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The Dodgers, the “Lakeshow”, city of glitz and glamour, beautiful weather. Does Los Angeles sound like heaven on Earth, or what? Now imagine a brand new stadium and NFL team popping up in LA…madness! With the current situation in Minnesota, and uncertainty surrounding a few other NFL cities, it’s only a matter of time before one of these teams begin their search for a fresh start.

A Minnesota Senate committee narrowly approved a public subsidy on Friday to help the Vikings build a new football stadium, revving up the team’s struggling efforts, just hours after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell visited the state Capitol to ignite what had been a stagnant stadium debate. The Senate’s Local Government and Elections Committee passed the bill on an 8-6 vote after a hearing that went on for about four hours. While the stadium bill still faces a long haul, the committee’s vote gave the $975 million stadium proposal some new life.

So are the Vikings staying put, or heading west?

Let’s take at look at which teams are most likely to make the move to the City of Angels:

The Vikings will still play in the Metrodome next season, even though their lease has expired. This window of time allows LA to move in and snatch up the Vikings. While I don’t particularly like the idea of LA getting an NFL team, I think it’s one of the only options that could work out for the Vikings. LA is an open market, and the time to make a new move is now. The team can’t re-locate this year, but 2013 will be here before we know it. What’s crucial in this situation is trying to represent the wishes of Minnesotans and the Vikings fan base.
Likelihood of team moving to LA: 33%

I have a strong feeling the St. Louis Rams will stay put. Although AEG expressed interest in purchasing a majority stake in a franchise, St. Louis would have to be ruled out. The Rams were purchased by billionaire developer Stan Kroenke just a couple of years ago, so for him to sell a majority of the franchise he just purchased seems highly unlikely. Owning a venue is big money, and that should be next on Kroenke’s agenda.
Likelihood of team moving to LA: 24%

The Jacksonville Jaguars are a small-market team, but right off the bat, they seem like a better fit for LA than the Rams. The Jaguars are also at a disadvantage, competing with college football in a state that is truly devoted to the NCAA. The Jaguars don’t seem to have strong traditions or rivalries that a lot of other NFL teams have; sorry to say, but whose really gonna miss the Jaguars? The Los Angeles Jaguars would also allow a realignment in the NFL, maybe switching places with the Rams. This would create and instant L.A.-San Francisco rivalry in the NFC West, and a Tennessee-Indianapolis-St. Louis triangle in the AFC South.
Likelihood of team moving to LA: 40%

The San Diego Chargers are another team on the LA stadium radar; they are the team most commonly linked to the LA move. The Chargers are ultimately hoping to build a new stadium with a retractable roof in downtown San Diego, which would be an expanded part of the convention center. One major issue: the proposal doesn’t have the support of the San Diego Convention Center, which has written its own proposal. The Chargers really need a solid funding plan for a new stadium, or else it could be the end of an era for yet another San Diego franchise moving North up the I-5 freeway to join the LA market.
Likelihood of team moving to LA: 30%

No matter what happens, stay tuned…the LA-Stadium saga is just beginning!

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—All Content Courtesy 619Sports.net

LA MESA–The balance of the Helix offense makes the Highlanders an exciting team to watch. The dominance of the Helix defense makes the “Scotties” the top team in the county.

Forcing four Steele Canyon turnovers, 2nd ranked Helix throttled the #7 Cougars 26-7 at Jim Arnaiz Field on the Helix Charter High School campus, clinching a perfect 10-0 regular season and the Grossmont Hills League championship. Dynamic junior quarterback Brandon Lewis threw for a pair of touchdowns, his 24th and 25th of the season, and the Helix (10-0, 5-0) defense took it from there to shut down one of the section’s most physical teams in the 619 Preps Game of the Week.

“We can go far with our defense,” said Lewis, “We don’t want to rely on our defense but sometimes we have to and they help us out a lot.”

The Cougars (8-2, 4-1), who came into the night averaging close to 200 yards rushing per game, were held to 52 yards on the ground in 26 attempts.

“The Helix defense, you can tell why they’ve only given up six touchdowns all year,” said Steele Canyon head coach Ron Boehmke, “They play really hard, they’re quick and fast, can’t say enough about them.”

While the Cougars were able to slow down the Highlanders on the ground for the most part, Steele Canyon’s defense was put in a bad position multiple times thanks to turnovers. Senior quarterback Brad Boehmke completed 16-of-34 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown, but his three interceptions doomed the Cougars to defeat.

