Five Free Apps » sports

21 Best iPad Apps in 2011 – One App Selected For Each Category (Part 3)

Brian Mongold — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:52:18 +0000

Part 1 (1 – 7) | Part 2 (8 – 14) | Part 3 (15 – 21)

15. Evernote (Productivity) is rated 4.5 stars with 2938 ratings. The app has won plenty of awards & was even inducted into the Apple “App Hall of Fame.” Evernote calls itself “an extension of your brain,” by providing the best note and idea platform/database. Create text, photo and audio notes and sync them across just about every platform. It’s quick and easy to search and find notes you need. I have almost 100 notes that consist of study material, manufacturer information for appliances, vehicle information like my vin number, passwords and plenty others. Dropbox is a close 2nd for me in this category. (Free)

16. WolframAlpha (Reference) is rated 4.5 stars out of 361 ratings. This app specializes in computation, using algorithms and data to compute answers and generate reports. WolframAlpha is also integrated into Siri provides solutions and a reference for math problems, statistics, physics, chemistry, materials, engineering, astronomy and more. ($2.99)

17. MyPad+ (Social Networking) is 4 stars out of 1053 ratings. It’s the 5th highest grossing Social Networking app. You’d think this category would be loaded with quality apps with the big three in Facebook, Twitter, Skype and Google+. However, this isn’t the case as the official apps have both issues and limitations. MyPad+ has a nice user interface and does best with Facebook, but also integrates Twitter. It sports a similar panel view to that of Twitter’s official app, displaying multiple window panes on the same screen.

18. College Bowl Guide 2011-2012 (Sports) is rated 5 stars out of 31 ratings. The app was just released this month, but bests a weak class of Sports applications. The interactive app will look familiar as it’s from the makers of The Daily. You’ll get the latest news, full pages for each Bowl game, videos and more. (Free)

19. TripIt – Travel Organizer – FREE (Travel) is rated 4.5 stars with 590 ratings. This app does all the work for you scanning your email for hotel, airfare and rental car confirmations and automagically builds your itinerary so it’s ready when you need it. It takes all your trip details and organizes it into one useful itinerary, syncing with your iPad calendar. TripIt is my go-to app when I’m on the road. (Free)

20. Air Video (Utilities) is rated 4.5 stars out of 49 ratings. This app lets you stream your video collection on your iPad with live conversion. The app works over your WiFi connection and 3G. You’ll need to install the free desktop software for your PC or Mac to stream and convert the videos. Either stream videos from your computer or let the app convert and store it for you. ($2.99)

21. Fahrenheit – Weather and Temperature on your Home Screen (Weather) is rated 4.5 stars out of 447 ratings. It’s the 4th highest grossing Weather app for iPad. There are some other great weather apps available, but I personally prefer a more feature-based app, than visual. What I like about this app is that it displays the current temperature on the app icon and notifies you when there is a change in the weather. The app has a ton of other features such as feels like temperature, 10-day forecast, sunrise/sunset, wind direction and more. ($0.99)

Choosing one app per category sure was tough to do, but I had to mention a few other favorite apps that are worthy of being among the Top Apps in 2011.

Dropbox (Productivity) is 4 stars, 648 ratings. Save files, pics, videos & more on Dropbox and access them from anywhere. (Free)

AppAdvice (News) is 4.5 stars, 531 ratings. All the best app news & reviews. They are also giving away some great prizes for the holidays. (Free)

Spotify iPhone App (Music) 3 stars, 92 ratings. The app is just ok, but the service is amazing letting you stream music you want.

Did I miss any of your favorite apps? Surprised to not see any apps in particular? Let me know what you think of the apps listed.

Part 1 (1 – 7) | Part 2 (8 – 14) | Part 3 (15 – 21)

$28 NFL Jerseys! Cheapest Place To Get Quality Sports Jerseys

Brian Mongold — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 19:07:29 +0000

Like many of you, I am a bit of a cheapskate when it comes to buying clothes. I’m a huge Chicago Bears football fan, but have always lacked interest in dropping $70 or so on a jersey. Sure, I support my favorite NFL team 100%, but I can think of quite a few other ways to spend my hard earned money on.

Recently, I thought I’d take another look to see what kind of discounts I could get. I looked at a few of my favorite discount sites like Amazon, but again found the typical $70 to $85 range. Next, I started searching eBay which is where I found my new go-to source for NFL jerseys.

CoolGuyMall, which is a South Korea outlet, sells NFL Home and Away jerseys for $28 a pop with free shipping. I was admittedly hesitant to purchase my jersey since the price is ridiculous and the company is outside the US, but I’m very happy I found this new source.

I’ve since purchased two NFL Bears Jersey’s to include a Walter Payton Alternate Jersey and a Brian Urlacher Home Jersey. It took a few weeks to receive my jersey (which is to be expected when ordering from outside the US), but the quality is very high.

The CoolGuyMall currently has 414 NFL Jersey’s to choose from, so be sure to check it out.

Top Apps: Best Free Fantasy Baseball Apps For Android

Brian Mongold — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 01:50:41 +0000

April is a big month for sports fans as it signifies the beginning of the Major League Baseball season. Baseball fans love statistics, which is what makes Fantasy Baseball so exciting. While it’s a blast following your favorite team, keeping tabs on all your Fantasy Baseball teams and players is just as addicting. I’ve browsed through all the available Android apps and chose the five best free apps to help you manage your Fantasy Baseball teams and players.

Quick list, via AppBrain, of the top free fantasy baseball apps.

