Friday, October 19, 2007

Getting Free Photoshop Tutorials

Getting Free Photoshop Tutorials
by: Mario Churchill


The Photoshop software is truly a big deal for most people. It pays to have this program in your computer in order to manipulate your pictures as your desire. With this at hand, you can be sure that you get to improve those digital images you have taken even before they get printed. This is more reason for you to give away beautiful pictures to friends and relatives.

However, it is not enough that you have the Photoshop program installed in your computer. It is a must that you have a basic knowledge in Photoshop so you can do the things that you want. As such it is very important to get a Photoshop tutorial.

There are options such as to hire a tutor or enrol in program where you can learn Photoshop skills. You can also choose to buy books that will teach you the aspects of the program. These are options that are open to you. However, it may even be a better choice for you to get a free Photoshop tutorial. Here, you get to learn a new skill without having to spend the extra money in your pocket.

The Free Photoshop Tutorial

There are many ways for you to get a free Photoshop tutorial. Be sure that you get to use these options because it sure is a good thing to save your extra money instead. If you can have something for free, then just grab it and make the most out of it.

Ask a Friend for Help in the Photoshop

Some people are fortunate enough to have friends and relatives who are skilled in the Photoshop application. If you happen to have a friend of your own, then ask him or her to teach you basic Photoshop. This is a good way to get the free Photoshop tutorial. You can even use that extra time of learning as a bonding activity.

Explore the Photoshop Program

If it happens that you cannot access any friend to give the tutorials, you can explore the Photoshop program. The manufacturers do provide basic tutorials with the installation. You can easily check the options for the basic tutorials. This can explain to you how certain commands work and when to use them. You can read on the instructions and the step-by-step processes. There are also editions in the Photoshop software that can actually give tutorial using visuals. You will definitely enjoy viewing how a project is developed.

Download Files Online

You can also get free Photoshop tutorials online. There are numerous web sites that will give help for free. You can access the tutorial in PDF format and see the instructions. You can also browse through the sites to find the discussion on a particular topic. You may even love the options of seeing the tutorial in video format.

Ask for Assistance Online

The manufacturer can provide an option for you to get help online. However, you may find it even amazing to explore the different discussion boards and forums where other Photoshop users converge. This can be an opportunity to get free Photoshop tutorials from them. You can post your question and you can expect the other users to give you the advice you need.

Conclusion

Get your free Photoshop tutorials and learn the basic skills needed to operate the program. This way, you can turn out your nice images into fabulous pictures.


About The Author
Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information about an excellent small business marketing checkout http://www.prophotosecrets.com

Top 10 Ways To Make A Computer Run Faster

Top 10 Ways To Make A Computer Run Faster
by: Brooks Carver


Today I am going to be talking about different ways you can make a computer run faster. There is actually a lot you can do yourself that will boost your PC's performance. So lets take a look at different ways we can remedy that slow computer of yours!

1. Free Up Disk Space

A great way to make a computer run faster is to free up some disk space. Windows comes with a disk cleanup tool that helps you free up space on your hard disk. The utility identifies files that you can safely delete without messing anything up, and then enables you to choose whether you want to delete some or all of the identified files.

How to use disk cleanup tool.

* Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup. If several drives are available, you might be prompted to specify which drive you want to clean.

* In the Disk Cleanup for dialog box, scroll through the content of the Files to delete list. (If you have multiple hard drives you will have to select which one to scan.)

* Clear the check boxes for files that you don't want to delete, and then click OK.

* When prompted to confirm that you want to delete the specified files, click OK.

2. Use Defrag Tool

When you add a file or a new program to a new computer, the hard drive is relatively empty so new data is saved to the hard drive in one whole block. When you need to use that information, the computer can quickly access it because it is all in one place. Defragging your system is definitely a way to make a computer run faster.

How to use defrag tool.

* From the start menu point to "all programs"
* Point to "Accessories"
* Point to "System Tools"
* Click on "Disk Defragmenter"
* The disk defragmenter will display the hard drives on your computer. Just select and click Defragment.

3. Get rid of spyware

Definition

Spyware is software with malicious intent - by design; it does something bad to your computer. Usually, it gets installed without your knowledge. It sometimes takes advantage of the fact that most people click "I Agree" to software licenses without reading them.