Steele Canyon star running back Jake Wragg had a forgettable game with 18 rushes for 37 yards. An 1,100+ yard rusher in the Cougars’ first nine games, Wragg lost an early fumble which led to Lewis’ 24 yard touchdown pass to Cameron Lee and a 7-0 Helix lead.

“We put our defense’s back against the wall a few times,” said Coach Boehmke, “I told our guys, we hadn’t see a fast-flowing, aggressive defense like that in a long time. This is the kind of game that gets you ready for the playoffs.”

The Highlanders were forced to adjust to an injury mid-game but didn’t lose their stride offensively. Junior tailback Darien Hancock, a 1,000+ yard rusher, carried 15 times for 59 yards, including a 23-yard scoring run on an inside draw midway through the second quarter which made it 14-0 Helix. Hancock left the game after taking a hard hit early in the third quarter, and senior Raymont Nailon stepped in for his final regular season home game.

Nailon crashed the line for 85 yards in 17 carries, helping Helix grind out their perfect regular season.

“When our team plays together and with one heartbeat, this is what you see,” said Nailon.

Vann Sabin kicked a pair of field goals late in the second quarter to give Helix a 20-0 halftime lead. In the third, Steele Canyon fought back for their lone touchdown of the night, as a shanked punt set up the Cougars on a 41 yard field. Seven plays later, Boehmke hit Chanceller James on a 14 yard scoring pass, making it 20-7 Highlanders.

When the Cougars stopped Helix on a fourth and inches for a turnover on downs one possession later, it looked like Steele Canyon was going to claw its way back into the game. That’s when Kenny Keys took over. The 6′3″ senior defensive back stepped underneath a deep pass from Boehmke to wide receiver Britten Wright for his first of two second-half interceptions.

“I had been out with injury the last couple of weeks and wanted to come out tonight with a bang,” said Keys.

Seemingly dispirited by their offense’s mistakes, Steele Canyon gave ground on the next drive for the first time all game, as Nailon carried four straight times for a total of 51 yards. Lewis then arced a gorgeous square out to senior wide receiver Austin Gonzalez in the end zone for a 14 yard touchdown and a 26-7 lead.

Helix stopped Steele Canyon twice on downs from there, and Keys’ second interception of the game snuffed out a last gasp drive. The Cougars wound up with 248 yards of total offense but could never sustain a drive.

With Oceanside losing 24-14 at El Camino, the path to the #1 seed in Division-II looks good for Helix. They will undoubtedly earn a bye and wait for their opponent in two weeks back home in La Mesa.

“It’s our first Super Bowl game, but there’s many to go,” said Nailon.

Steele Canyon, despite the loss, will likely remain a top-four seed in the stacked D-II playoff field. Their only two losses have come to the top two teams in the county, #1 Eastlake and #2 Helix, two 10-0 programs.

—All Content Courtesy 619Sports.net

Over the past few months, SportsForce has been conducting free seminars to help educate athletes and their families on the road ahead and what to expect. SportsForce team members cover a variety of subjects at every seminar , but also share one constant message: it is never too late to work towards that roster spot. Team members highlight an entire time line of preparing for college sports, but are sure to remind young athletes never to get discouraged. Never give up at the high school level, the college level and beyond. Persistence pays, and there has been no greater recent example than Daniel Nava. As a Boston-girl myself, I was instantly aware of Nava’s great start for the Red Sox. If you didn’t get a chance to read the headlines, Nava became the fourth player in history to hit a grand slam in his first at bat in the majors, and just the second player to do so on the first pitch he saw.

At first wind of this story, you may think that Nava is a golden child of baseball who has been barreling towards the majors since high school. Not so. Nava is a great example of pursuing your dreams until you get there, and never letting “no’s” get the best of you. Fox Sports shared some of Nava’s story:

Nava, 27, was 4 feet 8 and 70 pounds when he entered high school, took growth hormone — prescribed by a doctor, not some major-league enabler — but didn’t have a growth spurt until his sophomore year in college.

He was cut by Santa Clara his freshman year and ended up team manager, washing uniforms. He then left the school because his family couldn’t afford the tuition, played two years at junior college, only to return to Santa Clara — on scholarship — for his senior year.