Fantasy Guru 2011

If you play in a Yahoo fantasy baseball league, this is the app you’ll want. It’s packed with all the useful features with the ability to edit your roster, propose trades, check out the standings, watch video highlights and more. The app breaks down (by button) all the aspects of your team you want to work with such as rosters, trades, matchups, news, stat tracking and more.

KFFL Fantasy Sports

KFFL provides the latest fantasy baseball news, rankings, articles and winning tips. Access the latest team-by-team news for baseball while on the go, or stay on top of your latest fantasy sports player news. KFFL offers four tabs in player news, team news, articles and discussion forum. The app could definitely use some interface improvements and enhancements such as dates in the short team and player news feeds. The real value in this app is the “articles” section that provides access to write-ups such as closer depth charts, busts, sleepers, cheat sheets and more.

MLB.com At Bat Lite

MLB.com At Bat Lite lets you follow your favorite teams with up-to-the-minute scores. It offers functionality that the other apps can’t match. You can check-in at the ballpark, set your favorite team to launch in the home screen, watch video highlights and of course keep tabs on the news, standings, schedules, rosters and stats. I like it for the MLB.com headlines, team promotions and standings. The video highlights are pretty lite as are the available stats.

The full version will cost you $15 and offers more features such radio broadcasts and the ability to watch live games using your MLB.TV subscription.

RotoWire Fantasy News Center

RotoWire Fantasy News Center is the mobile version of the popular RotoWire.com site. With Rotowire, you’ll be able to grab all the latest news for your fantasy team and players. The app is far from perfect and is really only useful for providing the latest player news so you can keep tabs on fantasy players.

ScoreMobile For Android

ScoreMobile For Android is the most prominent app to track scores and keep tabs on all the up-to-the-minute player stats. A tap of the menu button will give you quick access to your scores, news, videos, standings and stats. In addition to baseball, this app has all the other sports (including MMA) covered. Categories are sortable with the ability to quickly find the league leaders in batting average, home runs, RBIs, Wins, ERA and Saves. Overall, this is most useful to quickly see scores and what your players are doing (stat-wise).

Overall, the available Fantasy Baseball apps for the Android device are a little on the weak side. What do you think of the apps? Have any favorites?

Tiger Woods: My Swing Brings Video Swing Analysis To iPhone

Brian Mongold — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:22:56 +0000

Shotzoom, the leader in active lifestyle mobile applications, and the Tiger Woods Foundation have partnered to release Tiger Woods: My Swing, now available for iPhone. Proceeds from the sale of the app will benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation. See the full press release below.

Tiger Woods: My Swing allows golfers to capture video of their swing so they can analyze it, compare it with Woods and their friends, and see their swing improve over time. Woods serves as a virtual coach, teaching golfers how to use swing line analysis and providing tips on specific areas of improvement. The content-rich app also includes exclusive personalized videos shot by Woods addressing fan questions.

Tiger Woods: My Swing integrates with Shotzoom’s Golfshot community, the world’s largest active golf community with more than a half-million active members, to let golfers share and compare their stats and progress with friends and rivals.

The app is available for $9.99 from the App store on iPhone.

Cut Your Cable Bill & Still Catch Your Favorite Sports, Movies and TV Shows

Brian Mongold — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:19:11 +0000

Earlier this month, I made the decision to cut my cable. I now save approximately $123 per month by dropkicking my Direct TV out the door in exchange for Roku, my computer and an Internet connection.

Note: There are several different devices and applications to use, but I chose to share the ones that have worked the best for me. Just last month, I had a DirecTv Bill that cost me $140 per month and another $60 for cable internet. $200 a month is a ridiculous bill to have with all the free alternatives available. I kept my cable internet and now only pay $17 per month for movies and tv shows using the options below.

Devices To Hookup To Your Television

Roku XD|S ($99.99)

Though I have both a Roku and Apple TV, there is no way I would have cut my cable without Roku. This device requires a high speed wireless connection. It connects directly to your television and streams content to your television from countless channels that include Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon On Demand, Pandora, Flickr and more. While you won’t find YouTube in the channel lineup for the Roku player, you can manually add this awesome channel using these simple setup steps. You could get by with the Roku alone, but let me show you some more options.

Computer & Free Media Software

I keep my laptop connected to my television using a HDMI cable. You would be amazed to see how many of your favorite shows are available for free online. I am a big Survivor fan and can simply go to CBS.com the day after Survivor airs to stream the newest episode. With my computer connected to my television, it’s just like watching it on TV.

Roku cost me $100 to purchase and there is no monthly or additional fees. Some of the channels available requires a pay subscription to use. I pay $9 per month to stream movies from Netflix and $8 each month to stream television shows. If I can’t find content on either of these channels, my next option is to see if it’s online.

You can turn your computer into a media server by downloading some pretty awesome free applications such as Windows Media Center or XBMC. Windows Media Center has an Internet TV window channel does the work for you by finding great shows from online sources.

If it’s not online and it’s a show or movie I really want to see, I can pay to rent it from the Amazon On Demand channel. An episode typically cost $1.99.

Antenna

Want to still get free local channels? By using the AntennaWeb tool, you can see what the ideal Antenna would be for you to purchase. Based on my area, once I have my Antenna set up, I should get more than 20 channels (including HD) free. My Antenna cost $35 from Amazon.

Want to Stream More Free Movies And Television?

While I could provide an exhaustive listing of free movie and tv sites, I’m going to instead point you to an amazing resource. OVGuide shows you all the best free movie sites and by using the useful search button, you can find movies and television shows you want to watch.