The only way to get rid of spyware is to have some kind of scanner, sort of like an anti-virus. In order to make a computer run faster and keep it safer your going to need an anti-spyware program. This is tricky, a lot of the spyware programs out there are malicious and will actually add viruses and spyware to your computer by using the "spyware scanner and blocker". So please remember to be very careful when choosing your anti-spyware program.

4. Find and repair disk errors

Detect and Repair Disk Errors

In addition to running Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.

How to run the error checking utility.

* Click Start, and then click My Computer.
* In the My Computer window, right-click the hard disk you want to search for bad sectors, and then click Properties.
* In the Properties dialog box, click the Tools tab.
* Click the Check Now button.
* In the Check Disk dialog box, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start.
* If bad sectors are found, choose to fix them.
Tip: Only select the Automatically fix file system errors check box if you think that your disk contains bad sectors.

5. Get an external hard drive

Adding an External Hard Drive to your computer will allow you to clear out a lot of the things you don't need to be storing on your normal hard drive.

A great example would be your music or pictures. All those songs and pictures are sitting on your computer making it go slower. You will see a decline in your computers performance as soon as you use over half of your hard drive space.

Moving all your songs or pictures to your external hard drive will free up a lot of space on your main hard drive. You can even move applications such as photoshop or games.

An external hard drive is also handy because it is portable. You can unplug it from your computer and take it to a friends house and plug it in there, sharing photos and pictures very easily.

This is truly a great way to make a computer run faster.


About The Author
My name is Brooks Carver and I am a pretty die hard computer tech. I have been working with computer directly for over 20 years now. I have a beautiful wife and daughter, and when I am not programming or fixing computers I enjoy spending time in the out doors.

If you like these tips then you will love my website. It gives the top 10 ways you can speed up your computer. It is very user friendly, it has pictures going along with every step to show you exactly what I mean. I also give out valuable information about what anit-virus and spyware programs that are safe to buy and really work. There are other fun things there too, such as top fastest things on the internet that you can vote on. If your looking to make a computer run faster this is your #1 resource! Click below now!

http://www.squidoo.com/makecomputerrunfaster/

What is the Best Method to Back up Data?

What is the Best Method to Back up Data?
by: James Walsh


This being the age of internet, chat rooms, blogging and innovative hackers, their expectation never gets fulfilled. The news always leaks out or is methodically publicised by a rival or a gleeful hacker. Thereafter, insult is added to their injury as irate customers and the eager press demand explanations about every unsavoury detail of the incident. But data loss is not a problem affecting only the big players only any more. All of us deal with some amount of data and almost all of it is important to us. Albums have been replaced by .jpeg files, our music is inside the hard drive of our pc or laptop, and our emails are stored in offline folders or software like Microsoft Outlook. Students keep their study material in their machines, and a doctoral thesis is usually a file on the hard disk instead of being a thick volume bound in leather covers. It is, therefore, strange that we keep losing data because we have not taken the precaution of backing it up elsewhere. Several start-up home businesses have not seen the light of the day anymore after an initial incident of data loss. All of this underlines the importance of backup, which really cannot be overstressed.

Some Methods of Obtaining Backups

The method, or rather, the medium chosen for backing up data will depend on the volume of data to be stored, as well as the nature of the data. Some common methods are being enlisted below:

CD and Floppy: The floppy has largely gone out of use by now, due to its many limitations, small capacity and security problems. The CD is a good choice for obtaining backups, and is one of the favourite choices in both domestic and corporate spheres. It is cheap, readily available, portable and compatible with several file formats. Storing a CD and sharing information from it are also quite simple.

DVD: The DVD is a good choice for storing audio visual information. It may not be as cheap as the CD, but offers better quality, often lasts longer, and has way more space. DVD RWs can be used in such a way that literally every bit is used to store information. A DVD also has the same facilities when it comes to sharing and easy transporting. However, the DVD RW, many market observers feel, may turn out to be an intermediate technology and be replaced by something superior but very similar in function, or may evolve in such a way that the problems would get solved. It must be noted here that the constant research in this regard, and inventions like the Blue Ray disk etc. point out that we can hope for a better technology soon.