No major-league team drafted him. The Chico Outlaws of the Independent Golden League cut him. Nava took a year off, thinking — again — that his career might be over. But the Outlaws gave him another shot.

Then, in fall 2007, the Red Sox signed Nava, paying the Outlaws the princely sum of $1 — yes, $1 — for his rights, with an additional $1,499 to follow if he made a minor-league team out of spring training.

Now here was Nava less than three years later, replacing Josh Reddick on the major-league roster and filling in for the injured Jacoby Ellsbury and Jeremy Hermida, playing left field at Fenway on the same ground once treaded by Red Sox greats Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice and Manny Ramirez.

Good thing they got there when they did — Daniel hit his grand slam off Phillies right-hander Joe Blanton with none out in the bottom of the second inning, and later added a lead-off double off reliever Chad Durbin in the fifth.

At 27, Nava’s debut is no miracle, but the result of hard work and persistence; the kind of hard work that can earn a college roster spot and beyond. To read the full Fox Sports article visit: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Daniel-Navas-parents-watch-a-milestone-moment-for-their-son

For video of the grand slam visit: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=8987563

SportsForce alumnus and Oral Roberts University athlete, Tyler Saladino was named the Summit League Player of the Week. Tyler is an infielder for the ORU Golden Eagles. ORU reported Tyler’s accomplishment on their site:

Saladino collects Player of the Week honors after leading the Golden Eagles to a series sweep over Western Illinois. The junior hit .688 (11-16) for the week with a 1.500 slugging percentage and .762 on-base percentage. He registered at least one run and two RBI in each game vs. WIU with nine and 11 totals for the week, respectively. He also added 11 hits, three homers, two doubles, a triple, a stolen base and three walks, while striking out just once in 16 at-bats.

Highlighting his week were a game-winning three-run homer in the opening contest of the Western Illinois series and his game-ending two-run home run in the eighth inning of the finale, which ORU won by a run-rule score of 14-4.

For the season Saladino is batting .374 with 10 home runs and 43 RBI. In Summit League play, he’s off to a .545-4-24 start over ORU’s first 12 league games.

The Golden Eagles are 22-17 overall and lead the Summit League with a 10-2 record. ORU next faces IPFW in a four-game Summit League series which opens 2 p.m. Friday in Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Check out Tyler’s highlight video below or be sure to visit his full SportsForce profile here.

For the full article visit the ORU Men’s Baseball page here.

Sport: Baseball Positions: Catcher Height: 6’3″ Class: 2010 School: Scripps Ranch High School San Diego, CA

Wynston Sawyer, batted .700 with two home runs and eight RBIs at the Lions Baseball Tournament this past weekend. This performance earned Wynston the recognition of being named the MVP of the 6A Division for the tournament. Wynston also contributed to the now 12-2 Scripps Ranch Falcons with two doubles, five walks, three stolen bases and six runs scored.
To view Wynstons’s complete SportsForce profile click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/wsawyer

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

On Wednesday, Canyon Crest Academy senior Matt Malott entered elite company, when he pitched a perfect game against Bloomfield, Colorado, in the La Jolla Country Day tournament at Canyon Crest Academy in San Diego, CA. Matt struck out ten batters in his dominant seven inning performance with a variety of pitches including a four-seam fastball, curve, change-up, and two-seam fastball.

A recent SportsForce combine participant, Matt was an event standout with superior control and command for prep level athlete. Canyon Crest Academy head coach Ryan Sienko emphasized Matt’s abilities when questioned after the game by the North County Times saying that Matt, “…mixed his pitches really well. He is a hard working kid that pounds the strike zone.” Matt’s performance was truly spectacular and we at SportsForce want to congratulate the SportsForce alum on his great achievement and what will likely be an impressive and successful season.

See Matt’s full SportsForce profile at: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/mmalott

Highlight Video and Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, CA), a perennial lacrosse powerhouse in Southern California won two early season games against top contenders to prove their continued strength in California. LCC met up with De La Salle High School (Concord, CA) earlier this month. LCC took control of the game from the start and held onto the game til the very end, defeating a strong De La Salle team, 11-5. Big performances came from Senior Middie Andrew Hayden and Sophomore Attack Brendan Gaughan and Senior Attack Timmy Andrews. See below for highlights of the game and be sure to visit the Lacrosse page at SportsForce.

