Football Teams

If you have just finalized your Super Bowl travel packages for the up and coming NFL games in Arlington, you will be glad to learn that this exciting city offers lots to see and do. It is one of the USA's biggest cities and the seventh biggest in the state of Texas. The population is around 400,000. Let's take a look at five of its most popular tourist attractions.

The Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is a massive theme park guaranteed to give you monstrous aquatic thrills and spills. The latest addition is a water adventure called Mega Wedgie. The slide is 83 feet wide and four stories high. With a feeling of 'zero gravity', passengers are propelled down the slide at 23 miles an hour with spray jets. For small kids, there's just as much fun on the Hooks Lagoon rides, while older kids and adults will also love the all-time favorite, Der Stuka.

If you are traveling with a large group of friends and family, you will thrive at the Randol Mill Family Aquatic Center. All age-groups are accommodated and there are a host of interactive features. These include vortex pools, a current channel, an assortment of other pools, a water slide, and a shallow play area for little ones. There are designated barbecue and picnic sites.

Other amenities include showers, deck furniture and two shady pavilions. All the outdoor pools are available for hire on Thursdays and Sundays for family gatherings and private parties. So, if you all want to let your hair down, this is a perfect option. Lifeguards are on duty all the time. If you do want to hire a pool, make sure you place your booking 72 hours beforehand.

You will find a unique entertainment experience at Johnnie Hall's Country Music Revue which is held weekly at the Arlington Music Hall. These evenings started in 1974 when Johnnie High, a musician, songwriter and singer, bought a derelict cinema and revamped it into the present music hall. It has seats for 1200 people.

Since 1974, every Saturday night performance has been a sell-out. These fabulous Country and Western nights provide entertainment for 9 to 90 year-olds. Among the regular performers are eight singers, back-up singers and a brilliant band of accomplished musicians. At least 25 new performers take to the stage every month. Country music fans from all over the world come to these shows.

The 5,000 year history of one of the USA's most loved sports, tenpin bowling, is brought to life in the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. You can view a fascinating collection of artifacts and explore the origins of this sport which began in Egypt. You don't have to be a tenpin enthusiast to appreciate this remarkable place.

A tour of the amazing Cowboys Stadium should form part of all Super Bowl XLV travel packages. It is the official home of the Dallas Cowboys and is the world's largest domed stadium. You will be blown away when you see the size of the massive high definition television screen. Affectionately called 'Jerry-Tron', its area is an incredible 11,520 square feet. It is the biggest of its kind in the world.

We create Super Bowl XLV Travel Packages for those wanting to venture to Arlington to watch their team on February 6, 2011. Fill out our online form and we'll connect you with a legitimate Super Bowl XLV Package provider.

Tags: NFL Football by Landry Aikman
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Well, if the summer months are not toasty enough in Dallas, there is only one detail that is guaranteed to make them warmer - the Dallas Cowboys!!!

Earlier this year, the NFL introduced the schedule for the Cowboys and, at first glance, this year's looks like to be the toughest to date. Not only are the Dallas Cowboys subjected to competing in the most difficult division in the NFL, they will have to face off with all of those matchups two times. The divisional schedule alone is great enough to make Jay Ratliff well up with tears yet the brutality of it all does not cease at that.

Outside of duking it out with their divisional enemies - the Washington Redskins, Philly, and the NY "football" Giants - the 'Boys have upgraded the level of competitiveness for their Thanksgiving Day game, facing last year's Super Bowl champion New orleans saints.

Toss in an early-December road trip to Indianapolis and a battle with the Titans and you've got yourself a circumstance designed to call on you to play at a level much higher than the opposition - and to accomplish this on a continual basis.

Additionally, the team were extended an premature bye, in Week 4 prior to getting to withstand a lengthy period that will set them up versus the Minnesota Vikings, the group that eliminated the Cowboys from the playoffs last year (in a demoralizing manner at that), the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Green Bay Packers.

With 2009, the opening year of the new arena past them, the organization are going to rely more on skill and talent than the implied mojo of a cutting edge super-stadium to be able to win football games and get to Super Bowl 45. If they win making it all the way to the big game, they'll be handsomely rewarded with a nice advantage as the upcoming year's SB is being played at Cowboys Stadium.

Whether or not they're able to do that or not is to-be-determined.