USB Devices: These are the new favourites all over the world. The greatest proof of the popularity of this technology lies in two facts. Firstly, the storage space of pen drives / flash drives/ memory sticks is constantly increasing. Secondly, their prices are plummeting downwards rapidly. Almost all kinds of files can be stored on these; they are very easy to carry, do not require a separate software or booting up of the machine to start functioning, and it is very convenient to share the data stored on them. For storing smaller music libraries, an iPod may be an option too.

External Hard Drives: For larger data storage requirements, external hard drives are excellent solutions. Arrays or stacks of hard drives are available for corporate purposes and are provided by all good hard drive manufacturers. Seagate, Maxtor, ASB, LaCie all make external hard drives of varying capacities and prices.

Online and Offline Storage Spaces: These are ‘spaces’ provided by professional firms, and are extremely secure for sensitive data storage.

Tapes and Printouts: Traditional storage should not be left out of the list. There is some information that one simply needs to see on the good old piece of paper. Tape has been in use for a long time now, and will probably continue for some time.


About The Author
James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you are concerned about data loss and would like more information on Data Recovery see http://www.fields-data-recovery.co.uk

Planning A Camping Trip For Maximum Enjoyment

Planning A Camping Trip For Maximum Enjoyment
by: Roddy Hooper


So you and the family or you and your friends have decided to go on a camping trip. It's Thursday night and you are going to leave right after work Friday evening. Now you go to the garage or basement and pull out the camping gear from last summer and toss it in the trunk. The tent, the stove and the cooler.(we'll buy some franks and beans on the way).

It's late Friday night when you reach your camp ground and you start to pitch your tent when you suddenly remember that you don't have all the tent pegs and the zipper broke the last time you used the tent. Your buddy said he'd bring the gas for the stove and lantern but forgot and the flashlights didn't work and you did not bring spare batteries.

This weekend is starting out not so enjoyably.

Let's step back a week or two and start PLANNING a camping trip.

First decide where it is you want to go camping. If it's the same spot as always then decision made but if it is somewhere new you should check out the Internet to get as much information as you can about the camp ground you plan to visit. What facilities are available and what rules and regulations are in place.

The next thing to do is make a check list of what you need to take and what you want to take. Make this a group discussion involving all that are going on the trip.

The weekend before the trip go to your storage area (Garage, Basement) and pull out all your camping gear. Put up the tent. Does it need any new poles or pegs? Do all the zippers work? Does it need a ground sheet? Do the air mattresses hold air? Do you have all the cooking equipment including gas cylinders, charcoal etc? Do you have Flashlights, Batteries, Sleeping Bags, Cooler? Check the long range weather forecast. Do you need boots, rain gear or warmer clothing (especially if you are heading to the mountains).

Maybe you need a GPS device or two way radios. They need batteries too.

If you are going with a group of friends make sure they have the check list too. Some things everyone needs others can be brought by just one of the group. No need having ten air mattress pumps and nobody brought the any toilet paper. There is roughing it and then there is roughing it! You can bet that nobody forgets the beer and snack food!

Check your list and go out and buy what needs to be replaced or order it online.

Basically, what it boils down to is, if you Plan a camping trip rather than just go on a camping trip you will have much more fun. What does it really matter if it rains if you have all the equipment you need at your fingertips. You are with friends and/or family, you are warm and dry and you are roughing it in the great outdoors.

No planning would mean you are cold, wet and miserable and wishing you are anywhere but half way up a mountain in the rain, having as MUSH fun as you can.

For more information and purchasing your outdoor needs visit: http://www.myoutdoorsplace.com


About The Author
Roddy Hooper is an avid outdoorsman with over 25 years experience. A year round outdoors enthusiast he participates in everything from cross country skiing to scuba diving and from wakeboarding to snowmobiling. Roddy loves to write about his experiences, some serious and some just plain funny.

Explanation Of The Offside Rule

Explanation Of The Offside Rule
by: Niv Orlian


Offside Rule - Usually, soccer rules are easy to grasp even by someone that's watching the game for the first time in his life. You foul someone, you get penalized. You hit him in the box, his team gets a penalty. The ball goes beyond the marked area, it's an out throw. Everything is really basic, except the soccer offside rules. This is one tricky rule and although it's not in the original soccer cookbook (as in, it was added over the course of time) it's a much needed one, so that's why I'll try to explain it a bit.