Highlight Video courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

LCC faced off against Coronado this week. The game was sure to be full of action as Coronado defeated LCC last season in the CIF Championship game. Arguably the two best teams in San Diego and among the top teams in the state, Coronado and LCC fought hard to establish each team’s dominance for the new season. LCC took an early lead with help from Andrew Hayden who helped secure possession for LCC in the majority of the game’s face-offs. Hayden scored a game high three goals in the match up that LCC won 8-5. Timmy Andrews had two goals and one assist, and Brendan Gaughan finished with goal and two assists. No. 2 ranked Coronado played strong with great performances from Kyle Runyon and Alex Bookout who each scored two goals. See below for highlights of the game and be sure to visit the Lacrosse page at SportsForce.

Highlight Video courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

Chris Rotelli is co-founder of Golden State Lacrosse Academy in San Francisco, CA (http://www.gs-lax.com/). Golden State Lacrosse offers clinics, camps, workshops, and private lessons as well as community outreach programs to bring lacrosse to new people. SportsForce caught up with Chris to find out what it’s like to play professional lacrosse, share his story and much more. Chris is a three time MLL All Star, winner of the Tewaaraton Award, and was named ACC Male Athlete of the Year (2003) among other honors.

When did you start playing lax? How and why did you get started?

I started playing in 3rd grade. My dad gave me a stick and taught me how to throw, and I feel in love with it instantly.

What caused you to make lacrosse your sport? What do you love about it?

I love the speed of the game, and the teamwork. It is extremely fast, and a total adrenaline rush the whole time you are on the field. Unlike other sports where only a couple people are involved with each play; in lacrosse every person on the field is involved in the game at all times, and that keeps it mentally engaging. Since everyone is always involved, it makes teamwork and communication huge parts of the game, and I love it.

How has lacrosse impacted your life?

Lacrosse has completely shaped my life. It gave me focus growing up, and taught me how to pursue my goals. It helped me get into a great college and gave me a career working with a sport that I love. Through lacrosse I’ve met so many amazing people, and now I have friends all over the world that I have either played with or against at some time in my life. I’ve been able to travel the country, and now I get to teach young kids that same way my role models taught me how to play the game growing up. I feel pretty lucky, and lacrosse has definitely given me a lot.

What advice would you give to young lax players hoping to play in college or beyond?

Shoot on a goal, and pass on a wall as much as possible.

You were a highly decorated player in great programs in both high school and college. What advice would you have for athletes who are trying to make themselves stand out at schools without such great programs, or those just playing club?

I came from Rhode Island where lacrosse at the time was only played in five schools, so I understand what it is like coming from a ‘small pond.’ My advice is to use that as motivation and work harder than everyone. If you are coming from an area where lacrosse is young, but you want to play with the best, you have to keep raising the bar for yourself, and out-work not only your teammates, but also every kid playing in Baltimore, Long Island, etc.

You were drafted first overall in the MLL college draft, tell us what that experience was like.

That was very exciting. We had just won the National Championship four days earlier, so it was truly an amazing week for me, and actually very humbling.

What is the life of a professional lacrosse player like?

It is very fun. We’re fortunate to get paid to play a game we love, and do it with our friends. I love it.

When did you start to think about “going pro?” What was that decision process like?

I honestly didn’t think about it much until after the National Championship. I was in my senior season in 2003 at UVA, and was only focused on winning a championship. Fortunately we did, and then I could think about the MLL. But the draft was three days after that game, so I really didn’t have much time to think about the MLL until I was in it. I played my first game six days later.

Explain a little bit about the mission of Golden State Lax Academy. Could you highlight some of the programs you offer?

Our mission is to create better players, and increase their enjoyment of the game. We teach them the right way to play, but also keep it as fun as possible. For us, practice was always fun because we loved lacrosse. So we really try to show kids that hard work not only can be fun, but should be fun. We do day camps, overnight camps, and clinics throughout the year. www.gs-lax.com

What is your favorite part about working with young and up and coming lacrosse players?

Seeing their excitement, and making a positive difference in their lives.

What do you think about lacrosse being the fastest growing sport in the country? Why do you think it is growing so fast?

I love that the sport is taking off. Lacrosse is addictive, and the most fun team sport you will ever play. In my humble opinion, it will not stop growing.

How did you land in California?

