Photo Ball Markers Review

I recently found the website Photo Ball Marker and got the opportunity to review their product. These are just what the name says they are - ball markers with pictures on them. In a word: cool! I found the premise neat, the ordering process easy, and the final product a great little accessory. The price of about $30 including shipping makes this an easy gift to give or a fun, personal touch to your golf game.

All you have to do is go to the ordering page and upload three pictures that you want to put on the ball markers. Next, you line up the images and then choose divot tool, hat clip, or just magnets. Fill out your info, pay, and your order is complete.

My pictures don't really do these the justice they deserve. I've got my silly dog drinking from a bowl, my 17-year-old cat curled up in a ball, and my two baby cats cuddled together. The company warned me that the one of my old, grey kitty might not come out but it does look great in person. In fact, all three look great in person and I opted for the hat clip. I'll be using my new clip with one of the magnets on the course come Monday.

You can pick any personal picture you want for a marker that nobody else will have. I think it is a cool idea and the reasonable cost makes it a great find for yourself or as a gift.

Rubio To New York?

Today's guest post is another submission by Zach Smart. Zach Smart is an award-winning writer whose work has been featured in a number of sources--The New Haven Register, The Rivertowns Enterprise, Hoopsaddict.com, and Big East Basketball Report--to name a few. Mr. Smart is a New York native and currently operates ZSmart's Sports Blog.

With Donnie Walsh promising to reach out to the Point Guard-crazy Minnesota Timberwolves about Ricky Rubio, we suddenly have grand illusions about the Knicks re-writing the script this season and luring in LeBron.

With the Knicks never seizing to disappoint, what else can we be but positive about about this downtrodden, piecemeal team?

I wasn't drinking the cool aid at first, but Rubio's flair for the game and Olympic dominance has suddenly sold me on the paper-slim neophyte.

His name mirrors that of some Latin singer, his game mirrors that of a new generation Pistol Pete in the frame of Dan Dickau on yayo.

Big Sully illustrated a great point via text message when I was steering my beat-to-death Honda through Yonkers.

"I like that we got Darko," said Sully.

So, Larry Brown isn't the only man on the planet pulling for Darko to pan out.

He continued, "We got to get Rubio. We need a good point guard to entice LeBron."

It's hard to imagine a property of 1990 operating offense in the high-stakes, win or get booed, pressure cooking New York City landscape. Still, if he's talented enough to compete he's talented enough to compete.

Plus, D'antoni's speedball, go-go style is one which Rubio is tailor-made for.

The 6-foot-4 cat-quick guard seems to be a step ahead of everyone else on the floor and can create buckets easier than Sunday morning.

I'm not sure why the T-Wolves went on a point guard-mad rampage on draft night.

I know I can't speculate but maybe they were taking Jonny Flynn as the ready-made player to test Rubio and use one of the two as trade bait....still, that's more questionable than Seth Rogan's taking home Meghan Fox on a Tuesday evening.

"If he doesn't want to play in Minnesota than they (Minnesota) gotta trade him. He will play in New York City I imagine," Big Sully said.

I believe dealing Q Brick was a good move, as was acquiring Darko--who has the opportunity to revive his image as the biggest bust since Sam Bowie.

An interior presence is something the Knicks are in dire need of.

Darko and Jordan Hill could start as a stopgap measure in that area.

This would also prove proficient because it would help take some stress off of David Lee. Lee was forced into guarding the other team's best big and defense has never been the double-double machine's calling card.

While this won't give D. Lee a free pass on D, it could help him establish himself as a go-to-scorer.

Lee averaged 16 points and 12 boards last season, albeit had little help inside. Jerome James' behemoth self was a fixture on the bench...

The triumvirate of Lee, Darko, and Jordan Hill would help clog up the lane a bit and allow Lee to roam freely. The blue-collar bastard can board up, hustle, and score buckets with the best of them.

But will Lee--he of the shallow slingshot--be in orange and blue next season? That remains to be seen as both he and energy-bleeding spark plug Nate Robinson have been dominant on the rumor mill. They've generated more rumors than a Perez Hilton blog for crying out loud.

The talking heads are saying the Knicks are probably going to lose Lee.

"Maybe use him in a sign and trade for Rubio," Sully opined.

Still, Big Sully accentuated the positive on the subject of Rubio, the Spanish wunderkind whose been shredding up the professional scene since he was 14. I can only put a few athletes in that early pro category: Michelle Wie, a teenager who has been dominant since 2005.

