p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px} Over the last forty years, Cousin Sal has made bets with doctors, lawyers, teachers, agents, bookies, writers, comedians, radio DJs, tv producers, baseball players, front office executives, bandleaders, movie stars, publicists, weed lab owners, hedge fund operators, and even professional wrestlers. From his early days growing up in Brooklyn and Long Island flipping baseball cards to now hosting podcasts and TV shows and managing several offshore accounts we don't talk about, Cousin Sal has truly become the average American sports fan's go to source for gambling tips. So here's how not to do it... With hilarious tales of love and loss, winning and (a lot) of losing, crazy family and fatherhood, and a life saga that inspired the Phil Collins' song, "Against All Odds," Cousin Sal has now written THE Vegas super-system, MIT-algorithmic, sharp-approved book for how to gamble like a pro -- or at least not how not to go broke and lose your kids to Child Protective Services.

    

    Only thirty-six Americans have competed in the Tour de France since the world’s greatest bicycle race began in 1903. That’s not too many more than the twelve Americans who have walked on the moon. It’s far fewer than the hundreds of Americans who have reached the summit of Mount Everest.But rising stars such as Lawson Craddock of Texas, Benjamin King of Virginia, Taylor Phinney of Colorado, Daniel Holloway of California, and Tyler Farrar of Washington state are doing just that as they endure crashes, cold rain, cobblestones, crosswinds, and culture shock on their road to cycling stardom, which starts in Belgium.This is the story of the next generation—of riders not yet tainted by drug scandals, of riders still bursting with hope and potential. This is the story American cycling fans need right now. -------------------“People, get ready for great stories written well. The Belgian Hammer captures cycling culture.” —Benjamin King, 2010 U.S. Pro Road Racing Champion“The Belgian Hammer is the unique story of professional cycling that hasn’t yet been told until now. Daniel Lee has revealed the road map for the next generation of Americans hoping to become successful in Europe, where cycling is king.” —Jim Ochowicz, President/General Manager of the BMC Racing Team.“All of us who left our tire prints on the European circuits remember how racing there shaped us forever. With passion, Daniel Lee gives substance and perspective to the experience of young Americans trying to make it in Europe; and bicycle racing is illuminated by his craft.”—John Howard, three-time Olympic cyclist, who set a bicycle speed record of 152.2 mph in 1985“For those who admire images of cyclists flashing with arms spread wide in triumph over the finish line on blue-sky days, Daniel Lee gives us an insightful, forceful, and gritty account of the rigorous―and frequently perilous―route that cyclists take to force their way up the ranks and develop skills to win. A former racer himself, Dan Lee puts his passion for the sport into his newspaper reporter experience and writing talent. In The Belgian Hammer he follows Taylor Phinney, Benjamin King, Daniel Holloway, and other legends in the making on the USA Cycling national team living in Belgium, where the young bloods from around the world go to test themselves against the best of their generation. They compete in tight packs exceeding 150 riders pumping over narrow wind-blown roads slick from rain while threading through the countryside at unrelenting speed. To spectators cycling matches the grace of ballet. Daniel Lee reveals its uncompromising demands and brutality and heroics.” ―Peter Joffre Nye, author of The Six-Day Bicycle Races: America’s Jazz Age Sport and a Trustee of the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame

    This entertaining, easy-to-understand visual presentation makes it easy for you to pick up his techniques and use them on the waves.Robison covers every aspect of the sport, from paddling out through the surf zone and catching and riding that first wave to nose riding, acrobatics, shortboard riding, and to equipment repairs.

    In his car were the drugs the team needed if they were to have any chance of playing a competitive part in the 1998 Tour de France. The car was searched, he was immediately arrested and so the story that has been undermining the sport of cycling since the death of Tommy Simpson in 1967, finally broke. Imprisoned for sixteen days, sacked from the Festina team and ostracised from the sport to which he had dedicated his life, Willy Voet at last was able to tell the truth. His sensational story will change cycling forever.Cocaine, amphetamines, EPO, heroin - all these are now considered not optional but necessary, not to win but just to compete in the Tour de France. Details of how these drugs are obtained, mixed together to make cocktails, administered and concealed are all included in this graphic and uninhibited account of how drugs brought cycling to its knees.