My favorite activities have always been lacrosse, surfing, and skiing. I moved to CA so that I could have easier access to surf and snow. In the northeast, you have to drop everything you’re doing to get the small windows of good surf or good snow, and I wanted to live somewhere it would be easier to work those into my daily routine. When I got here, I fell in love with all of it. San Francisco is the friendliest city you’ll ever see. People here are so fun and cool; it’s hard not to love living here.

In 1972, Title IX, the LAW that opened college sports to women in an unprecedented way was passed. Though the act is now more than 30 years old, it still has not lost the controversy that followed it from day one. Controversy over its effectiveness, and it’s possible negative impacts on many sports, specifically men’s teams. Today, the New York Times, highlighting two studies on the effects of Title IX, is documenting that the law as well as sports in general has an amazing and ongoing impact on the lives of those females who participate in sport at the high school and college levels.

Read on for the entire article:

Almost four decades after the federal education law called Title IX opened the door for girls to participate in high school and college athletics, a crucial question has remained unanswered: Do sports make a long-term difference in a woman’s life?

A large body of research shows that sports are associated with all sorts of benefits, like lower teenage pregnancy rates, better grades and higher self-esteem. But until now, no one has determined whether those improvements are a direct result of athletic participation. It may be that the type of girl who is attracted to sports already has the social, personal and physical qualities — like ambition, strength and supportive parents — that will help her succeed in life.

Now, separate studies from two economists offer some answers, providing the strongest evidence yet that team sports can result in lifelong improvements to educational, work and health prospects. At a time when the first lady, Michelle Obama, has begun a nationwide campaign to improve schoolchildren’s health, the lessons from Title IX show that school-based fitness efforts can have lasting effects.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 required schools and colleges receiving federal money to provide the same opportunities for girls as they did for boys. Relatively few students, male or female, participate in intercollegiate sports. But the effects in high school were remarkable. Just six years after the enactment of Title IX, the percentage of girls playing team sports had jumped sixfold, to 25 percent from about 4 percent.

Most research on Title IX has looked at national trends in girls’ sports. Betsey Stevenson, an economist at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has taken it a step further, focusing on state-by-state variations.

“I looked to see what it means to add sports to girls’ lives,” she said. “How does it change things for them?”

States with large boys’ sports programs had to make bigger changes to achieve parity than states with smaller programs. Looking at the state-by-state statistics allowed Dr. Stevenson to narrow her focus, comparing differences in sports participation with differences in women’s educational and work achievement.

So her study untangles the effects of sports participation from other confounding factors — school size, climate, social and personal differences among athletes — and comes far closer to determining a cause and effect relationship between high school sports participation and achievement later in life.

Using a complex analysis, Dr. Stevenson showed that increasing girls’ sports participation had a direct effect on women’s education and employment. She found that the changes set in motion by Title IX explained about 20 percent of the increase in women’s education and about 40 percent of the rise in employment for 25-to-34-year-old women.

“It’s not just that the people who are going to do well in life play sports, but that sports help people do better in life,” she said, adding, “While I only show this for girls, it’s reasonable to believe it’s true for boys as well.”

Another question is whether Title IX has made a difference in women’s long-term health. In a carefully conducted study, Robert Kaestner, an economics professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, compared rates of obesity and physical activity of women who had been in high school in the 1970s — as Title IX was taking effect — with similar women from earlier years. Controlling the results for other influences, like age and changing diets, Dr. Kaestner was able to tease out the effects Title IX had on women’s health.

He found that the increase in girls’ athletic participation caused by Title IX was associated with a 7 percent lower risk of obesity 20 to 25 years later, when women were in their late 30s and early 40s. His article was published this month in the journal Evaluation Review.

Dr. Kaestner notes that while a 7 percent decline in obesity is modest, no other public health program can claim similar success. And other studies have shown that even a small drop in weight can lower risk for diabetes and other health problems.

There is still room for improvement. Today about 1 in 3 high school girls play sports, compared with about half of all boys. And participation varies widely by state, according to Dr. Stevenson’s research. Southern states like Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee still have big gender gaps, while Northern states like Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Vermont are closer to parity.

“While we have more girls than ever before, we still have far more boys playing sports than girls,” said Nicole M. LaVoi, associate director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota. “The research clearly states that when anybody, boys and girls, are physically active, they can reap developmental and health benefits. But we haven’t reached equality yet.”

Full Article at NY Times by Tara Parker-Pope