the outside of the line and block the kick- setting them up in good position to score. The long snapping position is very important.
Football: Offensive Tackle
Football is a very funny sport. A man sits down in what seems to be an invisible chair, then hands the ball to another man between his legs. When this happens, 22 men run at each other and come together in very vicious collisions. Then, the defense (the team without the ball) tries to bring the ball carrier to the ground by means of throwing his body toward the ball carrier. You have four chances to get 10 yards, or 30 feet to receive a new "set" of chances (downs). Though most people kick the ball toward their own goal on their fourth and final down to avoid giving the ball to the other team.
There are several positions in the game of football that require different size, speed, smarts, and separate skillsets. One of the most peculiar is the offensive line. For a little background knowledge, the offensive lineman is on the offense (the team with the ball, looking to score) and must block the defensive lineman or linebacker (The closest defenders to the line of scrimmage, or where the ball is set on the ground before play starts.)
The offensive lineman is typically a very large, burly individual. There are usually 5 true offensive lineman on any given play. There are three sub-divisions of offensive lineman: Center, (one who "snaps" the ball by giving it to the quarterback to start play) Guard, (One to the left and right of the center) and tackle (outside the guards) (Visual: T G C G T). Centers (Colligate and professional level) tend to be anywhere from 6'-6'4 and 290-350 pounds. Guards are typically 6'2 to 6'5 and anywhere from 280-320 pounds. Tackles are regularly 6'4-6'8 and hovering around 290-315 pounds.
What does an offensive lineman do? In its simplest terms, they try to keep defenders that are lined across from them from getting to the ball carrier. This will allow the ball carrier to run to the goal line (endzone) and score points for their team. Lineman must be very strong in order to push people out of the way. A good NFL lineman bench presses around 450 pounds and can squat around 600 pounds. They also have to be relatively smart, to remember which way the ball is going to be run (discussed in a "huddle" before the play begins). They must also have good balance and movement skills to avoid being put on their back. The left offensive tackle is the 2nd highest paid player on most football teams because you have to find a 6'6 305 pound man with the strength of an ox, long arms, and size 17 feet that move like a ballerina. This position protects the quarterback's blind side, or non throwing arm side (Quarterback cannot see behind him).
There are several positions in the game of football that require different size, speed, smarts, and separate skillsets. One of the most peculiar is the offensive line. For a little background knowledge, the offensive lineman is on the offense (the team with the ball, looking to score) and must block the defensive lineman or linebacker (The closest defenders to the line of scrimmage, or where the ball is set on the ground before play starts.)
The offensive lineman is typically a very large, burly individual. There are usually 5 true offensive lineman on any given play. There are three sub-divisions of offensive lineman: Center, (one who "snaps" the ball by giving it to the quarterback to start play) Guard, (One to the left and right of the center) and tackle (outside the guards) (Visual: T G C G T). Centers (Colligate and professional level) tend to be anywhere from 6'-6'4 and 290-350 pounds. Guards are typically 6'2 to 6'5 and anywhere from 280-320 pounds. Tackles are regularly 6'4-6'8 and hovering around 290-315 pounds.
What does an offensive lineman do? In its simplest terms, they try to keep defenders that are lined across from them from getting to the ball carrier. This will allow the ball carrier to run to the goal line (endzone) and score points for their team. Lineman must be very strong in order to push people out of the way. A good NFL lineman bench presses around 450 pounds and can squat around 600 pounds. They also have to be relatively smart, to remember which way the ball is going to be run (discussed in a "huddle" before the play begins). They must also have good balance and movement skills to avoid being put on their back. The left offensive tackle is the 2nd highest paid player on most football teams because you have to find a 6'6 305 pound man with the strength of an ox, long arms, and size 17 feet that move like a ballerina. This position protects the quarterback's blind side, or non throwing arm side (Quarterback cannot see behind him).
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