For Cowboys fans that believe in the Cowboys, this season has the possibility to emerge as a year in which Dallas soars to the occasion - or, because of the strength of their schedule, it may be a very long year. For fans vacationing to the stadium, we would just encourage your family to take advantage of a Dallas Cowboys Travel Package and receive the complete Dallas Cowboys experience.

Learn more about Dallas Cowboys Packages. Stop by Landry Aikman's site where you can find out all about Super Bowl XLV Packages and what it can do for you.

Tags: NFL Football by Landry Aikman
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I know T.O. is a very talented WR, but I think the Cowboys will be fine without him. Not all the pressure has to be on the WR's to make up for the loss of him. The Cowboys have 2 very good offensive TE's in Witten and Bennett, and have one of the best RB groups in the NFL. Getting Felix Jones back will play a big role in making up for T.O.'s production. Just keep all that in mind as you read this.

1. Roy Williams. He's no Terrell Owens in terms of flash, but he's easily one of the more capable wide receivers in the sport, and has always been viewed as a top receiver on a horrible team (the Lions). Health issues aside (he's generally known to miss a few games per year), Williams has as much raw talent as nearly any receiver in the game. As his chemistry with Tony Romo builds, I expect him to be a legitimate number one WR in Dallas.

2. Patrick Crayton Age:30 (6'0" 203 lbs 4.58 40 yard dash according to USA Today). I don't know about you, but when I think about Crayton, I have trouble getting over the dropped pass in the playoffs a couple seasons ago. But we have to put that behind us. He has good strength and hands, and has only missed 1 game the past 3 years. In those 3 years, he has been very consistent with his production. He has produced between 500 and 700 yards each season, while notching 15 touchdowns during in that time. I like Crayton, just not as the #2. I think he is the type of guy that is perfect for the slot. He can find the openings in defenses, and isn't afraid to go over the middle. If he can put up another 500 yard season, and get a few touchdowns, I think he has done his job well. Lets just hope he is still getting better at the age of 30. We may only have a couple seasons till he starts to decline, which isn't good for a guy who is a role player.

3. Miles Austin Age:25 (6'3" 216 lbs 4.47 40 yard dash). This kid has a ton of potential, let;s just hope he can utilize it now that we need him to. I have read reports that he is battling Crayton for the #2 spot, but he is currently splitting time as the #3 with Hurd. I would definitely like to see him lining up on the outside, with Crayton and Hurd handling the slots. He is widely considered the deep threat of this receiving group, which is a very accurate statement. He only had 13 receptions (in 12 games) last year, but they were for 278 yards and 3 touchdowns. His YPC last season was 21.4.

He is a legit deep threat. He very well could be the key to how successful the Cowboys receivers are this year. Hopefully he can turn into the type of threat that opposing defenses have to key on, giving Williams and others more opportunities underneath. I don't think a 1,000 yard season is out of the question, but he has to stay healthy, unlike last year.

4. Sam Hurd. A young wide receiver, just 24 years old, Hurd is making waves in training camp (just like he did in 2008). Many say that he's making great plays in practice and see this receiver coming into his own in 2009.

While he may just be a 4th receiver, Romo likes to spread the offense out, and I think he'll be a valuable role player in Dallas this season. I wouldn't be surprised to see about 30-40 yards per game, with a few touchdowns to go with it.

Short of these four wide receivers, I don't see anyone else at the position making much of an impact in Dallas next season. There's some talent to be tapped into, and a top NFL quarterback passing them the ball. Hopefully this will be enough to win some games.

To see more NFL previews, view discussions at the best Dallas Cowboys forum online, and play your hand at over 50,000 sports trivia questions, make sure to visit RootZoo.com.

Tags: NFL Football by Sandy Thompson
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© 2008 Ed Bagley

Just when Seattle's Mike Holmgren is entering his last year as head coach, his Seahawks are now stumbling and bumbling their way into what appears to be a Larry, Mo and Curly comedy routine.

After dusting off the Minnesota Vikings 34-17 in their first 2008 preseason game on the road in Minneapolis, the Seahawks narrowly escaped defeat in their home preseason opener against the Chicago Bears, winning 29-26 in an error-prone display of ineptness. For the Seahawks' faithful, it was no laughing matter.

