Basics

If there was one purpose to fufill on this blog outside of entertaining a different train of thought, it would be to better explain the games we watch, discuss and attend to anyone of all interest levels. From the seemingly disinterested to the irrationally obsessive, there is a general lack of fundamental understanding of how players perform and what to look for in their performances. Personally, it drives me up a wall. Professionally, it's a perfect opportunity.

Slowly, this blog (and future projects) will evolve not only as a source of commentary and humor about sports, but hopefully 'sports for not-so-keen-folk' (I think "For Dummies" has been used). Below is an list of links that will direct you to websites that explain the purpose of each sport. Even us scribes can relearn a thing or two such as what exactly a team rebound is or the point of icing. And as for fantasy sports: if you learn the real game, you can learn fantasy, no matter what guides and 'gurus' tell you.

This list will also appear on the right as 'Basics' becomes archived. Yes, you could Google or find the Wiki of each sport, but why would you need to if you can find it in one place?

Basketball:

• Wiki
• The NBA created Hoopedia, a great one-stop source to discover the league's history. For Rules, scroll down to Basketball 101.
• When it's time for that office pool, know why people get blue in the face in exhausting excitement or red in the face in unfiltered anger about the selection process. Welcome to the NCAA.

Baseball:

• Wiki
• Major League Baseball goes back to the Roman Empire... well, considering its deep-rooted, storied and controversial history, it might as well have been played by Julius Caesar himself.
• Unlike basketball and football - and even hockey in some places - college baseball does not have the national or regional attention that it should, but major talents still come from these ranks.
• Unlike basketball and football, the minor leagues are a big deal in many places across the US of A. Major League Baseball teams own a majority of these teams or have an affiliation with them, but there are some independents.

(American) Football:

• This tends to be the sport that confuses the most people that aren't fans. Digest sloooooooooooooooowly.
• Wiki
• NFL history and rulebook
• NCAA football, another source of hair-pulling and name-calling
• Arena Football: think basketball with shoulder pads and a hockey wall
• Pro Football Reference

Hockey:

• Wiki
• NHL history and rulebook
• NCAA
• American Hockey League: the highest-rated of the minors

Soccer/Football/Futbol:

• Wiki
• BBC Sport's 'Rules and Enforcement': immensely helpful while watching the 2006 World Cup
• BBC also features video on specific skills
• English Premier League: considered the top-flight league in Europe and the world

Tennis:

• Wiki
• Association of Tennis Professionals: Men's tour
• Women's Tennis Association: Women's tour