IPL LIVE BLOG

Crazy Facts About The Olympics Less than a few days in the 2012 Olympics and we have already seen some crazy things – from the parachuting Queen in the opening ceremony through to the ridiculous imagery of four Olympians trying the best to lose and a 16 year old girl comfortably out-swimming her male rivals, London has been host to some bizarre spectacles. Yet, for long time followers of the Olympics, the event has always boasted a history full of peculiarities and odd occurrences,. Here are some of the craziest facts about the Olympics. Abebe Bikila Didn’t Have Time To Find Trainers In the Olympic games of Rome in 1960, Abebe Bikila became the first African to win a marathon. That, in and of itself, is not overly peculiar but the preparation he made in advance of the games certainly was. The Ethiopian runner’s admission to the team was so last minute he only joined the team as their plane to Italy was about to leave.  Needless to say, this left him with very little preparat...

Synthetic grass in sports, or ‘plastic pitches’ have been around in one form or another for over half a century, yet opinions have long been mixed as to the suitability of the surface for sport, especially at a professional level. In its first incarnation, ChemTurf, more popularly known as AstroTurf, was seen as the answer to sporting prayers. An all-weather, durable, high quality playing surface that could be used day in, day out without any damage being done to it seemed too good to be true. Things that seem too good to be true often are however, and this was no exception. Historical Disadvantages The downsides to plastic pitches became obvious in a relatively short space of time. The harder surfaces had far less give than real grass, and a prickly, Velcro-like texture. It soon became clear that players were at risk of sustaining far more serious injuries on this surface than on a regular grass pitch. This was especially true in sports such as football, where players have expos...

You Know You Are a Sports Addict When She accuses you of spending too much time glued to the TV, watching sports. If you're not watching a game, you're surfing through sports sites, watching reruns online, or leafing through sports magazines.  free image via http://www.sxc.hu/. Credits to MJimages .   She also nags you that you're no longer taking her out on dates, helping around the house, or that your sports addiction is already affecting your relationship. You argue saying you're not a sports addict but a sports fan. At the back of your mind though, you think you probably are. Here are some ways to tell if you're a sports addict. Your vacation is already being affected. Planning a short vacation with your family or your girlfriend became much more complicated. No more spontaneity and "let's go out of town for a couple of days" plans. Instead, there's more of, "Wait! I have to check the sports dates first." You'll alway...

Hockey Workouts for Kids So, you want to play one of the most exciting and fastest team sports? Hockey is not only one of the greatest games we know of, it is one that requires the most skill to play, considering that it is played on the ice, and with full-body contact in the professional and semi-professional leagues. In order to play, you must be prepared, and that involves not just exercise, but a full-blown hockey workout. What is a Hockey Workout? Speed is crucial to the game, which has become faster than ever before. In order to keep up, a player must increase his personal speed. That will involve both on and off ice exercises, as below. Build stamina by jogging Build strength in legs and increase agility by sprinting, with sudden starts and stops Build speed on the ice by skating at maximum speed, from the red or blue line to the end zone, with a sudden stop, then back again. Intensive training for kids should be avoided, however, as it could cause developmental iss...

Bending it like Beckham 10 Million Footballs in Circulation Across the World Mathematicians versed in geometry refer to them as truncated icosahedrons There are an estimated 10 million in circulation around the world. Eight out of ten are made in Pakistan. And tyre manufacturer Charles Goodyear made one of the first vulcanised rubber examples, which is still in existence after more than 150 years. The highest-quality footballs today are all stitched by hand, with the industry standard consisting of 32 panels. Altogether, 642 stitches hold together 20 hexagonal panels and 12 pentagonal ones, all coming together to form part of a tough outer casing containing an internal lining and rubber bladder. Balls with fewer panels – think the 2010 world cup’s controversial Jabulani - can be curved more easily when kicked; for the technically-minded, it’s all down to decreased aerodynamic stability. Perhaps that’s one of the secrets of bending it like Beckham…...

How Tracking Technology Is Affecting Major Sports Today When it comes to most of the sports we play across the world today, the ways that we play have pretty much settled down and become constant in the last hundred years or so. With that in mind, is the evolution of sports like American Football, hockey, or even soccer over? Not at all, in fact a new era might be on its way sooner than any of us could imagine, thanks to technological changes around us. Technology and sports . Some of us think that sports should be free and natural of technological changes and aspects, but let's face it- our culture is one that is deeply rooted in technological progress, and that will bleed into all aspects of life, including our sports culture. So how can technology change a sport? Let's take a look at Soccer as an example. Recently, a brand new technology was officially put in place to help combat horrible referee calls. With FIFA approval, the new technology will help determine jus...

Every weekend, sports fans all over the world tune in to their TVs to enjoy the drama and the passion of major sporting events. Whether we’re watching the planet’s greatest golfers holing putts from long distance or cheering on eleven of the finest soccer players on the globe, no-one can be in any doubt about the excitement we all feel. But when you’re watching certain events, have you ever wondered where exactly they’re being contested?  Here are details of some of the most famous venues. Roland Garros ROLAND GARROS Home to the French Open tennis tournament, Stade de Roland Garros is named after a French flight pioneer who served as a fighter pilot in World War One. The tennis centre that bears his name is located in the west of the city, close to the Bois de Boulogne. The French Open is the only one of the Grand Slam tournaments - the others are in the USA, Great Britain and Australia - to be played on red clay. Wembley Wembley has played host to a number of sports o...