NFL 2012 Season Preview

It's almost time for the 2012 NFL season to get under way and what a better way to get yourself in the loop than having Bik Nizzar explain how the season will break down. He gives us his opinion on how each division will shape up in our two part podcast.

But You Are Still An Employee

We sometimes forget that, like most of us, athletes are employees to a business. Like us they have salaries, bosses, and a work schedule. I'm sure this gets away from a few athletes as they tend to hold their own fate in their own hands....despite having a boss.

Not many of us get to haggle over how much we earn and how we earn it, and when we do it's not very often we can get what we demand. Maybe we get a dollar or two raise and we feel accomplished. Maybe it's some more vacation time so we can work less. Or maybe it's as simple as more accommodating working conditions. But it's not likely you will walk into your bosses office and say "You know what, I don't want to do that job. It looks a little tough and I just don't think it's worth the extra money I am being paid". For most of us that would be the last thing we would say to our boss.

There is an exception though. You get to make these demands if you are a UFC Champion.

What If?

                Following a game, the last thing you want to do as a player or coach is ask yourself the question, What If? What if I tried a bit harder? What if I made this pass instead of that pass? What if I made a substitution earlier or later in the match? Through 76 minutes of the Soccer Semi-Final match between Canadian players were able to hold their head up proudly and say they gave EVERYTHING they had to pull off an iconic upset and buck a trend of losing versus Team USA.

A Night at the Fights: UFC on FOX 4 edition

UFC on FOX 4 was a smash success on nearly all levels.

It dazzled the casual fan with a thoroughly enjoyable card from start-to-finish; it thrust several fighters back into contender status; it may even have restored consumer confidence following a dreary spectacle in Calgary in the UFC's last major pay-per-view. (Check out TJ Molland's rundown on UFC 149, if you need a refresher.)

It did miss the mark in one regard, though.

Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua and Lyoto Machida took very different paths to victory on Saturday night, and only one would leave with what they truly sought-- another shot at the light-heavyweight championship.

The problem is UFC boss Dana White gave it to the wrong man.