2011. július 31., vasárnap

Canyon Creek of the Lewis Headcams

I was fortunate enough to have the weekend off over Memorial Day weekend and headed out to the Professor Paddle Ball in Leavenworth, WA.� Thanks to James Amandus, Adam Ales, and others for organizing this yearly event that allows a hundred or so of us kayakers, family, and friends to get together for a couple [...]

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Audio chat: Strikeforce announcers talk Fedor-Hendo at ESPN1100 24-hour radiothon

The timing was perfect for a lucky Las Vegas listener to do an hour of radio with Showtime announcer Mauro Ranallo, Pat Miletich and Stephen Quadros. Strikeforce Challengers 17 is scheduled tonight for the Pearl Theatre at the Palms in Sin City. Across the casino in the Key West Room is the ESPNRadio1100/98.9 FM Sixth Annual 24-hour radiothon to benefit The Caring Place.

Back in 2005, Al Bernstein and his wife Connie helped establish The Caring Place, a cancer assistance center just west of the Las Vegas strip.

The Showtime trio took listener Angel Garcia on a hardcore trip through MMA history and broke down all the big upcoming fights on the Strikeforce schedule.

The broadcast goes through 1p ET on Saturday. Upcoming guests include Mike Tyson, Jim Fassel, J.T. the Brick and Larry Johnson. Listen here.

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Weekly Whitewater Watch: July 18th ? July 25th 2011

*As we reach the middle of our season, keep in mind that due to water flows some of our rivers are no longer run-able. If you don’t see a river listed below, we have stopped running it for the season! California Lower Klamath River – CFS: 2,100-2,400. Current minimum age: 4. Weather: A few showers [...]

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Cormier talks about Silva, the Grand Prix and his future

Daniel Cormer was helping teammates Mo Lawal and Luke Rockhold prepare for their Sept. 10 bouts when he was given the opportunity of a lifetime. Alistair Overeem had dropped out of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, and Cormier was being asked to step in and fight Antonio Silva. For Cormier, taking the fight with Silva was a no-brainer.

"Obviously, I had no reservations. I'm a person who thinks things through, and when I weighed out the positives and negatives, there was no reason for me to not take the fight," Cormier told Cagewriter.

It's a leap up in competition for the undefeated Cormier. His last bout was a unanimous decision over journeyman heavyweight Jeff Monson. With Overeem's withdrawal, the tournament has lost one of its biggest names, but that doesn't bother Cormier.

"People are saying that the tournament means nothing because Overeem is out, it's the biggest thing in my life. When I first saw the tournament started, I thought it was the greatest collection of heavyweights in one bracket. I still get to fight some of the best heavyweights in the world, and if I string this together, I think it validates me as a mixed martial artist."

Though Silva has Cormier beat on size -- "Big Foot" is six inches taller -- Cormier says that he has other advantages to neutralize Silva's size.

"I'm faster than he is, I'm more athletic and a better wrestler, and I think I'm a pretty decent mixed martial artist. I've gotten better to the point that I think I'm ready to compete with the best guys in the world. I won't know how far I am in this journey until I do test myself with someone like that."

The tournament concept is nothing new to Cormier. As a two-time Olympic wrestler, tournaments have ruled his athletic career.

"In wrestling, everything was tournament-based. It's not like I haven't had to set my mind for a tournament before. I'll just draw back on my wrestling experience, the Olympics, U.S. Nationals, world team trials, every other tournament I've been in my whole life. I've been going to tournaments since I was seven."

Because of that Olympic pedigree, it's hard to think of Cormier as anything but a wrestler. Two years into his MMA career, he does believe he is on the right path.

"I'm on my way to becoming a full-fledged mixed martial artist. I spend a lot of times covering all disciplines of MMA. With the Monson fight, I was fighting someone much more experienced than me, and I was able to outstrike him. At the same time, I don't ever want the Olympic tag to be lifted from my name. I worked my whole life for that. No matter what I do in my life, I will always be an Olympian."

Beyond beating Silva, he still has plenty of goals to meet as a fighter.

"At some point, I'm going to be considered one of the best fighters in the world. My drive and determination are going to push me in that direction."

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Things you don't usually see

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(Surreal) Surf Artist - John Coopwood

The second successive surf artist based in Costa Rica to be added to Club Of The Waves. This time John Coopwood, with a great portfolio mix of fine art, murals and surreal art. "Here is an artist who uses rich colors and various blends of dreams, reality, and a touch of Salsa Fresca to bring his subjects to life… His insane depth has allowed him to challenge his innermost self to bring forth pictures of mood, imagination and bold imagery". Enjoy…

www.clubofthewaves.com/surf-artist/john-coopwood.php

Surreal Surf Art by John Coopwood

www.coopwoodart.com

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2011. július 30., szombat

Weekly Whitewater Watch: July 25th ? August 1st 2011

*As we reach the middle of our season, keep in mind that due to water flows some of our rivers are no longer run-able. If you don’t see a river listed below, we have stopped running it for the season! California Lower Klamath River – CFS: 1,800-2,000. Current minimum age: 4. Weather: A few showers [...]

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Top 5 Snorkeling Spots in Maui

If you are in search of the best snorkeling in Maui, you will not be disappointed in your visit to this island of paradise. Maui is surrounded by hot spots for snorkelers and divers, depending on where you want to go and what you want to see. Snorkeling can be just about anywhere on the [...]