A Last Resort

If you decide you just can’t cut the cord on your cable or satellite, at least take some time and search online for better deals than you’ll get through Best Buy or over the phone. Many third party service providers like TvByDirect.com offer local specials that include free channels. While not as cost effective as going full-streaming, you can definitely cut a large portion of your bill.

5 Most Memorable Moments in the NFL

Brian Mongold — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:38:57 +0000

The NFL has delivered some truly memorable and amazing moments over the years. While I await this weekend’s games, I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on 5 of the absolute greatest plays in not only football, but sports history. Enjoy!

1972 – The “Immaculate Reception” is the nickname given to one of the most famous plays in the history of the NFL.

Hang onto your hats, here come the Steelers out of the huddle. Twenty-two seconds remaining. It’s down to one big play, fourth down and 10 yards to go. Terry Bradshaw at the controls. And Bradshaw….running out of the pocket, looking for somebody to throw to, fires it downfield, and there’s a collision! [volume increases] And it’s caught out of the air! The ball is pulled in by Franco Harris! Harris is going for a touchdown for Pittsburgh!
—Jack Fleming on the steelers radio broadcast

1978 – “The Miracle at the Meadowlands” is coined as Herman Edwards returns a fumble for a touchdown.

It’s Giants football now, third and two. We thank our producer Bob Rowe, our director Jim Silman, and our CBS crew, spotter and statistician John Mara and Tom McHugh here at Giants Stadium. As the clock winds down on the Philadelphia Eagles, a game they thought would project them into a possible wildcard position, it would bring them 7-5 had they won, but a late interception by the Giants will preserve a Giant victory, an upset win as the Giants lead 17-12, we’re inside 30 seconds, the Eagles have no timeouts.[at this point, the snap happens and the ball is fumbled] Wait a minute… here’s a free football, I don’t believe it! The Eagles pick it up and Herman Edwards runs it in for a touchdown! An incredible development! – Don Criqui, CBS Commentator

1982 – “The Catch” is made as Joe Montana passes to Dwight Clark to make the winning touchdown reception.

Montana lines up at the five…and on third-down-and-three he rolls right, looking to throw…looking to throw…and he throws into the end zone…Touchdown! Touchdown! Touchdown, San Francisco, by Dwight Clark! – Jack Buck, CBS Radio

2000 – The “Music City Miracle” is one of the greatest, yet most controversial plays in the history of the NFL.

Do the Titans have a miracle left in them in what has been a magical season to this point? If they do, they need it now. Christie kicks it high and short. Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25; he dishes it back to Wycheck; he throws it across the field to Dyson…He’s got somethin’…He’s got somethin’…30, 20..10, 5, endzone…touchdown, Titans! There are no flags on the field! It’s a miracle! Tennessee has pulled a miracle! A miracle for the Titans! – Mike Keith on Tennessee Titans Radio Network

2007 – After dominating the regular season and playoffs, the Patriots were upset by the Giants at Super Bowls XLII, after a memorable drive capped off by an amazing catch by David Tyree.

When you see the guy in trouble, you have to break off your route. I saw he was under duress, and I just pulled up and cut it short. —David Tyree

Though it never occurred in the NFL, I wanted to add one more highlight to the list.

1984 – Doug Flutie’s “Miracle in Miami” is born as he throws a last-second Hail Mary pass to wide receiver Gerard Phelan also known as Hail Flutie.

Flutie flushed………throws it down………CAUGHT BY BOSTON COLLEGE! I don’t believe it! It’s a touchdown! The Eagles win it!
—Brent Musberger calling on the final play.

Exploring the Madden Cover Jinx

Brian Mongold — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 01:34:28 +0000

If you’re a football fan, chances are you’re probably a fan of the Madden NFL game series. Regardless of the platform, Madden is hands down the best football video game in the world. Each season, fans flock to get their hands on a brand new Madden game. For many, it’s more than a game, it’s a tradition.

Prior to 1999, each installment of Madden featured John Madden on the cover. In 1999, EA chose Garrison Hearst to appear on the cover and have since chosen elite players to be on the annual cover.

Any player would be honored to be on the cover of the popular game, but history has shown this honor typically comes with a bit of bad luck. While it’s easy to play it off as a coincidence, a high percentage of players featured have never been the same after.

In 2007, a large group of LaDainian Tomlinson fans, who believed in the Madden Curse, were strongly opposed to EA Sports’ initial decision to feature him on the 2008 cover. One fan even created SaveLTfromMadden.com. Tomlinson later declined the offer due to contract negotiatons.

Lets take a look at each of the players represented be the Madden Cover and explore how they performed.

1999 – Garrison Hearst

Garrison Hearst was the first player to grace the cover of Madden and had a strong regular season, rushing for 1570 years and 7 touchdowns during the 1998 season. However, in a playoff loss to the Falcons, he sustained a serious ankle ailment which led to him missing 2 seasons and not returning until 2001.

2000 – Barry Sanders/Dorsey Levins

Barry Sanders rushed for 1491 yards in 1998. He was supposed to be on the cover of the 2002 Madden, but decided to retire before the season started. Dorsey Levins was selected as the replacement since he ran for 1034 years and had 10 touchdowns the year prior. After appearing on the cover, Levins rushed for 224 yards with just 3 touchdowns. We’ve hardly heard a peep from Barry Sanders since his retirement.

2001 – Eddie George

Following his 2000 season where he ran 1509 yards and scored 16 touchdowns, Eddie George ran for just 939 yards, scoring 5 touchdowns.