The offside trap rule only applies to attackers and it is meant to regulate both team's positions on the pitch. Without an offside rule, an attacker could simply stay in the other team's penalty box, receive balls and try to score. This would pin down the defenders and they would virtually be unable to play anywhere else outside their own penalty box, since their main job would be marking the striker that is lazying off in there.

It's also a known fact that attackers generally don't have the same effort requirements on the pitch, since they only need to participate in one phase of the game (the offense), unlike defenders and midfielders who have to participate in both the offense and defense, thus having to run more. So now that you know WHY the soccer offside rule is there, let's see WHAT it is anyway.

There are two phases of the offside soccer rule: the offside position and the offside trap sanction. If an attacker is in an offside position, he will only be sanctioned if the ball is heading towards him and he has an intention to play it. Otherwise, if he skips the game, he will not be called, despite having a clear offside position.

An attacker is in an offside position if he is closer to the other team's goal line than the ball and the second last opponent. You'll often hear people say "he was in offside, because he was further towards the goal than the LAST defender". This is actually not a correct statement, since this doesn't take the goalkeeper into account, so the LAST defender is actually the second last, as the above mentioned offside rule shows.

So let's say that team "Yellow" is attacking and "Red" is defending. The ball is at the feet of Yellow's midfielder and the Yellow attacker is a few meters further to the Red team's goal line, than the last Red defender. Then the Yellow attacker is in an offside position, but the referee will only call an offside sanction if the Yellow midfielder passes the ball to the Yellow attacker while the latter is in the offside position.

If you're new to soccer, the offside rule might need a bit of getting used to, but you'll soon be able to spot exactly how and why someone was called offside if you watch a few matches. Note that sometimes, the position of the attacker and the other team's defender are so close together, that the referee will have hard time deciding whether or not an offside should be called.


About The Author
Niv Orlian is the author and the owner of http://www.soccer-fans-info.com a website that provides information on various topics related to soccer such as the history of soccer, rules, famous soccer players, real time news, statistics, and training guides.

Find out more info on soccer rules at http://www.soccer-fans-info.com/soccer-rules.html

Cristiano Ronaldo Biography

Cristiano Ronaldo Biography
by: Niv Orlian


Cristiano Ronaldo Biography – Foreword

There aren't a lot of soccer players in the world today that can honestly state they are more popular than Cristiano Ronaldo. Except for a few already established super stars such as Ronaldinho or David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo is probably the most popular rising star on the pitch.

His good looks combined with his awesome repertoire of Cristiano Ronaldo soccer tricks and a hint of trademarked Cristiano Ronaldo goals made him reach the level of fame on which he is basking in the spotlight sun today.

This Cristiano Ronaldo biography will try to take you through his career and although it's a rare case that a player who is still in his early 20s receives a biography, I'm sure you'll agree that a Cristiano Ronaldo profile is in order, considering his huge talent and fame.

Cristiano Ronaldo Biography – Youth Clubs

Born in Madeira to a family where soccer was cherished, Cristiano Ronaldo started playing for a local amateur youth team called Andorinha, where his father handled the equipment and acted as a kit man.

Cristiano was 8 when he joined Andorinha and by the time he was 10, he already sparked the curiosity of some of Portugal's biggest clubs. This led him to sign for the local first-division team CD Nacional, where he would join the youth club and immediately make an impact, helping his team win the youth championship the following year.

After just 1 year at Nacional, he was offered a youth contract by bigwigs Sporting Lisbon, who are internationally renowned for having one of the best youth training facilities in the World.

The young player fit right in at Sporting and started scoring regularly, although he was way too fond on his dribble at that point. Despite this short coming, he was taken in to various levels of the Portugal national youth squad, finally getting his big break at the UEFA under 17 Championship in 2001.

His great performance there drew the eyes of Liverpool's scouts, but Ronaldo was just 16 years old and the Liverpool officials decided he needs more time in the Portuguese league before they sign him.