Sully is tattooed to the belief that Rubio delivers pinpoint passes, is cheetah-quick and virtually a step ahead of everyone else on the floor. These aspects are extremely paramount to success for the Knicks' immediate future.

Sully doesn't believe that Rubio's boyish, toothpick frame will render him guardable.

"That's the kind of point guard Lebron needs," said Sully, who's been envisioning LeBron in Orange-n-Blue for quite some time now.

SULLY's FANTASY KNICKS TEAM:

1 of 2: Rubio, Nate, King James, Wilson Chandler, and Chris Bosh. Darko, Gallinari coming off the knot.

2 of 2: Jordan Hill off the bench. How's that sound?

1 of 2: Rubio, Nate, King James, Wilson Chandler, and Chris Bosh as a starting lineup. Darko, Dano off the bench....

Wild World of Wednesday - July 1, 2009

She's Back: Candace Parker returned to practice with the Los Angeles Sparks yesterday:

Parker practiced fully for the first time since her maternity leave but told the Los Angeles Times she would have a better idea about how she is adjusting after contact drills Wednesday.

"I think that it's going at the right speed," Parker told the Times.

The reigning WNBA MVP and rookie of the year had a girl, Lailaa, in mid-May.

Lisa Leslie also returned to practice after missing a few games. Leslie plans to retire after this season.

Putt This: I just discovered that SeeMore Putters has a blog. Cool. They have some pretty awesome putter and headcover designs.

Holdout? Okay, call me crazy but I just cringe when I hear a story about an NFL rookie "holding out". Seriously! Read this:

Cincinnati Bengals rookie Andre Smith, the sixth overall pick in the draft, said Tuesday that he hopes to be signed and in training camp on time because a holdout could hamper his transition from left tackle to right tackle.

Okay, let me get this straight. You worked all of your life to be the best at what you do. You got picked in the first round - something 99.99% of people who ever picked up a football can only dream of. Next - you hold out. I'm wondering what the difference between like 30 and 35 million is. Not sure if that what this boils down to but the amount of money these untried, unproven guys get is just insane. Am I the only one that sees the absurdity here?

Today In Sports History

1997 - Nevada Athletic Commission suspends Mike Tyson for biting Evander Holyfield

Happy Birthday Rod Gilbert and Carl Lewis

Beach Tennis Strikes Again

Today's guest post is another submission by Zach Smart. Zach Smart is an award-winning writer whose work has been featured in a number of sources--The New Haven Register, The Rivertowns Enterprise, Hoopsaddict.com, and Big East Basketball Report--to name a few. Mr. Smart is a New York native and currently operates ZSmart's Sports Blog This is is second offering on the sport of beach tennis

Beach Tennis USA is the world's newest sand sport.

In no way, however, will it cloak in club-like secrecy. People are starting to catch the fever as the game is spreading like wildfire.

New teams have splashed the shoreline, with many mastering the sand-to-gravel metamorphosis.

In both the men's and women's pro division, however, the top-tier teams are ziplock-tight and evenly matched.

In the men's division, two teams are going out guns-a-blazin' to knock off the reigning national champion Team Italy.

In the women's pro division, where the stakes are now jacked up, Nicole Melch and three-time national champion Nadia Johnson (a Long Island native) have proved there's a new sheriff in town.

The first time teammates have eaten up the national slate in Jaws-sized bites, with all signs pointed towards a Melch-Johnson conquest. The tandem's impenetrable desire and unflappable, fiery focus has produced a winning formula.

Still, memories of last year's national championship are all but swept underneath the rug.

Johnson has never been a player who harps on wins and losses (there's also not much to hark back on in the loss column).

Still, reminding Johnson of Laura and Lisa Maloney's national title under the lights in Long Beach, N.Y., has been akin to tossing a match into a fuel-drenched bucket.

She's burning to re-write the script this summer.

The Maloney's--who've carried an unblemished record on the Beach Tennis USA circuit since 2007--have become the hunted in the women's pro division.

This could be an epic year, with a major challenge cooking on the Johnson's front burner.

Will Johnson and new partner Melch be able to neutralize the sisters who've apparently forgotten how to lose lately?

I'm not for certain, but what I do know is this:

Last season's championship was action-packed, appearing on the Tennis Channel and the Sports New York (SNY) network.

Consider the intriguing subplots to this year's event, and the action could set the beach ablaze on Labor Day Weekend.

On the men's side of the house, expect a bevy of fresh faces come September.

"We're really interested in seeing what this sport is all about," said Tom Curran, a tennis instructor who starred at Quinnipiac University.

"I think it definitely attracts a beach crowd, people that want more excitement and athletic activity under the sun. On the other side of the coin, a lot of tennis players are likely going to gear up for the challenge."