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Last Flow Prediction for the Season

Hello everyone, This will be the final flow prediction for this season. Dam controlled rivers are beginning their consistent summer release patterns and will flow well through August and into September. The South Fork and Middle Fork will continue through October. Free flowing, non-dam controlled rivers are finally running out of excess water from melting [...]

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Free clips for Chris Sharma ?King Lines? climbing video?

Interested in downloading high-quality clips of Chris Sharma climbing?
Today I checked out the website for Chris Sharma’s King Lines movie - and there’s a new addition!
Early versions of the DVD didn’t feature all of the extras properly, so the website features downloadable clips from the extras.
This won’t replace the need to buy the DVD, but [...]

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One Bodyboarder...One Photographer

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Alistair Overeem and Antonio Silva breakdown their upcoming fight - Strikeforce

At the Strikeforce Heavyweight GP in Dallas, TC Inside MMA correspondent Ron Kruck caught up with Alistair Overeem and Antonio Silva. The Reem spoke about his victory over Fabricio Werdum and the challange that lies ahead in Silva. Bigfoot spoke about how to do the impossible and beat Overeem

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2011. július 29., péntek

Overcoming tough challenges

If there’s one thing I know about life, it’s that the learning never stops. Life has this way of teaching you how to be better, how to keep going through the toughest times, how to live the best life you can. Most importantly, life has this way of showing you how to live the life [...]

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Bellator Sets Date for Eddie Alvarez vs. Michael Chandler Title Bout

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Eddie Alvarez finally has a date for his next title defense.

The reigning Bellator lightweight champion as well as arguably the top-rated fighter not under the Zuffa umbrella, Alvarez will take on season four tournament winner Michael Chandler on October 15 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Alvarez last fought at Bellator 39 in April, defeating Pat Curran by unanimous decision. The victory marked his seventh consecutive victory overall, and 12 of his last 13 for Alvarez. He is now 22-2 overall.

Alvarez should feel a nice home-field advantage, as Atlantic City is only about a one-hour drive from his hometown of Philadelphia.

Waiting for him there will be the 25-year-old Chandler, who trains out of Xtreme Couture and is a former collegiate wrestling All-American at the University of Missouri.

Chandler burst upon the MMA scene in impressive style, going undefeated in his first eight professional bouts thus far. In advancing to a championship match with Alvarez, he earned a submission win over Marcin Held and decisions over Lloyd Woodard and Patricky "Pitbull" Freire.

The October 15 show -- Bellator 54 -- will be broadcast live on MTV2.

 

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Jump for Diabetes Round 3

Jump for Diabetes is at it again this year, and we’re mixing things up a bit. Last year we realized how many people are touched by diabetes, in one way or another, but all those who wanted to take part to help the cause weren’t able to make it out to the boogie. So this [...]

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Yves Edwards-Rafaello Oliveira on Tap for UFC on Versus 6 in Washington, D.C.

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Yves Edwards will look to rebound from a Knockout of the Year-caliber loss to Sam Stout last month when he meets Rafaello Oliveira in October.

The two lightweights have agreed to meet at UFC on Versus 6 on Oct. 1 in the UFC's debut in the nation's capital. The promotion announced the matchup Thursday night.

UFC on Versus 6, the last of the promotion's four-card deal with the cable channel for 2011, will take place at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., and will be headlined by a bantamweight title fight between champion Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson.

Edwards (40-17-1, 8-5 UFC) lost for the first time since his latest return to the UFC when a vicious left from Stout knocked him out cold in the first round of their UFC 131 bout. Stout won Knockout of the Night honors and snapped Edwards' three-fight winning streak, which included a double bonus for Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night in a win over Cody McKenzie at the UFC's Fight for the Troops 2 show in January.

Edwards is in his eighth stint with the UFC. His career with the promotion started at UFC 33 with a loss to future welterweight champ Matt Serra. In between returns to the Octagon, the Bahamas-born fighter has had bouts for a wide-ranging set of promotions, including Pride, Bodog Fight, EliteXC, Strikeforce and Bellator.

Oliveira (14-4, 1-3 UFC) is coming off a submission loss to fellow Brazilian Gleison Tibau at UFC 130 in May. That fight came on short notice, replacing an injured Bart Palaszewski, and was Oliveira's return to the UFC after going 4-0 outside the promotion after a 1-2 run in 2009-2010.

In addition to the bantamweight title fight between Cruz and Johnson, UFC on Versus 6 features a heavyweight tilt between the 6-foot-11 Stefan Struve and 5-11 Pat Barry, a welterweight bout between Charlie Brenneman and Anthony Johnson and the long-awaited rematch between Matt Wiman and Mac Danzig following their controversial finish at UFC 115 in June 2010. The main card will air live on Versus.

 

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What does ?Anderson Silva-money? get you? A nice new mansion

Lyoto Machida backed out of the planned fight with Rashad Evans because he reportedly wanted "Anderson Silva money," or a pay day more like that of his good friend, UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva. Machida thought he was in the position to ask for that kind of cash, but UFC president Dana White balked at this request:

"I opted not to pay him Anderson Silva money and told him when he accomplished all the things that Anderson Silva has accomplished, then maybe he'll make Anderson Silva-type money," an incredulous White told reporters.