There are big hopes in Seattle this year, especially since Holmgren is entering his last year after winning an AFC West Division title, an NFC Wildcard berth, 4 consecutive NFC West Division championships (2004 through 2007), an NFC championship, and taken the Seahawks to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance in 2005, which they promptly lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-10.

Against Minnesota, the Seahawks became ballhawks, forcing 5 fumbles, recovering 4 and picking off an interception. Backup quarterback Seneca Wallace completed 15 of 20 passes with 3 touchdown passes after starter Matt Hasselbeck looked solid in the first two series of the game.

Against Chicago, the Seahawks were on two sides of another planet.

On the good side, their 7th-round draft pick from Georgia, place-kicker Brandon Coutu, went 5-for-5, including the game-winning 36-yard field goal in overtime to win. Seattle's other 7th-round draft pick from California, 5-foot-8 Justin Forsett, picked up 261 all purpose yards?excluding a 50-yard-plus return called back for holding?and with all 136 of his rushing yards coming when he played in the second half.

Coutu is a backup to Olindo Mare, a former Pro-Bowl, 12-year veteran with the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants. Forsett is 4th on the running back depth chart behind Maurice Morris, Julius Jones and T. J. Duckett. Jones (from the Dallas Cowboys) and Duckett (from the Detroit Lions) are new pickups this year to replace the release of former All Pro and 2005 NFL Most Valuable Player Shaun Alexander.

In 2005, he became the first player in NFL history to score 19 rushing or receiving TDs in only 10 games. That mark eventually aided him in breaking the NFL single-season mark for touchdowns with 27. Alexander, hampered by injuries the last two seasons, was Seattle's all-time leading rusher with 7,817 rushing yards and 89 rushing touchdowns in 5 seasons.

On the bad side, the Seahawks had to overcome 2 blocked punts and an interception return for a touchdown to finally win at home. Third-string quarterback Charlie Fry completed 20-of-35 passes but was intercepted 3 times. Seattle only won because the Bears' Pro Bowl place-kicker missed a potential game-winner from 47 yards as regulation time expired.

Seattle remains excited about new 2nd-round draft choice John Carlson from Notre Dame. Holmgren's West Coast Offense was in sore need of a tight end that could play effectively.

The addition of veteran guard and former Pro Bowler Mike Wahle from the Carolina Panthers should shore up an offensive line that was excellent in 2005 and became a whole lot less so with the departure of guard Steve Hutchinson to the Minnesota Vikings. Hutchinson was unstoppable beside Walter Jones, the Seahawks premier tackle who is an 8-time Pro Browler and 6-time All Pro.

Unfortunately, the Seahawks underestimated the positive locker room presence of Hutchinson, who created a leadership role that has been left unfulfilled.

While Seattle appears stable in its coaching transition (Jim Mora, a current Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Backs Coach, will replace Holmgren next year), there is a lot of turnover among coaches.

The Seahawks have added Mike Solari from the Kansas City Chiefs (the new offensive line coach), Bill Lazor from the Washington Redskins (the new quarterbacks coach), Kasey Dunn from the University of Maryland (new running backs coach), and Mike DeBord from the University of Michigan (new offensive assistant coach).

Like most NFL teams, the 'Hawks have a lot of coaches to go with Holmgren, 19 of them in fact. In some cases, they work harder than the players they are coaching.

Seattle, and the NFL in general, has a lot of players who are overpaid and underperformed. Two of them are defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs, a huge man who could block the middle if he was not hurt every 10 minutes of his career, and offensive tackle Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack, who the Seahawks like because he can play more than one position on the line.

Womack, like Tubbs, is hurt more than healthy. Seattle mercifully cut Tubbs loose earlier in the preseason camp. However, they resigned Womack, a dubious move at best. It is as if the Seahawks could not find another decent, healthy backup tackle on the face of the Earth.

To its credit, Seattle has drafted replacements; to the drafted players discredit, none of them have proven capable of getting the job done, so back comes Womack for another season, that is, until he is injured again.

So who else is hurt? I thought you would never ask. Pro-Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has enough back problems to make an orthopedic surgeon wealthy, new go-to wide receiver Bobby Engram has a cracked shoulder and will be out for awhile, and high-priced wide receiver Deion Branch is recovering from knee surgery.

A host of other players are whining over normal bumps and bruises. Big deal, this is football, not tiddlywinks.

Tags: NFL Football by
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