5 Questions With Real Women Golf

Today's guest is the mastermind behind the fun golf blog Real Women Golf. She's the self-proclaimed "former competitive figure skater turned golf-obsessed mom" that brings fresh, fun posts about John Daly, Blair O'Neal, and white belts.

1. Please talk about your competitive figure skating career. How long were you involved and do you still skate at all?

I started skating when I was 3. Another kid was on the pond near our house in NY and crying because he didn't want to skate. I was crying because I wanted to skate. So our parents did a switcheroo with the skates. That's how it all started.

I skated about 14 years--before school, after school, and I spent my summers away from home training in Rockford, Ill.

I don't skate right now. I've thought about it. I'm afraid I'd try a double jump and hurt myself and not be able to golf.

2. What other sports have you participated in other than skating and golf? Are there sports that you are particularly fond of following (besides golf)?

That's a funny question. No one outside of skating ever saw me as athletic. I was just a skinny kid that skated. I played soccer for a bit. I used to make the boys on the outdoor rinks in MN let me play hockey with them otherwise I wouldn't give them space on the ice to play. I could out-skate most of them in my figure skates.

I was always the last one picked for sports teams in school. I used to joke that, I skated, so I had no useful athletic skills. Honestly there wasn't any time to do any other sports. I did pick up roller blading after college. I've always enjoyed hiking and love a good bike ride with the kids. Unfortunately, I run and throw a ball like a girl.

As far as watching other sports. Besides golf, we watch the craziest sports at our house. My husband is a fan of futball and Australian Rules Football. I still enjoy watching skating, but if I had to pick a national skating championship or a golfing major, I'd choose golf. I like college football and we are big Columbus Crew fans. I love almost any sport live.

3. When did you start "Real Women Golf" and what was your inspiration? What, if any, other sources do you write for?

I started Real Women Golf last August. I hate to say this, but it was actually my husband's idea. Since I was a professional writer before my kids were born, he suggested I start a blog about something I like. Golf was the obvious choice.

Originally it was just meant as a creative outlet and a place to collect my stories for a possible book someday. I hoped women golfers might enjoy it, but I never thought it would develop the following it did--especially with male readers. It's been fun to watch it grow.

I am a freelance writer so I am always juggling a few projects. I have written for online magazines and other Websites. I also write promotional/marketing materials for some clients along with a video or two.

4. How did you get started playing golf? How often do you play now and do you have a handicap? What motivated you to start playing golf?

That is such a LONG story. My husband bought me a set of clubs after we got engaged (over 15 years ago). He played in college so he wanted me to learn.

We traveled a lot before our kids were born. So he would pick these wonderfully exotic locations that just happened to have golf courses. My clubs have clocked some serious miles. I whacked at the ball, and enjoyed the scenery and beverage carts, but I never fell in love with the game.

Then when we moved from Washington, D.C. , to Columbus, OH we had a wonderful indoor training facility a minute down the road. One bleak March day I took the clubs out of the attic, heading to the indoor range and decided I wanted to learn how to hit a golf ball in the air.

From there I took a women's beginning clinic and continued with lessons. That was a little over three years ago. Now I play on our course's competitive team.

I play or practice almost everyday. I can't help myself. My kids play too, so we have some great family time on the course. I love how my kids talk to me on the course. They are away from all electronic devices and it makes for some great conversations. I also have a great group of golfing gal pals. They are the best.

My handicap is currently a 12.7--the lowest so far. I desperately want to be a single-digit.

I think my desire to be a better player comes from my competitive figure skating background. I just didn't know I still had it in me, until I started golfing.

My motivation to learn to golf stemmed from my adjustment from living in a big city to a small one. I think I was trying to find some peace and quiet and something separate from the inevitable gossip of a small town. I find golf very therapeutic. In a nutshell, I found peace on the golf course.

5. Who were your role models as a child and today? Would you consider yourself a role model? Why or why not?

My role models as a kid were all skaters: Dorothy Hamill and Scott Hamilton were favorites because I loved their artistry. Scott is a such a survivor too. He's a role model well beyond figure skating.

Today my role models are different. My mom and I have always had a great relationship so I look up to her. As far as golf goes, I really admired Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa, and Stacy Lewis. I also have a huge respect for the FUTURES players and the determination they show every day. Greg Norman was the first golfer I ever followed, so he is definitely on the list. Watching him made me appreciate the game long before I ever played it.

