Yabba Dabba Doo!

Happy anniversary! 

   (from left to right:  Fred, Dino, Wilma, Pebbles, Bam Bam, Betty, Barney)

Happy 50^th anniversary to the 1^st successful animated show on a TV network.

You thought Bart & Homer Simpson’s show is the only successful animated show on TV? DOH! Aww Crap! You’re wrong. Long before The Simpsons started on Fox, The Flintstones aired on TV for 6+ seasons, from 1960-1966, in the prime time slot (between 7pm-10pm).

The animated comedy’s storyline takes place sometime in the stone-age era. The Flintstones lived in a town named Bedrock. Fred Flintstone, the lead character, drives a vehicle that is powered by his two feet. He works at a gravel quarry. Fred’s boss is named Mr. Slate. In fact, all characters had stone/rock related names. The Flintstones was a Hanna-Barbera production.

The Gridiron Field

American football and Canadian football are also referred to as ‘Gridiron Football’.

Q:   Where was Gridiron football invented?

A:   Ask any Canuck sports fan, and the most-likely answer will be that football was invented by Canadians. Ask any American sports fan, and the most-likely answer will be that the football game was a USA creation.

The 1^st known football game was played in 1869 by college students from Montreal’s McGill University and college students from Boston’s Harvard University. There are so many other claims on the internet of where the 1^st game was played and who played in it. Regardless of who came up with the game, I know that both countries still play professional gridiron football.

In Canada, the present professional league is known as the Canadian Football League (CFL). The CFL has been around since 1958. The ‘Grey Cup’ is the name of a championship game and also the name of a trophy that is awarded to the winner of the championship game. The ‘Grey Cup’ has been awarded to the best football team in Canada since 1908.

In the U.S., the present professional football league is known as the National Football League (NFL). The NFL’s inaugural season was in 1966. The NFL’s championship game is referred to as ‘The Super Bowl’, with the 1^st Super Bowl played in 1967.

 

Here are some interesting tidbits of both leagues:

Over-all Length of the Playing Field:  The CFL field is 150 yards long, whereas the NFL field is 120 yards long.

Over-all Width of the Playing Field: The CFL field is 65 yards wide and the NFL field is 53.3 yards wide.

End Zones: The CFL has end zones that are 20 yards deep. The NFL’s end zones are 10 yards deep.

Mid-field Line: The CFL’s midfield is the 55 yards marker. The NFL’s midfield is the 50 yard marker.

Goal Post Location: The CFL’s goal post is along the 0 yard line. The NFL’s goal post is along the backside edge of the end zone.

Number of Players on Field: The CFL has 12 players on offense and 12 players on defense. The NFL has 11 on offense and 11 on defense.

Number of Downs: The CFL has 3 downs to make a first down. The NFL has 4 downs to make a first down.

Number of Teams: The CFL currently has 8 teams. The NFL currently has 32 teams.

Regular Season: The CFL is 19 weeks long, each team plays 18 games, season runs from late June to early November. The NFL is 17 weeks long, each team plays 16 games, season runs from September to end of December.

Regular Season Points Awarded: The CFL awards points based on regular season results. The NFL doesn’t award any points for regular season wins.

Championship Game: The Grey Cup is played at the end of November. The Super Bowl is played around the last week of January/1^st week of February.

I am a fan of gridiron football. For me, I prefer the watching the NFL games over watching the CFL games. I definitely prefer watching any gridiron football (NFL/CFL) over watching the other type of football (aka soccer).

The Segway

The Segway – Part I:

Do you know the Segway? Ever heard of the Segway? It’s the motorized two-wheel contraption that you stand on and ride.

 

I have tried the Segway once. I was at a friend’s place for a birthday party that he threw for his son. My pal rented (2) Segways for the party. I got my chance at giving the Segway a whirl around the cul-de-sac several times, and I must say it was fun riding it. Real good fun!

It’s very easy to use. If you can stand, then you can ride a Segway. It’s that simple. Want a chance to ride a Segway? Well whenever you have some time and some money, leave the UML campus and head south into Boston. There are some touring companies that give tours of the city using the Segways. This is one way for you to try the Segway.

The Segway – Part II:

A sad note to pass along, regarding the present owner of the Segway company. Over this past weekend, Mr. James Heselden, died in a Segway related accident. According to police reports in England, they believe that Mr. Heselden was speeding on his Segway and accidently crashed his Segway into a guard rail. The impact knocked him off his Segway. It was where he fell to his death, off a cliff and down into a river below. He was only 62 years old.

Mr. Heselden, a Brit, was not the creator of the Segway. That honor goes to an American, Mr. Dean Kamen. Mr. Heselden was just the money man, with deep pockets. In fact, he only recently became the company owner back in December, when he purchased the New Hampshire-based Segway Company.