    Ready to score. Three feisty women, who aren't about to fall for arrogant, womanizing jocks. Or are they? A deliciously hot trio of stories by Amazon best-selling author Daphne Loveling. A must-read collection -- all together in one HUGE package for the first time! This collection contains: GETTING THE DOWN Rinn I’ve worked my a** off for years to get where I am. And I’m not about to let douchebag extraordinaire Jake Ryland screw it up for me. I’m this close to a huge promotion at the foundation I work for. It’s so close I can taste it – until the cocky, uncontrollable quarterback for the Springville Rockets comes crashing into my life. My entire future depends on keeping Jake on the straight and narrow, and keeping my brain in the driver’s seat. But Jake Ryland makes me want to lose control. Every time he looks my way -- eyes raking down my body like he owns it – I feel like I’m going to burst into flames. He makes me want to risk everything to feel his heat. Even if letting go ends up destroying everything I’ve ever worked for. SNAP COUNT Jake I just moved to Springville to start my first season as wide receiver for the Rockets. As luck would have it, the condo I’m renting is right next door to a straight-laced grad student who hardly ever pulls her nose out of a book. Ivy Kincaide. I’m pretty sure our first meeting was a hell of a lot more fun for me than it was for her. And ever since then, she looks at me like she wishes I’d spontaneously combust in front of her eyes. I get more than enough of female attention. I know I should just ignore her. But there’s something about Ivy – and not just her smoking hot body. It’s like I’m eight years old and wanna pull her pigtails just to see her stomp her feet at me. She’s wound up tighter than a rubber band. But the way her ass shimmies when she stalks away from me tells me there’s a completely different girl underneath. And nothing’s gonna stop me from finding out. ZONE BLITZ Mason They think they know who I am. They don't know the half of it, And I can't even broadcast the truth. I just have to run with it, And rebuild my reputation, From the ashes up. The feisty, gorgeous journalist is my ticket to success. Being my fiancée is her ticket to fame and fortune. She’ll have job offers left and right. Anna just has to agree to it all. Trouble is, she hates my guts. And if I can’t convince her to take me up on my offer, It'll just be another fumbled ball, A defeat that I can't recover. But as things heat up, one thing is clear: This is a game I’m not about to let myself lose. Anna’s body, her taste, her touch: I’m playing for keeps. Each of the three books in PLAYERS is a STANDALONE, full-length novel with no cheating, no cliffhanger, and GUARANTEED HEA!

    Kobe Bryant has been the face of the Lakers dynasty for the past two decades and for good reason. Few players have commanded a basketball court as much as Kobe in historical performances such as his notable 81-point performance in just under 42 minutes of playing time in 2006 against the Toronto Raptors. While the 2015-2016 NBA season will mark the end to Kobe’s storied career, the Black Mamba’s legacy will never be forgotten. Few players can parallel Kobe Bryant in terms of competitive fire and will to win. His polarizing figure defines him and makes even those who do not like him at the very least respect him. Read on to learn about the days of when Kobe played alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Robert Horry, Metta World Peace, Derek Fisher, and Pau Gasol in some of the greatest times of Los Angeles Lakers’ basketball history. Here is a preview of what is inside this book: Early Life and Childhood High School Years Kobe Personal Life Kobe’s Impact on Basketball and Beyond The Black Mamba’s Legacy An excerpt from the book: When Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant gave himself the nickname Black Mamba, everyone wondered why he chose to liken himself to a reptile.The Black Mamba is one of the fastest and most deadly snakes in the world. It was also the codename used by Uma Thurman's assassin character in the Quentin Tarantino movie Kill Bill. And yes, Black Mamba was also the boxing nickname given to Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s uncle, Roger Mayweather. For sure, Bryant never wanted a part of the Mayweather’s so it must have been that Tarantino movie that got into him. It turns out that Bryant did in fact watch Kill Bill and was so intrigued by the codename Black Mamba that he said he checked out the snake. Upon reading up on the mamba, Bryant decided that it was the perfect description of how he wanted his game to be. The Black Mamba is said to have a 99% striking accuracy at maximum speed and in rapid succession. Bryant said it's the kind of surgical precision that he wants in his game. Kobe Bryant has always been known as a perfectionist and a player who despite being great wants strives to be the greatest.Bryant also talks about the Black Mamba mentality in which he says one has to "figure it out no matter what comes, whether its hell or high water." This resilient attitude has been at the core of Bryant's game, and it's what has made him bounce back from the many obstacles he has faced on and off the court.Kobe Bryant is one of the most popular basketball players on the planet. He is, without a doubt, one of the greatest scorers in the game and one of the most lethal offensive weapons that has ever graced the NBA's courts. However, Kobe Bryant isn't all about scoring points. He is a winner and he has proved that he can win on his own. Bryant isn’t just about basketball either. He is also a million dollar businessperson and a worldwide icon. More importantly, Bryant is a husband, a father, and a son.

    Just as football evolved with the introduction of the forward pass and basketball with the development of the jump shot, so too was handicapping forever changed by the use of speed figures ??—?? it all started with Andrew Beyer. Picking Winners is essential reading for both serious horseplayers and curious amateurs. It is often referenced by stock options traders for insight into the numbers game.