2002 – Daunte Culpepper

After a stellar year where he threw for 3937 yards, ran for 470 and scored a total of 40 touchdowns, Culpepper missed 5 weeks with an injured knee and finished with 2612 passing yards, 416 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns, while throwing 23 interceptions and breaking the record for most fumbles in a season. He eventually blew out both knees in 2005 and 2006 and was never the same.

2003 – Marshall Faulk

Marshall Faulk, considered one of the best running backs of all-time, injured his ankle missing 2 games and missed the 1000 mark for the first time since 1996. His yards per carry went on a steady decline. He never registered another 1000 yard rushing season, only started 21 out of 32 games from 2002 and 2003, then underwent reconstructive surgery in 2005, which was the year he retired.

2004 – Michael Vick

After breaking his fibula in a preseason contest, Michael Vick missed 11 games in the regular season, finishing with 585 yards passing, 255 yards rushing and just 5 touchdowns.

2005 – Ray Lewis

In 2005 Ray Lewis became the first defensive player to make the Madden cover. He broke his wrist and had a decline in interceptions, from 6 the year prior to none. In 2005, he missed 10 starts due to injuries.

2006 – Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb led the Eagles to the Super Bowl and was featured on the 2006 Madden cover. However, following a hernia suffered in week 1, McNabb made only 9 starts. In 2006, he missed another 6 games when he tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee.

2007 – Shaun Alexander

Following a monster MVP year with 1880 yards rushing and 28 touchdowns, Shaun Alexander missed 6 games in 2006 due to a foot injury. He missed the 1000 yard rushing mark for the first time since 2000. He then went on a steady decline.

2008 – Vince Young

Per Wikipedia, “When Young appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to officially announce that he would appear on the cover of Madden NFL 2008, he derided allegations of becoming the curse’s next victim, and stated, “I’ve done prayed about it and we’re gonna go home and try to get to the playoffs and try to get to the Super Bowl. We’ll see what happens.” However, after making the cover of the 2008 Madden game, Vince Young had more turnovers than touchdowns, 20 to 12.

2009 – Brett Favre

Brett Favre was featured on the cover of Madden in 2009 in a Packers uniform, as we were under the impression that he was retired. However, shortly after he came out of retirement and was traded to the Jets. EA then issued a new cover. He led the league in interceptions with 22, admitted that he had a biceps injury and an overall decline in his performance.

2010 – Larry Fitzgerald & Troy Polamalu

The 2009 Madden cover featured 2 players for the first time. Larry Fitzgerald wasn’t effected (13 touchdowns), but Troy Polamalu missed 11 games with a sprained MCL. After returning to the field, he then injured his posterior cruciate ligament.

2011 – Drew Brees

Drew Brees was Superman in 2009, paving the way to the Saints having a monster season and winning the Superbowl. So far this season, Brees still looks like Drew Brees. He has 6 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 857 passing yards and a 107 QB rating. Will the curse effect his performance?

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Brian Mongold — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:08:58 +0000

Tonight is the night! The NFL season kicks off tonight with the defending champs taking on Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. This post is short and sweet because I’m going to kick back, relax and enjoy the game. As I count down the minutes til the game, I thought I’d roundup some of my favorite Football-related posts, just in case you missed it. Be sure to enjoy the game and best of luck with your Fantasy Football Teams.

You Play to Win the Game & The Indecision

5 Free Android Apps to Enhance Your Fantasy Football Experience

Fantasy Football Time! 5 Awesome iPad Apps to Get Draft-Ready

7 of the Most Exciting Athletes of All-time – Video Highlights

30+ Fantasy Football Resources; Cheat Sheets, Draft Kits, Apps & More

The Best Free BlackBerry Sports Apps & Launchers

You Play to Win the Game 2010 & The Indecision

Brian Mongold — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 10:50:31 +0000

In anticipation of the upcoming NFL season, I wanted to revisit one of my favorite creations, You Play to Win the Game, courtesy of DJ Steve Porter.

And I thought as a bonus, I’d throw “The Indecision” mix (by DJ Steve Porter) into the post as well, highlighting the best of our old buddy Brett Favre.

Fantasy Football Time! 5 Awesome iPad Apps to Get Draft-Ready

Brian Mongold — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 01:21:28 +0000

Update 22 Aug – After publishing this list, an app was updated to support the iPad that in my opinion blows the rest away. Fantasy Football Cheatsheet 2010 is everything you need to prepare for and track your draft. You can add your league’s customized scoring settings to see rankings specific to your league in points, ADP and AAV with over 50 custom scoring options. As you click on players, you’ll see detailed stats, rankings and news updates. You also have the ability to add players to “my team,” add them to your “wishlist” or delete players from the list as they are chosen in your draft. This app is packed with other great features and available for $2.99, cheaper than some of those below.

It’s that time of year! The 2011 NFL Season is just around the corner. In many ways, the combination of Fantasy Football and Madden video games help kick off the season. With the Fantasy Football drafts beginning soon, iPad owners have a few cool new tools to enhance their draft!

I couldn’t help but to include the new Madden 11 in today’s list. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any valuable free apps, but am confident you’ll love the ones chosen below. Enjoy!

Rotoworld Fantasy Football Draft Guide 2010

$4.99 – The 2010 Rotoworld Fantasy Football Draft Guide is a quick reference for top rankings by position or the top 200 overall. The app includes draft strategies, positional tiers, player news and all the potential sleepers and busts.

The draft guide is available offline, so no need to be dependent upon an internet connection while taking part in your draft. The cheatsheets for each position is handy as is the season outlook and injury reports.

Fanball.com 2010 Fantasy Football Preview Magazine

$4.99 – Though the magazine was first offered in early July, the Fantasy Football information provided is the best you’ll find in any current iPad magazine available. The magazine features auction and strategy advice, sleepers and busts and more than 60 pages of in-depth player information and projections.