Me a role model? Yikes! That's a tough one. I would say I am a good poster child for women's golf. I am always trying to encourage women to get on the course and have some fun. It's so intimidating at first, and it doesn't have to be. While I love my competitive golf I am a strong believer in making golf fun. Many women are curious how I started golfing and want to know how to learn. I'm always trying to get new gals to join me on the course.

I know my daughter thinks it's cool that mom competes. If I can teach her to be strong and go after her dreams, I will consider that a huge accomplishment.


Here is Heather's video application for the coolest job in the world as a caretaker near the Great Barrier Reef:



You can follow Heather on Twitter @realwomengolf.

Sunday Sports Wrap - June 28, 2009

MLB: A boatload of interleague play happened today. The Dodgers stunk it up but they're still in good shape overall. Manny will be coming back soon and it will be interesting to see the impact. It doesn't really seem like folks around here are too upset about his alleged PED use. Honestly, it seems like someone is getting caught every week. It's a shame that this is what baseball is about these days.

Golf: Kenny Perry finished the Travelers Championship with a record winning score. The win puts Perry ahead in the FedEx Cup standings. There has been a different player atop the points race each week in the last three weeks. Definitely shaping up to be an interesting season!

Yes, I'm 12: Not that this has anything to do with sports but I saw the new Transformers movie yesterday and really enjoyed it. I thought it was great because they only broke up the scenes where they were transforming, flying through the air, and blowing stuff up with a tiny bit of dialogue. Works for me!

Today In Sports History

1958 - Brazil becomes soccer's World Cup champion in Sweden

1975 - Lee Trevino is struck by lightning at Western Open

WNBA Fast Break To Reading

Fast Break to Reading is an initiative created by Pitney Bowes and the WNBA to promote child literacy. The goal of the program is to have children log a collective one million reading minutes by the end of the summer.

Ten WNBA teams will help reach the million minute goal in 2009: the Atlanta Dream, the Chicago Sky, the Connecticut Sun, the Detroit Shock, the Indiana Fever, the Los Angeles Sparks, the New York Liberty, the Phoenix Mercury, the Seattle Storm and the Washington Mystics.

These teams have partnered with the following organizations to extend Fast Break to Reading’s benefits to their participating students: Afterschool All-Stars (Atlanta), Chicago Public Libraries, Connecticut Library Consortium, Detroit Public Library, Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis, City Scholars (Los Angeles), Power to Learn (New York), Save the Family (Phoenix), Boys and Girls Club of King County (Seattle), Arlington County Libraries (Washington D.C.)

Each team will host their partnering organization at two WNBA regular season games this summer. The students will be invited to attend the games, sit in a special section of the arena and receive on-court recognition as “reading champions.”

The WNBA teams will also participate in two Reading Time Outs with each partnering organization. At Reading Time Outs, students listen along as a team player or Legend reads one of their favorite books and emphasizes the importance of reading. Pitney Bowes employees will volunteer at each Reading Time Out and bring their own children along to join in on the fun.

For more details visit the WNBA Fast Break To Reading website.

The Wild World On Friday

Today feels like a "Wild World of Wednesday" post. It has been a bizzaro week for sure.

Have You Heard This One: Brett Favre is not retiring. You don't say. Reports claim that he will be a Viking. I have lost any real emotional connection to the Brett Favre story these days. I prefer to remember Brett the Green Bay Packer.

What The Shaq: It's true, Shaq is going to Cleveland. The question now becomes - will LeBron stay? I keep hearing rumors about how he likes the weather in Orlando.

Did I Read That Right?: The US beat Spain in an important soccer match. Spain was ranked number one. Really? Wow.

UPDATE: I can't believe I missed Babe's birthday today. Thanks Doret! Read this link.

Oh Sister Where Art Thou?

Today's guest post was graciously submitted by Zach Smart and gives us a look at the sport of beach tennis. Zach Smart is an award-winning writer whose work has been featured in a number of sources--The New Haven Register, The Rivertowns Enterprise, Hoopsaddict.com, and Big East Basketball Report--to name a few. Mr. Smart is a New York native and currently operates ZSmart Sports Blog

Before a raucous San Diego crowd that's witnessed their dominance, Lisa and Laura Maloney were struggling.

Perhaps all the chatter of the the San Diego Smash tournament being gift-wrapped for the sisters began to ooze through their heads.

Remember, more athletes have been hampered by the hype and hyperbole than by the hurricanes.

But Laura and Lisa were not the same players who rolled to a convincing national championship victory in Long Beach, N.Y.

They weren't the same team who showed their meddle throughout California last year.

They certainly weren't the same team that's been elevating their play to a new zip code this year.

