;13).Upon his return to Jerusalem, Manasseh began building projects in the city as well as elsewhere in Judah and removed the idols and altars he had

the LORD. They were to perform the vow they had made to the LORD. The Bible records a half-hearted attempt to return to Biblical worship, “Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed on the high places, but only to the LORD their God” (2 Chr 33:17). The only true place of worship was the Temple in Jerusalem, not the high places.Nahum prophesied the destruction of Nineveh, the capital of the sole superpower, at the zenith of Assyria’s power and glory. He boldly proclaimed a message that was not popular, nor “politically correct.” In fact, most Judeans would think his prediction of the downfall of Nineveh impossible.The Reliefs From Ashurbanipal’s PalaceAshurbanipal II reigned in Nineveh 668–631 BC. At the beginning of his reign he lived in Sennacherib’s “palace without rival.” Ashurbanipal refurbished the palace about 650 BC. In Room 33, he placed his own wall reliefs. Ashurbanipal’s other major construction project was the North Palace for the crown prince (Russell 1999:154).Nahum was from Elkosh (Na 1:1). Some scholars have suggested Elkosk was located at the village of Al-Qush, 25 mi north of modern day Mosul, a city that is across the Tigris River from Nineveh. These scholars take this position because: (1) the names are similar, (2) the local Christian tradition holds that Nahum was from there and his tomb was there, and (3) Nahum’s writings show his familiarity with the city of Nineveh. Some speculate that Nahum was an Israelite captive who lived in the area and was an eyewitness to the city.There is, however, the possibility that Elkosh was in southern Judah and Nahum was part of the Judean emissary that brought the yearly tribute from King Manasseh to Nineveh. While in Nineveh, he would have observed the broad roads (Na 2:4), walls (2:5), gates (2:6), temples and idols (1:14), and its vast wealth (2:9). I’m sure the minister of propaganda would have shown him the wall reliefs in Ashurbanipal’s residence! These reliefs were intended “as propaganda to impress, intimidate and instigate by representing the might of Assyrian power and the harsh punishment of rebels” (Comelius 1989:56). Or, as Esarhaddon would say, “For the gaze of all my foes, to the end of days, I set it [stela] up” (Luckenbill 1989:2:227).Let us examine the reliefs from the British Museum that were found on the walls of Ashurbanipal’s palace and see how they illustrate the word-pictures used by Nahum in his book.Blasphemy against Assur (Na 1:14)In 650 BC, Nahum would have seen the newly opened Room 33 in the Southwest Palace of Nineveh (Sennacherib’s “palace without rival”) with the reliefs depicting the campaign against Teumman of Elam and Dunanu of Gambula in 633 BC. One Particular relief would have caught his attention. On it, Elamite captives are shown being tortured. The caption above stated, “Mr. (blank) and Mr. (blank) spoke great insults against Assur, the god, my creator. Their tongues I tore out, their skins I flayed” (Russell 1999:180; Gerardi 1988:31).