H.W.W.G. Fantasy Football Draft Guide

$4.99 – HattyWaiverWireGuru.com provides their fantasy draft guide, ranking over 500+ players, along with team defenses and an overall top 200. The app features weekly web videos to discuss all the best pick-ups of the week, weekly live radio shows and additional updated content such as sleeper articles.

In drafting players, I’m a fan of having the ability to mark players I draft, which this app also provides. Also, live syncing keeps you current on the most updated power rankings.

Corkulous

$3.99 – This is a pick that’s a little more on the creative side. Since the iPad doesn’t currently have a ideal live draft tracker for hosting a draft and the iPhone apps just aren’t the same all pixelated, I have an alternative solution. One of my favorite apps, Corkulous, is an idea board that’s very useful and quite handy.

It’s a multi-purpose corkboard app that allows you to place notes, labels, photos, contacts, and tasks. It’s flexible and fun to use. I began setting up a draft board below. You may have a better solution, but this one may be the most fun. Also useful is the ability to send the corkboard via email or export to a PDF or image.

Madden NFL 11 by EA Sports for iPad

$12.99 – I couldn’t create a football related list without including Madden 2011. After getting an itch for the new Madden, I passed on the opportunity to choose the XBox 360 version saving $40 or so by choosing the iPad version.

The iPad version does an impressive job integrating Madden with touch technology. You get total control of the defense, gameflow, hot routes on offense and a few other innovations set for a later release, such as multi-player and an iPad Exclusive “Vintage Voltage Football” that promises to knock our socks off.

The only thing I really miss is playing career mode, but at $12.99, it’s well worth the price tag.

Dead Wrestler of the Week – A Tribute by Deadspin.com

Brian Mongold — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:20:06 +0000

I wanted to take a few moments today to highlight one of my favorite weekly features from Deadspin.com. Deadspin is the sister site to Gawker.com. The site utilizes their scarcasm, humor and entertaining takes to publish sports previews, recaps and commentaries to keep you up-to-date and thoroughly entertained in the world of sports.

My favorite aspect of the site is the “Dead Wrestler of the Week” feature. As Deadspin mentions “every week, the Masked Man, Deadspin’s pro wrestling correspondent, honors the sport’s fallen and examines their legacies — famous and obscure alike.”

As a kid, I watched wrestling religiously. My favorite wrestlers were guys like Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Sting and of course I have to mention the Road Warriors. Now as an adult, it’s disturbing to see the high percentage of former wrestlers passing away at such an alarming rate. Take a peak at the articles below, which is a bit of a tribute to a few of the many dead wrestlers.

Ludwig Vorga (1963 to 2010) – Died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Dr. Death Steve Williams (1960 to 2009) – Died of throat cancer

Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig (1958 to 2003) – Cocaine Intoxication

Dino Bravo (1948 to 1993) – Shot to death

Miss Elizabeth (1960 to 2003) – Drug overdose

The Big Bossman Ray Traylor (1963 to 2004) – Heart Attack

Andre’ The Giant (1946 to 1993) – Heart Attack

A total of 255 wrestlers have died according to the Dead Wrestlers List at WrestlerBiographies.com.