Cristiano Ronaldo Biography – Sporting Lisbon

Being taken in the senior squad of Sporting meant the young player's first contact with professional football. Although he didn't play regularly, the few moments that he did get on the pitch were greeted with cheers from the Sporting fans, who loved Cristiano Ronaldo's soccer tricks. In 2 seasons with Sporting's senior squad, Ronaldo got to play 28 matches, scoring 3 times before he was picked up by Manchester United's scouts, at age 18.

Cristiano Ronaldo Biography – Manchester United

Sir Alex Ferguson, manager and coach of Manchester United desperately needed a quality right midfielder in 2003, as David Beckham had just left the club for Real Madrid.

Bringing an 18-year old Portuguese player to replace an international super-star like Beckham didn't seem like a good idea at first, but from his first season Cristiano Ronaldo's goals proved decisive and he quickly gained the love of the Red Devils' fans.

In his following seasons at Manchester, with more and more trust coming from Sir Alex Ferguson and the team's fans, Cristiano Ronaldo developed into an extraordinary player that is now feared by even the sturdiest defenders out there.

Despite the fact that he is just 22 years of age right now, Cristiano Ronaldo already has 208 professional matches and 53 goals (190 matches and 50 goals for Manchester, the others for Sporting) and 46 caps in the national squad, with a tally of 17 goals for Portugal. Impressive stats for such a youngster.

The best part is that with each passing year Cristiano Ronaldo improves his game even further, so don't be surprised if in a couple of years he steps up to become the greatest footballer in activity.


About The Author
Niv Orlian is the author and the owner of http://www.soccer-fans-info.com a website that provides information on various topics related to soccer such as the history of soccer, rules, famous soccer players, real time news, statistics, and training guides. Find out more info on Cristiano Ronaldo at http://www.soccer-fans-info.com/cristiano-ronaldo-biography.html

English Superstar - David Beckham Biography

English Superstar - David Beckham Biography
by: Niv Orlian


I really thought I knew everything there is about the midfielder, but reading a David Beckham biography I found out more about the man behind the superstar. That's why I decided to write my own biography of David Beckham, to share to you the player behind the million dollar endorsements.

David Beckham Biography – Manchester United

David Beckham's story starts out near London, where he was born to a family of Manchester United fans. Despite being so close to clubs like West Ham United, Arsenal or Chelsea, Beckham's aim was always the Red Devils club. As luck would have it, on his fourteenth birthday, he was taken in the Manchester youth program, and he even starred next to the senior team...as a mascot.

Just 4 years later, he went on to play for Sir Alex Ferguson's senior squad, but his performance still needed fine tuning, so he was loaned to Preston North End for a year, returning to Manchester with some match experience. He quickly gained his place in the squad, despite his young age and became one of Manchester's most preeminent players during the following decade.

His most successful season with Manchester is undoubtedly 1999, when the club achieved the Treble (League, Cup and Champions League in the same season) and with David Beckham playing soccer like never before.

It's around then that he "trademarked" his famous free kicks and crosses and seeing some footage of David Beckham in action during that period will shed all doubts as to whether or not his superstardom status has a solid basis in his playing style, or just his good looks.

David Beckham Biography – 1998 World Cup Incident

His career did have a few rough moments, the most notable one being in 1998 with the English national side, at that year's World Cup. In the Second Round, where England would play Argentina, Beckham was taunted by Argentinean midfielder Diego Simeone and he responded with a swing towards the player, which earned him a red card for bad behavior on the pitch.

With England losing the match and being knocked out of the tournament, all blame fell on David Beckham, as the English newspapers put him against the wall and fired up some poisonous articles. Any other player would have stayed low, or even quit soccer, but David Beckham's ambition brought him back to the top. His performance with Manchester the following year, earned him back the respect of his fans and the entire world.

David Beckham Biography – Real Madrid

By the time David Beckham moved to Real Madrid in 2003, he was already a well-known star on the international stage. In his four years with the Madrid club he managed to win the Spanish league once, but his performance was deemed poorer than what he was playing at Manchester.

Many attributed this loss of form due to the new system found at Real and the fact that at Madrid he wasn't the "star" of the team anymore, since he was playing next to other internationally famous soccer players like Zinedine Zidane, Raul or Roberto Carlos.

