World Cup 2014

Growing in popularity each year, the world has anxiously been awaiting the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, since 2010 when Spain defeated the Netherlands to win the coveted title. Like the Olympics, the World Cup occurs every four years, changing locations to bring together competing nations and enthusiastic fans across the globe.

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded in 1904, is ruled by Swiss law and is based in Zurich. There are over 200 member associations belonging to FIFA and the overall goal of the organization and its members is to constantly improve the sport of football (soccer in the USA). The FIFA Congress announced earlier in June that it would be investing $900M dollars in development of the sport from 2015-2018. These funds will be used for a variety of purposes although priorities include the support of women’s funds and youth competitions as well as enhancing football’s information system.

The World Cup begins with a group format, intended to separate high ranking and geographically close teams. The USA is part of group G along with Germany, Ghana and Portugal. Scoring the groups is based on a point system: win = 3, draw (tie) = 1 and loss = 0. This system determines who advances to the knockout round.

In the USA’s first match, Ghana was defeated 2-1. USA goals were scored by Dempsey and Brooks. In their second game which took place Sunday, June 22, the USA started out down 0-1 against Portugal but came back to score two goals (by Jones and Dempsey). It seemed like a sure thing that the USA was set for victory until a last second goal by Varela of Portugal’s team tied the game! This resulted in a draw.

As with any great sporting tournament, upsets, surprises and controversies make for exciting news and so far, the World Cup has had no shortage of them! Greece beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in their match on June 24. Uruguay’s Luis Suarez was accused of biting Italian Giorgio Chiellini’s ear in their most recent game and Costa Rica has surprised many teams and soccer fans worldwide, rising to the top spot in Group D and advancing to the knockout round.

Games began on June 12 and continue through July 13. The semi-finals will occur on July 8-9, the third-place game takes place on July 12 and the final match is set for July 13. The USA plays Germany next on Thursday, June 26 at 11:00 a.m. EST.

HBO Hard Knocks

HBO has always offered a variety of captivating dramas, comedies and documentaries. The sports documentary series Hard Knocks (in partnership with NFL Films) is no exception. The show captures the routine of both players and coaches during training camp and pre-season games as they prepare for the upcoming season. It gives football fans an inside look at team operations, practice, contract negotiations, the “grind” players endure to keep their spot on the team and prove their worth, the battle for positions, the adjustments rookie players must make as well as a glimpse into the players’ personal lives. The show has won three Sports Emmy Awards, one in 2009 and two in 2010.

Hard Knocks first premiered in 2001 featuring the Baltimore Ravens. Since then, the following teams have been featured: Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. The Cowboys and Bengals have each been featured twice. Due to uncertainty with the NFL’s labor situation in 2011, Hard Knocks was not produced. The NFL implemented rules in 2013 listing reasons a team is eligible to avoid Hard Knocks if they wish: if they have a new head coach, if they have reached the playoffs in the past two seasons, or if they have appeared on Hard Knocks within the past 10 years.

Hard Knocks enters its ninth season this year, featuring the Atlanta Falcons. 2014 will be the Falcons’ seventh season under head coach, Mike Smith. The Falcons have made playoff appearances in 4/6 of the past seasons under Smith. This season should have plenty of exciting directions for storylines including anticipation around returning high-profile veterans like Matt Ryan and Roddy White, the recovery path of superstar Julio Jones after a season-ending foot injury last October, and integration of the Falcons’ sixth draft pick, offensive lineman, Jake Matthews. This season will also feature the team’s trip to Texas for a combined practice with the Houston Texans prior to their pre-season game at NRG Stadium on August 16.

HBO’s film crew will shoot more than 1500 hours of footage with unlimited access for the series. Hard Knocks premieres August 5 at 10:00 p.m. EST on HBO.

Money Clips

Guys typically don’t carry around bags toting all their goods so an accessory with multiple functions makes the perfect pocket pal. Money clips are designed to keep your cash together, neatly, without taking up substantial space in an already limited environment. Money clips provide quick, easy access to your cash and feature a compact, lightweight design. They are perfect for eliminating the bulkiness of a wallet while holding on to your essentials. They are also ideal for going out at night or hitting the beach, as you generally don’t need the same amount of credit and ID cards, wallet photos and receipts for outings like this.