Frank Gotch 40 December 16, 1917 Uremic Poisoning
The Terrible Turk ?? July 4, 1898 Drowning
Wayne Munn 35 January 9, 1931 Kidney Problems
William Muldoon 88 June 3, 1933 Dies At Home
Farmer Burns 75 February 9, 1937 Unknown
Gus Sonnenberg 46 September 12, 1944 Tuberculosis
Bull Montana ?? January 24, 1950 Dies at Home
Danno O’Mahoney 37 November 4, 1950 Auto Accident
Maurice Tillet 51 August 4, 1954 Heart Disease
Jess McMahon 72 November 22, 1954 Unknown
Rikidozan 38 December 15, 1963 Stabbed
Gorgeous George 48 December 26, 1963 Heart Attack
Ed “Strangler” Lewis 76 August 7, 1966 Dies at Home
Sandor Szabo 60 October 16, 1966 Heart Attack
Primo Carnera 51 June 29, 1967 Cirrhosis of Liver
Stanislaus Zbyszko 88 September 22, 1967 Dies at Home
George Hackenschmidt 90 February 19, 1968 Dies at Home
Wladek Zbyszko ?? June 10, 1968 Unknown
Mike DiBiase 45 July 2, 1969 Dies in Ring
Skull Murphy 39 March 23, 1970 Heart Attack
Hercules Cortez 39 July 23, 1971 Auto Accident
Dory Funk Sr. 54 June 3, 1973 Dies at Home
Bobby Shane 29 February 20, 1975 Auto Accident
Jim Lindos 78 August 19, 1975 Heart Attack
Pepe Lopez 39 July 27, 1976 Auto Accident
Antonio Rocca 49 March 15, 1977 Unknown
Chris Taylor 29 June 30, 1979 Prolonged Illness
Billy McGuire ?? July 14, 1979 Heart Attack
Peter Maivia 47 June 13, 1982 Cancer
Frank Tunney ?? May 20, 1983 Heart Attack
The Grand Wizard 54 October 12, 1983 Heart Attack
El Santo 67 February 5, 1984 Heart Attack
David Von Erich 25 February 10, 1984 Acute Enteritis
Vince McMahon Sr. 69 May 17, 1984 Cancer
George Zaharias 76 May 22, 1984 Dies at Home
Argentina Apollo 46 August 2, 1984 Heart Attack
Eddie Graham 55 January 21, 1985 Suicide
Jay Youngblood 30 September 1, 1985 Heart Attack
Rick McGraw 30 November 1, 1985 Heart Attack
Tarzan Tyler ?? December 20, 1985 Auto Accident
Gino Hernandez 29 February 4, 1986 Cocaine Overdose
Warren Bockwinkle 74 March 24, 1986 Alzheimer’s Disease
El Solitario 40 April 6, 1986 Heart Attack
Mike Von Erich 23 April 12, 1987 Suicide
Malcolm “King Kong” Kirk ?? August 24, 1987 Heart Attack
Adrian Adonis 34 July 4, 1988 Auto Accident
Pat Kelly ?? July 4, 1988 Auto Accident
The Canadian Wildman ?? July 4, 1988 Auto Accident
Bruiser Brody 42 July 17, 1988 Stabbed
Leroy Brown 38 September 6, 1988 Heart Attack
Leroy McGuirk 78 September 9, 1988 Dies at Home
Mildred Burke 73 February 18, 1989 Stroke
Paul Boesch 76 March 7, 1989 Dies at Home
Happy Humphery ?? March 14, 1989 Heart Attack
Eduardo Perez 61 September 7, 1989 Dies at Home
Haystacks Calhoun 55 December 7, 1989 Diabetes
Bronko Nagurski 81 January 7, 1990
Whipper Billy Watson 74 February 4, 1990 Dies at Home
Gory Guerrero 69 April 18, 1990 Unknown
Pat O’Connor 65 August 16, 1990 Cancer
Ed “The Bull” Gatner 31 December 31, 1990 Suicide
Duke Keomuka 70 June 30, 1991 Heart Failure
Vivian Vachon 40 August 25, 1991 Auto Accident
Chris Von Erich 21 September 12, 1991 Suicide
Gene Anderson 58 October 31, 1991 Heart Attack
Dick the Bruiser 62 November 10, 1991 Internal Bleeding
Wilbur Snyder 62 December 25, 1991 Heart Failure
Buzz Sawyer 32 February 7, 1992 Dies At Apartment
Tojo Yamamoto 65 February 19, 1992 Suicide
Jimmy Lennon Sr. 79 April 20, 1992 Heart Failure
Buddy Rogers 71 June 26, 1992 Stroke
Uncle Elmer 54 June 30, 1992 Diabetes
Danny McShain ?? July 14, 1992 Unknown
Roy Heffernan 67 September 24, 1992 Heart Attack
Andre The Giant 46 January 27, 1993 Heart Attack
Kerry Von Erich 33 February 18, 1993 Suicide
Dino Bravo 44 March 11, 1993 Drive-By Shooting
Wally Karbo 77 March 25, 1993 Heart Attack
D.J. Peterson 33 May 25, 1993 Unknown
Don Kent 61 June 14, 1993 Leukemia
Brazo de Oro ?? October 26, 1993 Brain Aneurysm
Rufus R. Jones 60 November 13, 1993 Heart Attack
Larry Cameron 41 December 13, 1993 Heart Attack
Eddie Creatchman 66 March 9, 1994 Heart Attack
Ray Candy 43 May 23, 1994 Heart Attack
George “Crybaby” Cannon 62 July 1, 1994 Cancer
Joey Marella 30 July 4, 1994 Auto Accident
Boris Malenko 61 September 1, 1994 Cancer
Art Barr 28 November 23, 1994 Drug-Related Cause
Jerry Blackwell 45 January 22, 1995 Pneumonia
Eddie Gilbert 33 February 18, 1995 Heart Attack
Big John Studd 46 March 20, 1995 Hodgkin’s Disease
Ilio DiPaolo Auto 68 May 10, 1995 Auto Accident
Killer Karl Krupp 62 October 24, 1995 Heart Attack
Little Beaver 61 December 4, 1995 Emphysema
Ray Stevens 60 May 3, 1996 Heart Attack
Dick Murdoch 49 June 15, 1996 Heart Attack
The Missouri Mauler 45 July 19, 1996 Heart Attack
Herb Abrams 41 July 23, 1996 Drug Overdose
Neil Superior 33 August 23, 1996 Heart Attack
Sapphire 61 September 10, 1996 Heart Attack
Dr. Jerry Graham 58 January 24, 1997 Stroke