Silva is on a 14-fight win streak and lives atop the Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound rankings. For that, he made $200,000 in his UFC 126 knockout of Vitor Belfort, but that figure doesn't include any bonuses or cuts of pay-per-view buys, which may be a part of his contract. His sponsorship money also isn't included into that figure, and Kevin Iole estimated that he pulls seven figures for a fight.

In fact, he just used that money to buy a new million-dollar home in southern California. The Los Angeles Times reported that Silva bought a $1.76 million home in Palos Verdes Estates to be closer to his training homes. The house has an ocean view, four bedrooms, three and a half baths, a pool and sits on a half-acre lot.

Maybe this gives a clue behind Machida's motivation. Who doesn't want a home with an ocean view?

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Exploring Prague (Day 2)

We woke up to a crisp sunny day which is perfect for starting a hiking trip. After a breakfast that was fitting for Olympic hikers- which we are not- we headed to the Bohemia Hotel to meet up with our group from BACKROADS. Immediately, we were welcomed by our tour leader Steffi who made us [...]

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2011. július 28., csütörtök

Dine With Us


The Skateboard Cafe has anew promo called Dine With Us. It looks like Bristol has some pretty rad spots.

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New paintings by Peter Pierce

Hope you're all having a great Christmas break and ready to celebrate the New Year! :) We've just updated Hawaiian based artist Peter Pierce's profile with a few new paintings, take a look…

www.clubofthewaves.com/surf-artist/peter-pierce.php

Surf Art by Peter Pierce

www.peterpierce.com

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Curran and Sandro favorites at tonight?s Bellator 47

Bellator has done a heckuva collecting some top-notch featherweight fighters. While the UFC is struggling to find some depth beyond Jose Aldo, Bellator has an open race between 5-7 fighters for top spot in its 145-pound division.

Tonight on MTV2 (9 p.m. ET/PT) we get some more answers as Pat Curran faces Ronnie Mann and Marlon Sandro battles Nazareno Malegarie in Bellator Season 5 Featherweight tournament in Rama, Canada.. The winner of the tournament will eventually get a shot at Bellator champ Joe Warren.

Sandro, riding a streak of 4-of-5 win in Japan, was the pre-tournament favorite. Sandro (18-2) got fans in a lather with his performances at Sengoku 11, 12 and 13 where he scored three straight knockouts in a combined three minutes and 20 seconds. But Curran's success at lightweight (wins over Toby Imada and Roger Huerta, plus a close loss to Eddie Alvarez) and a dominant win in the first round over Luis Palomino might make him the favorite. Before we get to see a Sandro-Curran final, they have to get by some tough hombres in Canada.

Sandro is a big favorite at minus-260 over the once-beaten Malegarie while Curran is a slight choice over Mann at minus-130.

Bellator 47 weigh-in:

Pat Curran (146) vs. Ronnie Mann (144.8) - Featherweight
Marlon Sandro (145.6) vs. Nazareno Malegarie (145.6) - Featherweight
Neil Grove (264.4) vs. Zak Jensen (263.4) - Heavyweight
Chris Horodecki (155.4) vs. Chris Saunders (155.4) - Lightweight

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In Memoriam: Aaron Robinson

I first met Aaron Robinson in Farellones, Chile in 2009—we were down there for a catalog shoot with K2, and it was the first day of two weeks on the road. We spent the afternoon shaking off jet lag and searching La Parva for something to ride with a crew 10-deep, but it was pretty bleak—the infamous Andean wind had scoured the mountain to sketchy hard pack and rocks. Still, we rode until 4pm to get our legs back and get to know each other, jibbing a little gully ‘til the pomas closed.

Upon returning to the hostel for dinner, Aaron was missing. Former K2 Team Manager Kevin Winkel set to stressing out about his whereabouts for several hours before Aaron appeared out of the alpenglow, a huge grin on his face. He had hiked the imposing chute of McConkeys, and returned with point-and-shoots of amber-hued powder spray, evidence of his first real turns in Chile. It was indicative of Aaron’s approach to life—always finding a reason to smile, always making the most of the day. Throughout that trip, he stayed positive despite sometimes suspect conditions, approaching every day eager to make most of it, learning how to talk to the senoritas in their native tongue, throwing himself into local culture with genuine interest and enthusiasm. With a positive outlook comes positive experiences—Aaron knew, more than anything, how to enjoy his place in the present, and it rubbed off on everyone around him.

Through the past several years, I was lucky enougn to ride and travel with Aaron in his home state of Montana, the Cascades and beyond. The positive energy never waned—with an innate sense of speed and terrain, his effortless flow on the mountain matched his effortless flow in life. Indeed, Aaron was a great ambassador for snowboarding, for freeriding, and for humanity as a whole.

The news of Aaron’s passing today while snowboarding in Chile, in the land he had grown to love, weighs heavy on us all. Snowboarding has lost one of its most genuine, talented individuals—the world at large has lost one of its most kind hearted souls. Today, our thoughts are with the Robinson family and everyone whose lives he touched around the globe.

Send in peace, A-Rob. We’ll miss you.