Having lost control of their no.1 seed, the Maloneys were pushed back to no.3 after dropping a pair of early matches.

The frustration seemed to avalanche and for a moment, it seemed that Nadia Johnston and Nicole Melch--who are leading this year's tour in point standings--would have some breathing room.

Not so fast.

The Maloneys, the top-ranked tandem on the Beach Tennis USA landscape, showed their resolve.

Their shortcomings and miscommunication was quickly buried under the burning-hot sand.

The sisters ran the table over the ensuing string of games.

They weren't giving teams a slow, painful death either. They were punching opponents in the mouth from the start, delivering quick executions that catapulted them into the top of the bracket.

Back in familiar title game territory, the Maloneys proved the world once again belonged to them.

The well-sculpted Maloneys obliterated Lee Whitewell and Joslyn Burkett, emerging with an 8-3 victory.

Another match, another championship, another trophy as the homegrown talents continue to wallop the competition this year.

As much as they've made their presence known in Cali, a new challenge awaits in New York.

This national championship has more juice than Florida right now. To read more about the national tour and road to the championship, please visit the Beach Tennis USA website

Nadia Johnson, a three-time national championship and current Long Island native, has been taking the world by wildfire with new partner Nicole Melch.

Watching the newly-minted squad dismantle teams is akin to watching two professionals matchup against team two blindfolded and handcuffed rookies.

I see the future...

A down-to-the-wire battle between Johnson-Melch and the Maloneys, before a jam-packed crowd televised live via the Tennis Channel.

Wild World of Wednedsay - June 24, 2009

Happy Anniversary Title IX: Yesterday marked the 37th anniversary of Title IX. The day was marked by a roundtable discussion at the White House and much buzz in the blogosphere. Don't know what this legislation is? You should. Click the links and read.

Surfcams: I've told you about the Surfer Shot community before. They recently added more surf cams to their site. Now you can check these out: Pipeline - Sunset - Satellite Beach - Huntington Pier - Huntington Beach, South. Nice!

Beat Gasoline: Nike GameChangers has a new campaign called Beat Gasoline. Here are the details:

This is an initiative of Nike and Youth Noise to get the word out that we can all use the power of sport to Beat Gasoline. Or smog. Or CO2. Or whatever. At Beatgasoline.com you can download free stuff, watch exclusive Nike content and upload videos or pictures showing how you would beat gasoline. You can also view other submissions and vote on the weekly Global Giving Card winners. Which, if you submit a video or picture, could be you. Other grand prizes include some killer stuff from Nike 6.0.


Today In Sport History

1992 - Commissioner Fay Vincent permanently bans Steve Howe from baseball

1995 - Stanley Cup: New Jersey Devils sweep Detroit Red Wings in 4 games

Tales From The Twitterscape - June 23, 2009

Yes, it took me a while but some of you (and you know who you are) drug me kicking and screaming into Twitter. I have yet to update my status with something like "I just had blueberry pancakes" and will continue to use that discretion! In fact, there are a few golf pros I'm thinking of taking off my list because that is the only sort of thing I ever see from them. Who cares?

What I find more interesting is the companies that interact with their consumers. Many OEMs and after-market retailers are on Twitter and have people dedicated to talking to the consumers every day. Great idea. I know that most people in my office have several windows of the internet open as they work, usually with one tab being Facebook and another being Twitter.

One cool company I recently found is in the Midwest and called Fun Outfitters. They have trivia contests on Twitter quite often and a YouTube channel with videos describing the products that they carry. The company carries snowmobiling, wakeboarding, and water skiing gear and other accessories. They've got a sense of humor too as evident from the video today that was lifted from their channel.

Another fun company to follow is Ogio. They also have contests rather frequently. They just gave away a golf bag yesterday. I'm a huge fan of their golf bags and use one now but didn't win a new one. Darn.

Who do you like to follow on Twitter?

5 Questions For Feedback

I have several interviews and ideas brewing so I thought I'd take a moment to solicit some feedback again. It isn't too hard and you can do so by comment, email, tweet, or any other method that you see fit. I'm always interested in what readers have to say and would appreciate honest feedback.

1. What is your favorite part of this blog? Is is a specific day, feature, or style?

2. What is you least favorite piece here? What could you do without?

3. What sports would you like to see more of?

4. What sports would you like to see less of?

5. Do you find the focus on several different sports a good thing or would you rather see a more focused approach?

Seriously, please answer honestly. You can tell me that you think the writing here stinks and you just stop in every day to see what video I have added if that is the case. Either way, I appreciate your time very much!