Bulldog Bob Brown 58 February 6, 1997 Heart Attack
Dr. Bill Miller 69 March 24, 1997 Heart Attack
Stan Stasiak 60 June 12, 1997 Heart Failure
Larry O’Day 53 June 30, 1997 Liver Cancer
Plum Mariko 29 August 16, 1997 Brain Aneurysm
Jeep Swenson 40 August 19, 1997 Heart Attack
Dale Lewis 62 August 30, 1997 Leukemia
Fritz Von Erich 68 September 10, 1997 Cancer
Dick “Bulldog” Brower 63 September 16, 1997 Diabetes
Brian Pillman 35 October 5, 1997 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
Big E Sleaze 22 October 26, 1997 Suicide
Stanley Blackburn 80 November 20, 1997 Unknown
Bobo Brazil 74 January 20, 1998 Heart Problems
Louie Spiccoli 27 February 15, 1998 Carisopridol Overdose
Junkyard Dog 45 June 1, 1998 Auto Accident
The Spoiler 56 June 20, 1998 Heart Failure
Shane Shamrock 23 August 17, 1998 Shot by Police
Terry Garvin 60 August 17, 1998 Cancer
Giant Haystacks 55 November 30, 1998 Stomach Cancer
Brady Boone 40 December 15, 1998 Auto Accident
Sam Mushnick 93 December 31, 1998 Internal Bleeding
Shohei “Baba” Giant 61 January 31, 1999 Bowel Cancer
The Renegade 23 February 23, 1999 Suicide
Kurt Von Hess 65 March 13, 1999 Heart Attack
Rick Rude 41 April 20, 1999 Heart Attack
Owen Hart 33 May 23, 1999 Accidental Fall
The Sarge Donnie York Sr. 50 May 25, 1999 Complications of Diabetes
Jackie Sato 41 August 9, 1999 Stomach Cancer
Mark Curtis 38 September 8, 1999 Stomach Cancer
Gorilla Monsoon 62 October 6, 1999 Heart Illness
Tony Rumble 43 November 13, 1999 Heart Attack
Hiro Matsuda 62 November 27, 1999 Cancer
Gary Albright 34 January 7, 2000 Heart Attack
Al Costello 80 January 22, 2000 Pneumonia
Bobby Duncum Jr. 34 January 24, 2000 Drug Overdose
Liz Chase 45 February 29, 2000 Died During Surgery
Masakazu Fukada 27 April 19, 2000 Internal Bleeding on Brain
Tom Renesto (Assassin #1) 72 April 25, 2000 Heart Failure
Tomomi “Jumbo” Tsuruta 49 May 16, 2000 Internal Bleeding
Gordon Solie 71 July 27, 2000 Cancer
Tony Parisi 58 August 18, 2000 Heart Attack
Chris Duffy 36 August 25, 2000 Seizure
Toru Tanaka 70 August 22, 2000 Natural Causes
“Klondike” Bill Soloweyko 68 October 3, 2000 Bulbar Palsy
Leo Nomellini 76 October 17, 2000 Stroke
“Yokozuna” Rodney Anoia 34 October 22, 2000 Heart Attack
The Blue Demon 78 December 16, 2000 Heart Attack
Benny McGuire 54 March 26, 2001 Heart Attack
“Red Shoes” Dugan ?? March 26, 2001 Parkinson’s Disease
Johnny Valentine 73 April 24, 2001 Natural Causes
Terry Gordy 40 July 16, 2001 Heart Attack
Rhonda Singh (Bertha Faye) 40 July 27, 2001 Unknown
Dennis Coraluzzo 48 July 29, 2001 Stroke
Chris Adams 46 October 7, 2001 Shot to Death
Chief Dave Foxx 44 October 28, 2001 Heart Attack
Helen Hart 77 November 4, 2001 Organ Failure
Russ Haas 27 December 15, 2001 Heart Failure
“Maniac” Mike Davis 46 December 25, 2001 Heart Attack
Mighty Igor 60’s January 7, 2002 Heart Failure
Nelson Royal 70 February 2, 2002 Heart Attack
Swede Hanson 68 February 20, 2002 Alzheimer’s Disease
Wahoo McDaniel 63 April 18, 2002 Stroke
Lou Thesz 86 April 28, 2002 Natural Causes
Randy “Pee Wee” Anderson 41 May 7, 2002 Natural Causes
Erich Kulas (Mass Transit) 22 May 14, 2002 Unknown
Alex “Big Dick Dudley” Rizzo 34 May 16, 2002 Unknown
Shoichi Arai (FMW President) 36 May 16, 2002 Suicide
“British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith 39 May 17, 2002 Heart Attack
Ted Petty (Rocco Rock) 49 September 21, 2002 Heart Attack
Edward “Moose” Cholak 72 October 31, 2002 Natural Causes
Billy Joe Travis ?? November 22, 2002 Heart Attack
Jeff Peterson 22 November 29, 2002 Cancer
“Mr. Wrestling” Tim Woods ?? November 30, 2002 Heart Attack
“The Original Sheik” Ed Farahat ?? January 18, 2003 Natural Causes
Curt Hennig 44 February 10, 2003 Drug Overdose
Tony Altomare 74 February 20, 2003 Heart Attack
Hiromichi “Kodo” Fuyuki 42 March 19, 2003 Cancer
Sailor Art Thomas 79 March 20, 2003 Cancer
Ray Mendoza 73 April 17, 2003 Natural Causes
Miss Elizabeth (Elizabeth Heulette) 42 May 1, 2003 Drug Overdose
“Classie” Freddie Blassie 85 June 2, 2003 Natural Causes
Giant Ochiai 30 July 8, 2003 Brain Damage
Anthony “Pitbull #2″ Durante 36 September 26, 2003 Drug Overdose
Stu Hart 88 October 16, 2003 Pneumonia
Road Warrior Hawk (Mike Hegstrand) 46 October 19, 2003 Heart Attack
Mike “Crash Holly” Lockwood 32 November 6, 2003 Asphyxiation
Richard “Dick” Hutton 80 November 24, 2003 Natural Causes
Moondog Spot (Larry Lathman) 51 November 29, 2003 Heart Attack
Jerry “The Wall/Malice” Tuite 36 December 5, 2003 Heart Attack
Jack Tunney (Former WWE President) 68 January 24, 2004 Natural Causes
Don (Hard Boiled) Haggerty 78 January 28, 2004 Natural Causes
Hercules Hernandez 45 March 6. 2004 Heart Attack
Pepper Gomez 77 May 6, 2004 Kidney Failure