David Beckham Biography – Los Angeles Galaxy

Moving to play in the United States for the Los Angeles Galaxy as of 2007 earned him one of the biggest contracts in the history of soccer and it was an offer David couldn't have refused, despite the fact that the soccer level in the United States is not as high as the one practiced in Spain.


About The Author
Niv Orlian is the author and the owner of http://www.soccer-fans-info.com a website that provides information on various topics related to soccer such as the history of soccer, rules, famous soccer players, real time news, statistics, and training guides. Find out more info on famous soccer players at http://www.soccer-fans-info.com/famous-soccer-players.html

Better Ping Pong: What You Can Learn From A Table Tennis Video

Better Ping Pong: What You Can Learn From A Table Tennis Video
by: Mario Churchill


Table tennis is a great way to enjoy a lazy summer afternoon, or any afternoon in the year at all. With a round, hollow ball hypnotically bouncing from one end of the table to the other, and taking off with almost rhythmic clicks to signal that a pass or hit has been made, ping pong seems to be the best alternative to an afternoon nap. With all the concentration that goes into the game, moreover, and with all the hitting, running, and picking up that has to be done, table tennis can also be a great way to lose weight.

In the hands of the pros, table tennis looks easy, and seems almost like a dance. All you have to do is find a way to hit the little ball and keep it in play, right? Real table tennis, however, is far more complicated. There are two sides to one paddle, each with their own uses. There are different postures that table tennis players assume in order to best meet their opponents. There are different ways to handle the paddle in order to give the ball its best spin and trajectory.

In other words, table tennis is a product not only of strength and concentration, but knowledge of the physics that go into the game. You will need to understand the science of table tennis if you want to succeed in it, and if you want to enjoy it more. A table tennis video may be able to help you out.

A table tennis video can teach you a variety of things. First, it will introduce you to the sport of table tennis, along with its history, rules, and big players. It will then take you on a tour of the sport’s equipment. Why do table tennis paddles have a smooth and a rubberized side? Why is the net placed so low, and the table positioned so high? What playing ground is best for maximum strength with minimum effort on the part of the players?

The table tennis video will explain all these and more, and how the environment in which you play affects the outcome of your game. The table tennis video will also show you how to handle the paddle in order to make the ball move a certain way. Be sure that you are holding a table tennis paddle while you watch the video, so that you can follow the hand movements that you see on screen.

If you can position your television set and video player so that it faces your table tennis playing ground, then so much the better. Your table tennis video will also have tutorials on how to move your body during a game, and what postures you should assume in order to be less tired and still energetic. If you have friends or family watching the table tennis video with you, follow the movements along with them. Practicing table tennis in this way can be fun and educational, as you can critique each other for any mistakes in movement or posture.

Table tennis can be a joy to play and watch, and, if played well, can be a fulfilling game. Allow a table tennis video to help you. You can find such videos online, through your favorite video merchandiser; and even through your local video store or table tennis equipment suppliers. So instead of sleeping that summer afternoon away, have a great game of table tennis, and soon, with a lot of practice, you might even be in your own table tennis video!


About The Author
Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on table tennis checkout http://www.tabletennismaster.com.

The Queen of Soccer - Mia Hamm Biography

The Queen of Soccer - Mia Hamm Biography
by: Niv Orlian


Women's soccer never would have been the same if Mia Hamm hadn't started up soccer when she was little. She had such an impact on women's soccer that she is often thought to mean as much for it as Pele or Cruyff meant for men's soccer. But before being a great soccer player and athlete that broke down almost every possible record at her level, Mia Hamm is a great person and I'd like you to meet the human behind the soccer god in this Mia Hamm biography.

If you're like me, you're probably wondering how and when did Mia Hamm start playing soccer and what events drove her to become a super star of women's soccer. Mia Hamm's childhood circled around sports and athleticism and as her brother recalled, she was faster and more athletic than most of the boys on the block, so she was able to play competitively with and against them.

After taking up youth soccer training at her school's football team when she was only 12 years old, she learned the basics of soccer and started enjoying the sport more and more. Little did she know that three years later, when she was just 15, she would be called up for the United States national women’s soccer team, becoming the youngest player ever to play for her country at that level (one of her first broken records).