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NHL Star Tim Thomas Credits Yoga for Success

Cross Posted from Mind Body Green Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins is the best goalie in the NHL this season. He’s on-track to break the single-season highest save percentage record, and if he wins the league’s MVP award at … Continue reading

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Next Face of Women's MMA? Marloes Coenen, Miesha Tate Ready to Answer Call

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When Zuffa, parent company of the UFC, bought Strikeforce earlier this year, fans could practically hear the collective thud of hearts dropping into the stomachs of female fighters and fans of women's MMA.

After all, UFC and Zuffa president Dana White has been repeatedly adamant that he doesn't believe female MMA will ever realistically have a place in the UFC - largely because of his belief the talent pool of upper-echelon women's fighters is not deep enough to sufficiently fill out multiple divisions over a sustained period of time.

With Strikeforce under the Zuffa umbrella, the fear that the most well-known home for women's MMA could disappear into the ether with a possible future merger with the UFC is a real one. But it's one that women's 135-pound champion Marloes Coenen and her Saturday challenger, Miesha Tate, have no problem tackling head on.

"What I see is that Zuffa isn't a non-profit organization - they have to make money," Coenen said after a short workout Wednesday. "But that's the reason they keep (the women) here in the Zuffa family. A lot of guys are watching MMA, but if we can draw in the women, as well, and women say, 'Hey, they're normal girls and they kick (butt), and I can do that, too,' I think we can double the audience. If we can do that, we make more money - and they'll keep us around."


Coenen (19-4, 3-1 Strikeforce), who defends her title for the second time after beating Sarah Kaufman for the belt last October, believes her fight with Tate being the co-main event on a Showtime-televised card - in the Zuffa era, no less - is a good sign.

"They did put us in the co-main event - they could've put us in the Challengers show or on a non-televised card, but they chose not to do that," Coenen said. "By making that decision, that gives me a lot of confidence. Now that we've been given the chance, we have to prove that we deserve to be here."

Tate ( 11-2, 4-1 Strikeforce) comes in riding a five-fight winning streak, though this will be her first fight in nearly a year. The Team Alpha Male-trained fighter hasn't been shy about challenging White to give her sport a fighting chance - and she said taking advantage of the opportunity is crucial on Saturday.

"It's not exactly pressure, but I feel really motivated," Tate said. "I feel like this is our opportunity, and I want to make the most of it. I feel like there's going to be a lot of people paying attention to this, and Dana and Lorenzo (Fertitta) and all the guys at the UFC - Zuffa might start giving women a little bit of recognition, maybe start actually taking notice of it and becoming more informed on what it's about. Marloes and I are the two top ranked, so we really can say a lot about the caliber of talented women out there - and that's what I'm hoping for. I hope we really raise the bar."

Women's MMA had its first "face" of the sport in Gina Carano. Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos beat her two years ago for the 145-pound Strikeforce belt. Carano, set to star in the major movie "Haywire" this fall, has been out of action since that loss, and Cyborg, too, has been out for over a year.

The door appears to be wide open for Coenen or Tate to seize the title as the next face of women's MMA.

"I think Gina did a hell of a job - she really made (women's MMA) grow here," Coenen said. "I will always be thankful to her and respect her a lot. And Cyborg, if you don't respect her, you're crazy. If I can be (the new face of the sport), I'll do my best and I will honor the game and all the women in it, too."

Coenen and Tate fight in the co-main event of Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson on Saturday at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, a northwest suburb of Chicago. The main event features a heavyweight non-title superfight between light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko. The main card airs live on Showtime at 10 p.m. Eastern.

 

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2011. július 27., szerda

Don?t bring Jon Jones a fake belt to sign

Jon Jones' ascent to the top of the UFC's light heavyweight division has been fast, but also filled with plenty of hard work and growth as a fighter. It has been far from easy. He's proud of that belt and even keeps it wrapped in a special case when not carrying it with him.

So you can understand why he's not wild about the fact that someone can go to Toys 'r' Us and buy a similar belt for $12.99.

I hate it when people come up to me with a belt that looks exactly like mine and they ask me to sign it. I worked three times a day for three years to get this belt, and now this guy asking me for an autograph has one just like it. Are you serious? I mean it's not as heavy, but it looks just the same.

Fair enough, Jon. He has grown close to that belt, and doesn't want to see the fakes out there. He will have to put it on the line on Sept. 24 against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

Thanks to With Leather. Read the whole interview to hear what Jones will sign and Urijah Faber's thoughts on how to improve MMA.

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What does ?Anderson Silva-money? get you? A nice new mansion

Lyoto Machida backed out of the planned fight with Rashad Evans because he reportedly wanted "Anderson Silva money," or a pay day more like that of his good friend, UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva. Machida thought he was in the position to ask for that kind of cash, but UFC president Dana White balked at this request:

"I opted not to pay him Anderson Silva money and told him when he accomplished all the things that Anderson Silva has accomplished, then maybe he'll make Anderson Silva-type money," an incredulous White told reporters.

Silva is on a 14-fight win streak and lives atop the Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound rankings. For that, he made $200,000 in his UFC 126 knockout of Vitor Belfort, but that figure doesn't include any bonuses or cuts of pay-per-view buys, which may be a part of his contract. His sponsorship money also isn't included into that figure, and Kevin Iole estimated that he pulls seven figures for a fight.

In fact, he just used that money to buy a new million-dollar home in southern California. The Los Angeles Times reported that Silva bought a $1.76 million home in Palos Verdes Estates to be closer to his training homes. The house has an ocean view, four bedrooms, three and a half baths, a pool and sits on a half-acre lot.