Billy Redwood 28 July 3, 2004 Auto Accident
Pat “Bomber” Roach 67 July 17, 2004 Cancer
Ken Timbs 53 August 1, 2004 Heart Failure
Dr. Wagner Sr. 68 September 12, 2004 Heart Attack
Jim Barnett (Promoter) 80 September 17, 2004 Cancer and Pneumonia
Ray “Big Boss Man” Traylor 42 September 22, 2004 Heart Attack
Marianna Komlos 35 October 4, 2004 Breast Cancer
Dandy Jack Donovan 76 November 27, 2004 Construction Site Accident
“Pistol” Pez Whatley 54 January 18, 2005 Heart Failure
Chris Candido 33 April 28, 2005 Blood Clot after Surgery
Ron Trongaurd (AWA Announcer) 72 June 17, 2005 Liver Cancer
Shinya Hashimoto 40 July 11, 2005 Brain Anresum
Lord Alfred Hayes 77 July 21, 2005 Stroke
Chris Tolos 75 August 13, 2005 Natural Causes
Chri$ Ca$h (Christopher Bauman Jr.) 23 August 18, 2005 Motorcycle Accident
Ed “Sailor” White (Moondog King) 56 August 25, 2005 Unknown
The Crusher (Reggie Lisowski) 79 October 22, 2005 Natural Causes
Eddie Guerrero 38 November 13, 2005 Heart Failure
Chad Floyd (Chazz Rocco) 37 December 10, 2005 Heart Failure
El Texano (Juan Aguilar) 47 January 15, 2006 Respiratory Failure
Ricky Romero 74 January 16, 2006 Complications of Diabetes
Victor Mar (Black Cat) 51 January 28, 2006 Heart Attack
Emory Hale ?? January 29, 2006 Complications of Kidney Failure
Mike “Johnny Grunge” Durham 39 February 16, 2006
Victor Quinones (Owner of IWA Puerto Rico) 46 April 2, 2006 Natural Causes
Sammy “Steamboat” Mokuahi 71 May 4, 2006 Complications from both Alzheimer’s and Diabetes
Apache Bull Ramos 71 May 27, 2006 Complications of Shoulder Infection and Diabetes
John “Earthquake” Tenta 42 June 7, 2006 Bladder Cancer
“Crazy” Luke Graham 70 June 24, 2006 Heart Failure
Marlon Kalkai (Tiger Khan) Mid-30’s June 28, 2006 Unknown
Bob Orton Sr. 76 July 14, 2006 Heart Attack
Karl Von Stroheim 78 August 8, 2006 Heart Attack
Antonio Peña (Mexican Promoter) 57 October 6, 2006 Heart Attack
Jumping Joey Maggs 37 October 15, 2006 Unknown
Kintaro Oki (Kim Ill) 77 October 26, 2006 Natural Causes
Daniel Garcia (Huracan Ramirez) 80 November 1, 2006 Natural Causes
Sputnik Monroe 77 November 2, 2006 Natural Causes
Dennis “Tiger” Conway, Sr. 74 November 13, 2006 Massive Stroke
Don Jardine (The Original Spoiler) 66 December 16, 2006 Complications of Heart Attack and Leukemia
Scott “Bam Bam” Bigelow 45 January 19, 2007 Drug Overdose
Mike Awesome 42 February 17, 2007 Suicide
Bad News (Brown) Allen Coage 63 March 6, 2007 Heart Attack
Alejandro Cruz (Black Shadow) 82 March 8, 2007 Pneumonia
Ernie “The Cat” Ladd 68 March 10, 2007 Cancer
Arnold Skaaland 82 March 13, 2007 Natural Causes
Angel Azteca 43 March 18, 2007 Unknown
Abe Coleman 101 March 28, 2007 Natural Causes
Mephisto Lephanto 31 May 4, 2007 Sudden Heart Attack in the Ring
Sonny Myers 83 May 5, 2007 Natural Causes
Sandy Barr 69 June 2, 2007 Heart Attack
Sensational Sherri Martel 49 June 15, 2007 Unknown
Shane “Biff Wellington” Bower 42 June 23, 2007 Heart Attack
Nancy Daus (Woman from WCW) 42 June 23, 2007 Strangulation
Chris Benoit 40 June 25, 2007 Suicide
Brian “Crush” Adams (43)–August 13, 2007–Natural Causes
The Missing Link (Dewey Robertson) (68)–August 16, 2007–Died from cancer
Fabulous Moolah (Lillian Ellison) (84)–November 3, 2007–Natural Causes
Andrew Martin (Test) – 1975 – 2009 – Overdose of drugs
Captain Lou Albano – 1933 – 2009 – Prolonged Illness
Umaga – 4 December, 2009 – Heart Attack

Who was/is your favorite wrestlers? Why do you think so many former wrestlers have passed away at such a young age?

Versus signs a deal with DirecTV, UFC & WEC Back on DirecTV

Brian Mongold — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:20:19 +0000

Today is a very happy day! My favorite MMA and UFC news and rumor site, MMAJunkie, just reported that DirecTV has signed a deal with the Versus Channel. What this means for mixed martial arts fans who have DirecTV is the free UFC and WEC events back on the tube. It’s been far too long since Versus dropped off the DirecTV lineup, but the deal comes at a GREAT time! UFC on Versus 1: Vera vs. Jones airs this Saturday night!

“We’re excited that we were able to come to a fair agreement that puts Versus back in millions of homes with DirecTV in time for our busy spring programming schedule,” Versus president Jamie Davis stated. “We look forward to super-serving these fans with NHL regular-season and playoff coverage, our first live UFC event and much more.”

The statement above was published on MMAJunkie. Thanks to the deal, the need to find free sites to stream live sporting events will be greatly minimized. It’s going to be a busy and awesome MMA season starting this weekend. Be sure to tune in.