Many money clips are designed with multi-purposes in mind, including additional features such as bottle openers and card holders. A money clip with a built-in card holder can eliminate the need to carry a wallet all together in some situations. A money clip featuring a bottle opener is perfect for tailgating or golfing, as it’s one less item you need to remember to pack for your outing.

Money clips provide a great opportunity for personalization that cannot always be achieved through the standard black or brown leather wallet. Baseball season and NASCAR races are in full swing and football is less than three months away. Now is the perfect time to rep your favorites, showing pride in your team with a subtle touch of style through a money clip. Even if you’re not a big sports fan, money clips feature additional designs, for example, pewter emblem animals. Money clips are available in both leather and steel, to meet various style preferences. This accessory can be a great conversation piece and at an affordable price, money clips offer the option to change styles more frequently than a wallet, depending on your destination, the sports season and more.

Money clips are perfect for occasions such as groomsmen gifts, corporate gifts and stocking stuffers. Money clips make a great gift for Dad too!

NBA Finals

Mid-June: the heart of the NBA Finals. This year’s matchup is a repeat of last year: the San Antonio Spurs vs. the Miami Heat. This season’s Finals format is 2-2-1-1-1 (the original format), starting with two home games for the Spurs, whereas the previously used format for the past 29 seasons (since 1985) has been 2-3-2. The Spurs currently lead the series 2-1.

In Game 1 in San Antonio, AT&T Center’s air conditioning malfunctioned, causing “heat” to take on a whole new meaning. Despite scorching temperatures above 90° in the arena at one point, the Spurs managed to pull off a win, beating the Heat 110-95. Lebron James scored 25 points but battled cramps and limped out of the game in the 4th quarter. The Spurs then went on a 15-4 run. Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 21 points. Manu Ginobili and Danny Green also helped the Spurs by scoring 16 and 13 points respectively.

In Game 2, Lebron was back to the superstar “Lebron” silencing critics with 35 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Heat to a 98-96 victory over the Spurs. The Spurs played a drastically different 4th quarter in Game 2 compared to their Game 1 performance. Dwyane Wade scored 18 points and both Chris Bosh and Rashard Lewis scored 14 points, helping to lead Miami to its victory.

In Game 3 in Miami, the Spurs defeated the Heat 112-92. The Spurs scored 71 points in the first half alone, shooting just under 76% and setting an NBA Finals record for shooting in a half. Miami shot just under 56% in the first half which is good offense, but this note is overlooked due to the Spurs’ spectacular performance. The Heat were able to bring the game as close as 81-74 in the third quarter, playing aggressively in an attempt to close the gap. Lebron James and Dwyane Wade each scored 22 points and Chris Bosh scored 9. Kawhi Leonard, small forward on the Spurs, was the star of the night, scoring a career-high 29 points.

Game 4 takes place in Miami at 9:00pm on June 12. The Heat usually come out aggressive following a loss and tonight’s game cannot be an exception if they want to remain competitive and have a shot at going all the way for the coveted Three-peat.

The Amazing Spider-Man

Summer has been known for its blockbuster movie releases, especially in the Action and Superhero categories and this year is no exception. The Amazing Spider-Man 2, from the classic Marvel comic series hit theaters on May 2nd.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the second installment in the Amazing Spider-Man series and the fifth Spider-Man film released by Marvel: Spider-Man (May 2002), Spider-Man 2 (June 2004), Spider-Man 3 (June 2007), The Amazing Spider-Man (July 2012) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (May 2014). This movie was shot on the streets of New York City last summer.

In the movie, Peter Parker realizes that battling himself may no longer be his greatest struggle. He also learns that the common thread of all of his enemies is Oscorp Industries. Spider-Man’s host of talents include the ability to fly, climb up and swing through buildings, shoot webs to save lives and battle enemies, and most importantly, help people. He also attempts to maintain some degree of normalcy, as Peter Parker.