Maybe this gives a clue behind Machida's motivation. Who doesn't want a home with an ocean view?

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One Day On Earth (video)

Breath, life, vitality of the spirit. Join Us On Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo & YouTube

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New art from Damian Fulton

Just added a bunch of new art to Damian Fulton's showcase on Club Of The Waves. Awesome stuff, check it out…

www.clubofthewaves.com/surf-artist/damian-fulton.php

Surf Art by Damian Fulton

www.damianfulton.com

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Fathers Day 2010

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The Advantage of Maui Private Charters

Whether you are interested in whale watching, scuba diving or a sunset cruise, Maui has a package just right for you. However, there is something truly special about the ability to customize your vacation plans to your specific party and needs. This is where a Maui private boat charter can enhance your tropical getaway. Private [...]

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2011. július 26., kedd

Prestige Trailer


Prestige in Boise, Idaho has a trailer for their new unnamed video.

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COTW wins international design award!

We're excited to announce that Club Of The Waves has been awarded as the "People's Champ" at the prestigious 2010 Pixel Awards in the Art category! The website was originally nominated for the award in November. During December a record breaking 35,000+ people (public) voted on their favorite nominees, so we're delighted COTW came out on top! And we'd like to say a huge thank you to all of our fans who voted for us! :)

The Pixel Awards are a cutting-edge, international website design award, annually honoring compelling sites that have shown excellence in web design and development.

Our Editor remarked: "We're so stoked on this nomination, and not just for us, but for the recognition it gets our incredibly talented and hard-working featured surf artists and photographers".

You can see all the nominees here.
Club Of The Waves is listed under the Art category!

The Pixel Awards logo

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4th Westbeach Chinese Downhill ? Whistler

In the Westbeach Chinese Downhill you either win or you loose, there’s no inbetween, there’s no attitude, there’s nothing to hold on to. It’s you, your board and the mountain & you get down that mountain as fast as you can. On the way down you have no friends. Then when you reach the bottom [...]

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Video analysis: Iole on possibility of UFC to HBO with Greenburg gone

It's finally official. Ross Greenburg, a 33-year of employee of HBO is out as president of HBO Sports. The rumors have been swirling for most of 2011 and Greenburg decided to resign rather than get forced out.

Back in 2007, UFC worked with HBO and Greenburg on a possible deal, so that has some thinking the MMA promotion may be interested again in trying to secure an agreement for the future.

Yahoo! Sports' lead MMA writer joined Cagewriter to talk about the future of HBO Sports and why a deal between the UFC and the pay cable network is pretty unlikely.

Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? UFC's TV landscape is about to change
? Good news for hoops recruit injured in plane crash
? NFL player handcuffed by Britney Spears

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Random Minute


Here is a good minute of footage I stumbled across on the Toebock site.

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B.J. Penn Critical of Expanding TRT Use: 'The Needle Is Not the Answer'

Filed under: , ,

B.J. Penn has never been afraid to speak his mind, even if it has gotten him into hot water in the past. Following the recent situation surrounding Nate Marquardt and his testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) issues, Penn was one of the few fighters to criticize what seems to be a growing practice in the MMA world.

On Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, Penn elaborated on his thoughts regarding TRT and how it is quickly seeping into the sport, saying the Marquardt case served as an education for him. Penn said he took personal interest in the case because as he revealed, he was probably going to fight the winner of Marquardt's proposed match with Rick Story, a bout that never happened after Marquardt's testosterone to epitestosterone ratio didn't return to normal levels in time to be granted a therapeutic usage exemption.

"I think everyone is really of the same opinion as I am, if they want to admit it or not," he said. "Stuff like this is not easy to talk about. We're talking about friends and colleagues of mine. They look at me and they hear me say these things, and they're like, 'You know you're the only guy that doesn't do it, right?' And I'm like, I know.

"It's a catch-22 for me," he continued. "I believe so strongly in fair play and all these things, and on the other side, it's people you know and people you look up to, legends of the sport. They've been involved with stuff like that. I guess i shouldn't be so outspoken because I have so many friends and colleagues and so many people I respect in this sport that have gotten involved with stuff like TRT and hormone replacement."

Penn criticized TRT usage as the easy way out of problems associated with training. He said that he's often faced issues in his camp related to overtraining when his body was exhausted and out of whack.

"Peaking" is an athletic phenomenon that is part science, part trial-and-error, in which athletes manipulate their training cycle in an effort to have their body performing at maximum levels at game time (or fight time). There are potential problems with the process, however, and mistiming your peak can be the difference between winning and losing. Overtraining, meanwhile, can lead to lower testosterone levels. While some fighters are getting that addressed with TRT, Penn believes it can simply be an unfortunate side effect of the process. As such, he's from the old school that fights through it.

"When you're chi is down, you feel weak, and I'm sure it's an easy way out to do all the testosterone and stuff, but I just couldn't see myself doing it," he said.

Asked how prevalent he thinks the process is, he says he doesn't ask around, but after being in the sport for 10 years, he says he knows that boosting testosterone levels is quite common. The surprising part to him was learning how easy it is to do now, and he also added that many people, including well-known coaches in the sport, have talked to him about trying one of the treatments to boost his own performance.

Penn said that every time, he's resisted.