That was kind of a weird situation, since Mia Hamm was a soccer player for her national squad but didn't have a fully professional playing contract with a club. But after seeing her performances, the North Carolina Tar Heels quickly signed her and they made quite a deal, since Mia Hamm stayed with the club for 4 seasons, scoring over 100 goals during her time here.

Probably one of Mia Hamm's most important accomplishments is that she managed to bring women’s soccer to a level close to what men are playing. She is one of the two women named in Pele’s "List of 125 Best Soccer Players of All Times" and she is a symbol of women's sports throughout the World.

She also holds two FIFA World Player of the Year awards, which she got in 2001 (the first year the trophy was given) and 2002. Unfortunately, she would have gotten a lot more of these awards, but with the World Player of the Year awards being granted for women when Mia Hamm was already nearing the end of her career, she didn't really have a chance to widen her trophy room.

In numbers, Mia Hamm was the United States top goal scorer, with 158 goals in 275 matches, a remarkable record that will probably dust and rust before it is beaten. She scored more goals than any man or woman for her national team, although many soccer specialists will agree that the level of women's soccer is still in an early grade and cannot be compared to men’s soccer yet.

She won the Women's World Cup twice, in 1991 and 1999 and also put the US national team through a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games in 1996. All these titles, records and awards make Mia Hamm one of the most important players in women's soccer and the fact that Pele considered to put her on the same list as legendary male players such as Maradona, Cruyff, Platini or Beckenbauer says a lot about the influence she had in the game.


About The Author
Niv Orlian is the author and the owner of http://www.soccer-fans-info.com a website that provides information on various topics related to soccer such as the history of soccer, rules, famous soccer players, real time news, statistics, and training guides.

Find out more info on Mia Hamm at http://www.soccer-fans-info.com/mia-hamm-biography.html

The Inventors of Modern Soccer - English Soccer History

The Inventors of Modern Soccer - English Soccer History
by: Niv Orlian


English Soccer History – Early Days

It's hard to determine exactly how soccer became so popular in England in the 19th century, but the truth is that in the mid 19th century, almost every major town had a semi-professional soccer team. These teams were usually associations of workers from the same factory or institution or simply students at a local University.

Matches between those teams were played occasionally, with little to no prize, but only for competition's sake. However, these matches were played without any rules or a referee and as soccer isn't necessarily a sport that's completely clean of violence, all it took was a harsh tackle or an argument about a particular rule to start a bloody fight between the two teams and their supporters.

But the year 1863 marked an extremely important chapter in English soccer history, as several soccer clubs from all over the country (prominently from London) met up in the English capital and set up a sort of "soccer constitution" called the Laws of the Game (a modified version of the original rules are still in effect today and are still called as such).

That was also the birth certificate of the Football Association, or simply FA that is still ruling over English soccer nowadays and had a tremendous importance throughout the history of soccer in England and the way it evolved.

English Soccer History – Important Milestones

With England being rightfully considered the inventors of modern soccer, one would expect them to be amongst the most successful national squads in the World. However, despite having some world class soccer players throughout time and despite always being favorites for the competitions they start in, the English national squad only achieved few important milestones throughout the entire soccer history in England.

The apogee of English soccer and the most important chapter ever to be written in the entire history of soccer in England was definitely the successful World Cup run in 1966, a competition that was held on English ground, giving them the advantage to grasp their long-awaited trophy.

The 1966 team, captained by legendary Bobby Moore and with other key components such as Jackie Charlton or Geoff Hurst playing regularly, remains the best national squad in the entire English soccer history, especially since their success has not been equaled ever since.

English Soccer History – Modern Era

England is still a top team in Europe and throughout the World and has some players that are considered having world class quality, but the national team still has moderate success, despite being star-studded.

Recently, the form of English clubs overshadowed the poor performance of the national team, as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Arsenal continue to be heavy contenders for each year's European Champion's League, the most prestigious club competition in the World.

Despite being happy with the respect English clubs impose in Europe, fans are still yearning for that long awaited European or World Cup which could mark a new important chapter in the English soccer history.


About The Author
Niv Orlian is the author and the owner of http://www.soccer-fans-info.com a website that provides information on various topics related to soccer such as the history of soccer, rules, famous soccer players, real time news, statistics, and training guides.

To find out more info related to English soccer visit http://www.soccer-fans-info.com/english-soccer.html .
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