The film appears to have mixed reviews with frequent comments including “an overwhelming amount of villains” and “great chemistry between Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). New to the screen in this film is Electro (also known as Max Dillon), played by Jamie Foxx. ABC News reported that Foxx spent over four hours in the makeup chair being painted blue for this role.

With iconic costumes, thrilling action and a plethora of special effects, this is one summer movie you won’t want to miss! Keeping in step with the summer blockbuster tradition, it was announced that the third and fourth installments in The Amazing Spider-Man series are set for release in June 2016 and May 2018. X-Men: Days of Future Past from another classic Marvel series was also released on May 23, 2014.

Fresh Ice, Old Traditions

The ice is fresh, the fans are pumped and the playoff beards are growing long. It’s down to the last four teams, the Conference Finals. Let’s play hockey! The New York Rangers lead the Montreal Canadiens (3-2) (best of 7) in the Eastern conference and the Los Angeles Kings lead the Chicago Blackhawks (3-1) in the Western conference. Winners move on to the championship, playing for the coveted Stanley Cup.

In addition to playoff beards, hockey is full of unique and long-lasting traditions. These include: throwing hats on to the ice when a player scores a hat trick (three goals by the same player in one game), taunting the opposing goalie in an effort to distract him, the sudden death format of overtime and more recently, the Winter Classic. The Winter Classic is a hockey game that takes place on or around New Year’s Day in outdoor stadiums in cities that are in close proximity to NHL teams. It began in 2008, where the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins faced off at Ralph Wilson Stadium (where the Buffalo Bills play home football games).

No hockey tradition, however, is greater than that of the Stanley Cup itself. The Stanley Cup is different than other professional sports trophies. It’s traveled farther than any other trophy and is updated each

Following each season, all players and staff from the winning organization get to spend 24 hours with the trophy. The possibilities are endless! Players have taken it to all corners of the earth, posing for pictures and cheering with pride. No other professional sport can claim the same. The Stanley Cup has also made stops at various military bases across the globe, supporting America’s Finest and offering them a chance to share in the excitement.

Can the Chicago Blackhawks (who most recently won the Stanley Cup in 2012-2013) get back into the series and defeat the Kings, champions of 2011-2012? The Kings have won the last 3 straight in this series. Can the Rangers pull out a win in the 6th game, avoiding a Game 7 against the Canadiens? In this series, arguably two of the most recognized franchises have battled head-to-head. These final few games are sure to be thrillers! The Stanley Cup finals are set to begin June 4.

year to include engraving of the latest roster of champions. It takes 13 seasons to fill each ring of the trophy. Once a ring is full, an older ring is removed for display in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, making way for new champions.

Anne Taintor Luggage Tags

Ah, summer, it’s finally here! Fun in the sun and vacations, commence! From graduation trips backpacking across Europe, to June honeymoons, to family vacations at the beach, summer offers something for everyone. Celebrate by saying bon voyage in style. For the classy, sassy, witty, pretty, traveling gals in your life, Anne Taintor luggage tags make the perfect gift.

Displaying vintage art and featuring funny remarks, these luggage tags are sure to get a laugh and bring a smile. Not only are they visually appealing, but with a variety of commentary, you’re sure to find one for each of the special women in your life. Whether it’s the woman who prefers glam-ping to camping, the jet-setting queen of beaches, or the spontaneous adventurer, we have you covered with Anne Taintor luggage tags. They are the perfect way to say “congratulations” or “relax and enjoy a break” or even “thinking of you” as your gals get out of town. These tags are so appealing you just might have to buy one for yourself too!

Sometimes it’s tough to share how you really feel, especially in typical traveling settings, but Anne Taintor luggage tags can say it for you, bringing a smile to yourself and others fortunate enough to catch a glimpse. Durable enough to withstand baggage handling at the airport, these striking matte vinyl tags with sturdy straps will help you spot your luggage quickly, minimizing waiting time and maximizing time for fun.

Regardless of your destination, humor travels well. Stand out from the crowd and start your summer off right by buying a new travel accessory. Anne Taintor luggage tags will stay in style and clever through all the other seasons. Bon voyage and safe travels!