"I always said no," he said. "I always believed that technique is what it was all about. That's why I always took on the bigger challenges. That's what jiu-jitsu is about. That's why they have the absolute division, so when you're a white belt in jiu-jitsu, you're already practicing wrestling with bigger people. I always believed it was in the technique. I always believed the needle is not the answer. I always believed that. I still believe it today."

Penn heads back to the cage at UFC 137 in October. Though a rematch with Jon Fitch was expected, Fitch's shoulder injury would have him sidelined past that date, and the UFC moved on, pairing Penn with the surging Carlos Condit, who has won 12 of his last 13.

Penn says he had no preference of opponent but acknowledged that after Fitch was ruled out, a fight with Condit made sense. He believes with two or three more wins, he could gain another welterweight championship match, but he also harbors hopes of returning to the lightweight division again in the future.

That's a far cry from how he felt in late February after fighting Fitch to a draw. Afterward, he contemplated retirement, but now he says that's far from his mind.

"I think I was just in a down moment right there," he said. "I believe in my heart I could beat Jon Fitch, and I was just kind of embarrassed at how the fight ended up. Maybe I was just thinking some negative thoughts at the time. I'd love to come in and fight all the best guys and do something in the welterweight division."

 

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2011. július 25., hétfő

The Fun Has Begun Teaser


Brett Abramsky is working on a new video called The Fun Has Begun out of North Carolina. Check the teaser and get psyched.

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Scuba as Therapy? Why Not?

The idea for this article has been rattling around in my head for a long time. Deciding to write it was not an easy matter. You see, I am the one who required that therapy; along with other help during this last year. On January 7th, 2010 I lost my wife of nearly ten years [...]

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Chris Luhring on Southside


Southside Skatepark welcomes Chris Luhring to the team with a full street part.

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Working in MMA: Bernie Profato, Ohio Athletic Commission

This week, Cagewriter is taking a look at different jobs within the MMA world. Click here to read the other posts on the subject.

On the way to becoming the head of the Ohio Athletic Commission, Bernie Profato served as a police officer, Marine, softball umpire, basketball official, and boxing referee. In his seven years at the head of the commission that oversees every MMA event, Ohio has grown from hosting four events a year to 144. He gave Cagewriter a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into preparing for events.

Cagewriter: Bernie, I want to give readers a look behind-the-scenes at what state commissions do.

Bernie Profato: Our first concern is always safety. The safety of fighter comes first, then the rules. There's a lot of issues that go around making that safe environment, not just the rules, but everything going up to the rules. I have to make sure we get the three Ws: the fighters and promoters win, the sport wins, and that means the state of Ohio wins. There's a lot involved.

CW: What kind of preparation goes into overseeing an MMA event, especially some of the bigger UFC, WEC and Strikeforce cards that Ohio has hosted?

BP: Every event is really treated the same as far as what we do to make sure we're consistent. We have to make sure they have a promoter's license. The first thing we want them to do is go to our website and look at the list of the 40-something things that are the promoter's responsibility. Somebody can't just say, 'I saw something on TV, I want to promote something tomorrow.' It just doesn't happen that way. There's a lot we're going to expect of you so that you can be successful, and the sport can be successful.

Once you get the permit OKed, you have to list your planned bouts on the MMA LLC website. Every one of those fights is approved or denied by me. If I deny the fight, I put why it's denied, whether that it's not competitive or if there is a need for a medical clearance. Every fight is scrutinized.

It's also our job to see if these guys are licensed in the state of Ohio, or they have to turn in their medical paperwork. If they're over 35, they have more medicals, and if they're over 39, they have to get even more medicals. We have to check FightFax to make sure this person isn't a boxer under suspension. At event time, my inspectors cover the events. They'll issue a license and a national ID, they conduct weigh-ins, doctors do the pre-fight exams. The inspectors will then send in the results, and notify us of any suspensions, whether it's medical or administrative. (For example, unsportsmanlike conduct.)

CW: So it's your job to oversee all that?

BP: I get involved. I'm a hands-on person. I'm not the type of director who just sits at a desk and delegates. I'm part of a team, and we've got a great team.

CW: How do you keep track of so many fights?

BP: We use a database that shows if a fighter is suspended and his name comes up in bright yellow. It tells us everything. In Ohio, a fighter can't turn pro unless he's had five fights. I've had to deny guy's pro fights because they were just 2-0. Are we being too nitpicky? Maybe, but you know what, I don't know who this guy fought. We're going to err on the side of the safety.

Once you've had four losses in a row, we have to note it, and it doubles your suspension. If they lose seven fights in a row, we tell them, maybe you should try bowling or golf. I had a fighter call me from out-of-state who had 16 losses in a row. He had never even seen a ring girl. He had never gotten out of the first round. I told him that there's no way he'll get licensed in the state of Ohio. You want to go steal a paycheck? Do it somewhere else. I'm not even blaming him. I'm blaming the commissions who licensed him.

Am I ever going to deny a fight that shouldn't be denied, or approve a fight that shouldn't be approved? Absolutely. We're going to be 97 or 98 percent correct, and I don't think you can ask any better than that.

CW: What's the best part of this job?

BP: Just meeting the fighters, and getting involved with all of them. The mutual respect we have for each other. They respect us in Ohio because they know we respect them. You can't go in and think these people are just a commodity and think they'll come back. We tell the promotions coming in that our goal is that they'll want to go come back to Ohio, and we always listen to their suggestions. Because the day you think you know everything? You pack it in.