    Twelve years since millions of dollars were lost because of a single bullet. Twelve years since Lenny Long last saw his family before being thrown in jail for killing Danno Garland. Now, Lenny has walked out of jail a changed man.Back on the outside, things haven’t gotten any easier. Danno’s death has made the spotlight shine on the world of professional wrestling a little too brightly for the comfort of many. Senator Tanenbaum is leading the charge to shut the whole thing down, while the other wrestling bosses haven’t wasted any time in trying to consolidate their territories and grab new ones. But Danno’s old crew isn’t about to let the other promoters take what is rightfully theirs, at least not without a fight. And, try as he might to get home, Lenny’s role in it all isn’t over.In this thrilling final chapter of Paul O’Brien’s gritty Blood Red Turns Dollar Green trilogy, it all comes down to Lenny. And twelve years is a long time to think and to plan.

    And why wouldn’t he be? He’s young. He’s single. He’s sexy. And he’s fresh off of a record-breaking second year of professional basketball with his whole career ahead of him. So when he meets Kennedy while interviewing for a new stylist, of course he wastes no time going after her. Until he finds out she’s engaged. And even though he knows how wrong it is to be so damn attracted to a taken woman - has already learned his lesson when it comes to taken women - he can’t help but be drawn in by her captivating persona of innocence mixed with a hint mystery. But when Kennedy finds herself in the same predicament, caught completely off-guard by Bryson’s charm and sex appeal, the line between attraction and distraction suddenly becomes a blur. Who’s really the distracted one? (Note: This book is a standalone, but features secondary characters from the Attractions & Distractions series as well as The PreGame Ritual with tiny spoilers.)

    Cal and Bill Ripken understand this like few others.From their father, Cal Sr., a legend in the Baltimore Orioles organization for 37 years, they learned to play the game the right way. Those lessons, paired with their combined 33 years of big league experience, helped develop the Ripken Way, a method of teaching the game through simple instruction, solid explanations, encouragement, and a positive atmosphere. In Coaching Youth Baseball the Ripken Way, Cal and Bill share this approach to coaching and development.Whether you're teaching your children at home, managing the local travel team, or working with high school-level players, Coaching Youth Baseball the Ripken Way will help you make a difference both on and off the field, with these features:More than 50 drills covering defense, hitting, pitching, and baserunningAge-specific practice plans for players ranging from 4 to 15+Strategies for setting goals and reasonable expectations for your players and teamAdvice on communicating with parents, players, and staffMethods for creating a positive and fun environment in which kids can learn the skills and strategies of the gameBill Ripken was once voted by his peers as one of the big league players most likely to become a manager. Cal Ripken, Jr., known as baseball's Iron Man, is a member of the game's All-Century Team and a future Hall of Famer. Together, they are proof positive that the Ripken Way is the right way to teach the game of baseball.

    From humble beginnings in a barn in Pennsylvania to soaring victories in the French Alps, Team 7-Eleven is the complete history that has never been fully told-until now.

    A jockey tested by tragedy. A rejected racehorse. A three million dollar race. Teagan Sullivan is a golden disappointment in the show ring. To make matters worse, her family are big deal Olympic equestrians, so she skulks off to pony Thoroughbreds at a rundown racetrack. But while she excels at equine relations, she sucks at human ones—just ask her sexy blacksmith/sleepover buddy Screaming Wolf. And if she hadn't gone and rescued that stupid jockey wannabe Anne Simmons, she wouldn't be saddled with a new roommate, a broken down racehorse and a chance to prove herself to her family at last. Born two months premature to an anorexic mother, Anne was a longshot just to survive. Now eighteen, she arrives on the backstretch with nothing but a duffel bag and Derby dreams. But the horsemen don't trust the naïve newcomer, so she's stuck ponying horses instead of riding races. She is still chasing their respect when a near-fatal accident shatters her body—and her spirit. As Anne struggles to find the courage to ride again, Teagan wrestles with her feelings for Screaming Wolf. Horse racing's richest race, the Breeder's Cup Classic, offers them both a chance at redemption. Will Teagan and Anne conquer their fears in time to claim the things that they love most?

    

    This e-book from The Wall Street Journal collects dispatches from our coverage of the sights, sounds and culture of the world's favorite sport as seen in Brazil, its spiritual home. We’ve collected highlights from The Journal's coverage of the tournament, added an introductory essay from WSJ Sports Columnist Jason Gay and more to bring you the most interesting, unexpected and insightful reporting from the Journal's correspondents in Brazil and around the world. It looks at everything from the sport itself to the people, places and culture that make the World Cup one of the most engaging sporting events on the planet.