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A Look at Baseball Batting Gloves
The first baseball gloves to hit the field were created sometime in the late 1800s. These gloves were simplistic compared to today's models. Early gloves were usually made of thin pieces of leather and were precursors to the advanced baseball gloves...
Breeders Cup 2005 For Dummies
"Breeders Cup For Dummies" The Real Scoop On Breeders Cup The easiest way to describe Breeders Cup is to picture a pyramid. There are two organizations at the top of the Breeders Cup pyramid. They are the NTRA (National Throroughbred...
Fishing - The Ultimate Hobby
The Recreational Value of Fishing
Many people consider that fish are only a medium of survival, or
to some extent a food supply; yet there is another angle that is
little known. The manufacturing industry utilizes more than two
billion...
Polarized Sunglasses - What's The Big Deal?
When you see sunglasses advertised as polarized sunglasses you may not realize what this means. You probably think that ordinary sunglasses are just as good, so why bother paying the extra cost to have polarised lenses in sunglasses. The fact is...
Top 3 NFL picks for Sunday September 25th
Top Play: Pittsburgh Steelers -3 over New England
I've seen a few pundits weigh in on the Patriots, saying they'll be "more focused" after losing at Carolina. I don't believe a lack of focus plays into this one that much. Patriots are a...
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Cold Nights and Hot Games: Great Alaska Shootout Basketball Tourney
Each year, colleges and universities from all over the nation
send their men's basketball teams to the "Last Frontier State"
to the Great Alaska Shootout Basketball Tourney. The competition
heats up the cold winter days and nights, as teams meet head on
to battle for buckets. Colleges and universities get the
opportunity to play against their top rivals and powerhouses of
the game. These games draw in record crowds each year, as any
basketball fan should not miss the chance to attend this fast
paced pre season classic.
The main question on any sports fan's mind is, why Alaska? The
reason is simple, former University of Alaska Anchorage head
coach, Bob Rachal found a loophole in the NCAA rules determining
pre season play. In an effort to draw more attention to the
state, the University of Alaska Anchorage, and the Seawolves
athletic program, Rachal became the mastermind of what began as
the Sea Wolf Classic. The NCAA rules stated any games played
outside the contagious 48 states did not count towards a
program's pre determined allotment. For this reason,
participants of the Great Alaska Shootout Basketball Tourney can
get an early gauge of their teams prowess against national
talent.
The first Sea Wolf Classic was held in 1978 for the '78-'79
basketball season and saw the Wolfpack of North Carolina State
University crush the University of Louisville's Cardinals. The
tournament ended in 1978, leaving many wondering if it would
become an annual event. Much to everyone's relief, the Sea Wolf
Classic became a Thanksgiving tradition in 1979, but under a new
name.
Broadcaster Billy Packer is credited with changing the name from
the Sea Wolf Classic to the Great
Alaska Shootout Basketball
Tourney back in 1979. In this stunning tournament, the title
game came down to the University of Kentucky Wildcats and the
Iona College Gaels. The Wildcats proved too powerful for the
tiny New York school, and emerged victorious as the second
champion of this fantastic new basketball challenge.
A list of past champions reads like a who's who of College
basketball, including NC State, Louisville, Kansas, Kentucky,
Duke, North Carolina, and UCLA to name a few.
The attendance may have been meager in the early days, but soon
the action caught on, and now college basketball fans of all
ages flock to the state for the Thanksgiving weekend Great
Alaska Shootout Basketball Tourney. What better way to celebrate
our national day of thanks than by cheering on teams from all
across the country? Many hotels, cruises, and lodges have
special packages designed with the college basketball fan in
mind.
If you find you cannot wait until December to enjoy hot hoops
action, head to Anchorage and watch the action melt away the
snow! Plan a trip for the family and bring budding sports fans
to experience the thrilling display of skill and sportsmanship,
or make it a raucous occasion for celebration with your best
hoops loving buds. Whoever you bring, just make sure you bring
yourself to this annual college basketball showdown!
About the author:
A lifelong Alaskan, Ron Richards lives in the beautiful
Matanuska Valley. Ron invites you to come and see Alaska. One
excellent way to enjoy Alaska is by taking an affordable Alaska Cruise Visit
http://findanalaskacruise.com for more information.
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