In Ohio, we treat MMA as it goes back to the ancient, Oriental martial arts. In that, we feel that are four qualities that are a part of it in the martial arts tradition. A) Self-respect. B) Respect for your opponent, C) Respect for the sport and those who regulate it, and D) Self discipline. If you can't bring all four of those to the state of Ohio, don't come here.

CW: Is there much communication between you and the other states?

BP: Definitely. Someone will send out an email, "How do you handle this situation?" and we'll respond. They don't have to take our advice, but you look at the people who are successful, and try it on and see what works for you. We have the opportunity to share that knowledge with each other.

One person I've learned so much from is (New Jersey State Athletic Commission head) Nick Lembo. He is just so knowledgeable, and I'll tell you something, he saved Thiago Alves' life. Thank God he was fighting in New Jersey, because they found that issue with his brain.

I denied the Sims-Sylvia fight here because it wasn't competitive, and I took a little bit of a beating by some blogs. But then the next thing you know, the poll on TV says that people are 95 to 5 on denying that fight. You've got to keep these guys safe.

Randy Couture told me, "All other commissions should come to Ohio to see how Ohio does it." These are the top professionals in the world, and we want to treat them like professionals.

Read more from Profato's interview here. Profato has another big event to oversee, as he Ohio will host Strikeforce for the semifinals of the heavyweight Grand Prix.

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Don?t pick against Jackson: Couture called a ?fake [expletive] has-been? for doing so

There are two Quinton Jacksons. The boisterous, cocky "Rampage" who showed up at the UFC 135 press conference on Tuesday in Denver and hypersensitive, delicate Jackson who lashes out like a youngster if he's criticized or called on the carpet.

We saw a great example of that when he threatened to quit MMA in late 2009 claiming he was being mistreated and used by the UFC. That came roughly 14 months after UFC management bailed him out and stuck with him after a bizarre driving rampage in Southern California.

This week, in between dropping some epic trash talk on young Jon Jones, Jackson flipped out on Randy Couture. What did Couture do? The retired UFC legend had the nerve to pick against Jackson in his last fight!

A Twitter war unfolded between the 33-year-old Jackson and Couture, 48.

Here's the video where Couture hurt Jackson's feelings:

Jackson wore Xtreme Couture/Affliction gear during his walkout at UFC 114x in May of 2010. It sounds like he's suggesting Couture's "anti-Jackson" picks are motivated by Rampage changing apparel providers.

Twitter graphic via USA Today

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Lombard to Marquardt: ?Let?s make it happen, brother?

Nate Marquardt's suspension has been officially lifted by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission. Earlier this week, Bellator middleweight Hector Lombard doubted that a fight between him and the maligned former UFC star would happen, but now he has another message for Marquardt:

That's right, Lombard would like to welcome Marquardt to Bellator as well as "whoop him up."

It's a fight that makes sense for both men, as Lombard's biggest problem in Bellator has been a lack of challenges. For Marquardt, it's the best fight available after being cut publicly from the UFC just after his suspension messed up the main event for UFC on Versus 4.

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2011. július 24., vasárnap

River Paddling 101

When rafting with All-Outdoors, we stress safety and fun above all else. And in order for both things to be properly maintained, we do ask for paddling participation from all our rafters. The more advanced the river, the more important the teamwork and paddling know-how becomes! Before we put any rafts on the river, we [...]

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Form of Happiness

Have you ever sat and thought about what makes you happy? Like, really thought about it? In a recent discussion with a friend I grew up with, we were talking about, as a kid, how I loved to re-arrange my bedroom. I would ask my parents to help me so frequently, in fact, it�bordered�on annoyance. [...]

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Black Diamond At It Again

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Junior dos Santos Looking to Exploit Shane Carwin's Lack of Cardio at UFC 131 - UFC 131

Junior dos Santos Looking to Exploit Shane Carwin's Lack of Cardio at UFC 131 Video by UFC 131

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Changes Afoot

Posts have been spotty lately, at best. I do realize that I haven’t been the best blogger lately, and I apologize for that. Hopefully most of you just assumed it had to do with my being out due to injury and not jumping, but that’s actually not the case. I have a damn good reason [...]

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Video analysis: Who blew it? Zuffa or Overeem?

For casual MMA fans, the Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix just took a major hit with the ouster of Alistair Overeem. Now the biggest name in the tournament is gone and the card loses a lot of steam without Overeem, a fan favorite.

Couldn't this have been avoided? Did Overeem overplay his hand or did Zuffa make a mistake? Yahoo! Sports' lead MMA writer Kevin Iole checked in to give his take on this video blog.

"The Reem" told Zuffa he wouldn't be ready for Strikeforce 36 in early September, but October was good. That would mean the other three participants would have to adjust their schedules for Overeem. Keep in mind, both Antonio Silva and Sergei Kharitonov haven't fought since February.

Jeff Wagenheim from SI.com brought out the big guns and slammed Strikeforce's heavyweight GP.

The departure of The Reem is only the latest in a neverending succession of oddities and tribulations for the year-long event and for Strikeforce itself, which sensible Zuffa observers have always believed will go away at some point -- just as Pride did, just as the WEC did. But clearly this consolidation is not happening according to the Neil Young business plan, because Strikeforce is fading away before it can burn out. Apparently rust does sleep.

The Heavyweight Grand Prix was flawed to begin with -- shouldn't a tournament be held to determine the next challenger for a title, rather than including the champ himself? -- and soon became immeasurably more flawed. Can you imagine any major sport holding one set of playoff quarterfinals, then waiting four months before completing the other side of the bracket? Well, that's exactly how the Grand Prix unfolded.

The bigger issue? The October schedule is already jammed. Oct. 1 is out with UFC on Versus 6 in New Orleans, UFC 136 on Oct. 8 and Oct. 29 has UFC 137.

Don't forget Showtime is already booked for Oct. 15 with Bernard Hopkins facing Chad Dawson. So the only open weekend is Oct. 22. Does Showtime have the staff to effectively set up and promote major fight cards on back-to-back weekends?

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2011. július 23., szombat

Mark Munoz Still Sees Major Holes in Demian Maia's Striking - UFC 131

Mark Munoz Still Sees Major Holes in Demian Maia's Striking Video by UFC 131

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More changes to UFC 133: Nogueira-Franklin scratched

The UFC's second trip to Philadelphia took another hit over the weekend as Antonio Rogerio Nogueira's shoulder injury forced him to pull off the card. After the UFC already went to the light heavyweight well to find a replacement to fight Rashad Evans in the main event, they were unable to find someone to fight Rich Franklin on such short notice. He was pulled off the card, and Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Vitor Belfort was promoted to the co-main event.

In the space of a week, UFC 133 lost three fighters from the top of the card. The main and co-main events were supposed to settle many questions about the future of the light heavyweight division, but without Phil Davis, Franklin or Nogueira, it will no longer do that.

But the card is far from a dud. It does feature Belfort's first fight since he was kicked in the face by Anderson Silva. The rest of the main card has Jorge Rivera vs. Alessio Sakara, Rory MacDonald vs. Mike Pyle, Brian Ebersole vs. Dennis Hallman, with Alexander Gustafsson vs. Matt Hamill and Chad Mendes vs. Rani Yahya airing on Spike. Is that enough to make you order the pay-per-view or head to a bar to catch the fights?

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Surf Photographer ? Bryce Johnson

[...]

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Autumn in NSW

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Rothwell interview: ?It?s not a comeback. It?s an unveiling?

Walking into Roufus Sport Academy in Milwaukee, I crossed paths with a man who resembled UFC heavyweight Ben Rothwell, but this one looked slimmed down from the man who beat Gilbert Yvel in a decision at UFC 115. Rothwell sustained a knee injury in that fight, and has been rehabbing his knee since.

This same Rothwell-lookalike made his way through a killer sparring practice, followed by a conditioning session where coach Duke Roufus bounced up and down on this fighter's abs as he did crunches.

Turns out that this was Rothwell, and he's looking at his UFC 135 bout to show how he's improved during the layoff.

"I've really worked hard on myself. It's not a comeback. It's an unveiling," Rothwell told Cagewriter. "I have been off for more than a year, and instead of using it as a layoff I've used it as a huge building block. I posted a few pictures, and people said, 'Whoa, this guy ain't the same.' When I came back to Duke, he said, 'People who are off because of an injury usually gain 20 lbs. You look like you've lost 20 lbs.'

Rothwell has 37 fights under that belt, and he sees that experience as an asset in preparing to end the layoff in a bout with fellow veteran Mark Hunt.

"I've been fighting for so long, and I've had layoffs, I've been out. I think I'm one of the few guys who can come back from such a long layoff and not look like I've missed a beat. I'm really banking on that fact. As far as Americans go, I'm one of the most experienced guys in the sport. I've been fighting the longest. I'm 31-7, and I've gone through a lot, inside and outside the Octagon."

He hurt his knee in the first round of the bout with Yvel, but is proud that he was able to complete the fight with a victory.

"It was a big challenge for me because I knew my knee was hurt, right at the beginning of the fight. I was in a must-win situation. I'm known for having exciting fights, and it wasn't one of my more exciting fights. Unfortunately for the crowd, they didn't like it, but for me, it was a tremendous mental victory because I knew what I was up against. I was on the brink of defeat, and I fought through and I won. I went through a three-round bout on one leg and won."

Back for a title run

Now, Rothwell wants to make a run for the title, in part because he isn't happy with the way other fighters have acted towards fans.

"A lot of these guys, especially champions, I see how they act, and it enrages me. It's not right. It's not fair," he said. "I fight for the fans because without them, I wouldn't be able to do this. A lot of guys talk the talk, but people know when they meet me, I smile in my pictures. I love giving autographs because I am very thankful for everyone that's made the sport possible. That motivating factor has made me who I am now, and it's time to go out and take what's mine."

He wants to be the kind of champ that fans deserve because MMA, and all the people involved in the sport, made such a marked difference on his life.

"When I was 17, 18 years old, I was on a path of destruction. I had no guidance. I had a gorilla on my shoulder. It wasn't even a chip. I was very lost. The sport has completely changed me. It's made me a far more humble person. It showed me the truth about a lot of people, and it showed me the truth about myself. The sport has given me a reason to be a good person. I have a lot that I fight to protect, and this sport gave me all that. I am forever indebted to it."

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