These two individuals are identified in Ashurbanipal
Annals as Mannu-ki-ahhe and Nabuusalli (Russell 1999:163).Two Assyrian scribes (right) recording booty (center) taken during a campaign in southern Iraq. Relief from the palace of Sennacherib at Nineveh, now in the British Museum.It was with great boldness that Nahum proclaimed,The LORD has given a command concerning you [the king of Assyria]: “Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and molded image. I will dig your grave, for you are vile” (1:14).These words were a direct attack on Assur and the rest of the Assyrian deities, as well as the king. Yet Nahum boldly proclaimed the message God gave him, in spite of the potential threat to his life!Chariots, Not Volkswagens! (Na 2:3, 4)The second chapter of Nahum describes the fall of the city of Nineveh to the Babylonians and Medes in 612 BC. He describes in detail the shields, chariots and spears of the Assyrian foes. While we do not have any contemporary Babylonian reliefs of their chariots, there are Assyrian reliefs of Assyrian chariots riding furiously. These chariots are depicted on the reliefs of the Assyrians attacking the Arabs.Nahum mentions the broad roads of Nineveh. Ashurbanipal’s grandfather, Sennacherib, was the one who improved the streets of Nineveh. In the “Bellino cylinder” he boasts,I [Sennacherib] widened its [Nineveh’s] squares, made bright the avenues and streets and caused them to shine like the day (1:61).In the context of the book, Nahum sees a vision of chariots in the streets of Nineveh, not Volkswagens, as some prophecy teachers have speculated!Take the Booty and Run! (Na 2:9, 10)Nineveh was the Fort Knox of mid-seventh century BC Mesopotamia. On every Assyrian campaign they removed the silver, gold and precious stones and other items from the cities they sacked. When they bragged about the booty that was taken, silver and gold always topped the list. As an example, after the fall of No-Amon (Thebes), Ashurbanipal bragged that he took:Silver, gold, precious stones, the goods of his palace, all there was, brightly colored and linen garments, great horses, the people, male and female, two tall obelisks...I removed from their positions and carried them off to Assyria. Heavy plunder, and countless, I carried away from Ni’ [Thebes] (Luckenbill 1989, 2:296, ¶778).There are also reliefs of Assyrian scribes writing down the booty that was taken from other cities.In Nahum’s vision he heard someone say,Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! These is no end of treasure, or wealth of every desirable prize. She is empty, desolate and waste! (2:9, 10a).The Babylonian Chronicles described the spoils taken from Nineveh by the Babylonians and the Medes in these terms: “Great quantities of spoil from the city, beyond counting, they carried off” (Luckenbill 1989, 2:420, ¶ 1178).One of the excavators of Nineveh has commented that very little gold and silver has been found in the ruins of the city. The Medes and Babylonians, “cleaned house” after they conquered the city, just as Nahum predicted.Diodorus, a Greek historian from Sicily, writing in the first century BC, described the final hours of the king of Nineveh, Sardanapallus, in these words:In order that he might not fall into the hands of the enemy, he built an enormous pyre in his palace, heaped upon it all his gold and silver as well as every article of the royal wardrobe, and then...he consigned [his concubines and eunuchs] and himself and his palace to the flame (Book 2. 27:2; Old father 1998:1:441).Unfortunately, the Babylonian account is broken at this point. It says, “On that day Sin-shar-ishkun, king of Assyria, fled from the city (?)...” (Luckenbill 1989, 2:420; ¶ 1178).If Diodorus is correct, the king of Assyria tried to take his wealth with him. At best, the gold and silver melted and were collected later. The Bible is clear that people cannot take their wealth with them to the afterlife—but it can be sent on ahead! The Lord Jesus Rosetta Stone Italian

I. INTRODUCTIONOn the side of the former view, biblical archaeologists such as Bryant Wood argue that the Exodus must have occurred in the middle of t

e importance of Hazor’s contribution to the debate on the timing of the Exodus cannot be underestimated, as “Hazor provides the only possible evidence for an Israelite conquest of Canaan in the late 13th century” BC.[5]The initial Israelite conquest of Canaan under Joshua included three cities that were destroyed and put to the torch: Hazor (Josh 11:10–11), Jericho (Josh 6:21–24), and Ai (Josh 8:18–19).[6] Hazor—strategically located on the Great Trunk Road, which is the main commercial highway that cut through Canaan and was part of the principal military route throughout the Late Bronze Age (1550–1200 BC)—thus is at the center of the debate over the timing of the Exodus, since it was both destroyed by Joshua and destroyed in the 13th century BC. The biblical text requires that the former is true, while archaeology requires that the latter is true. The matter that will be discussed here, however, is whether these destructions are distinct or one and the same. This study may go a long way toward determining whether or not the Exodus and Conquest transpired in the 13th century BC.II. THE DESTROYER OF THE FINAL BRONZE AGE CITY1. The Destroyer’s Nationality. Ancient Hazor consisted of a large, rectangular lower city (170 acres) and a bottle-shaped upper city (30 acres), essentially an elongated mound called a tel, which rises about 40 m. above the surrounding plain.[7] Yigael Yadin, the archaeologist who excavated at Hazor from 1955–1958 and 1968–1969, documented the great conflagration that accompanied the total destruction of the final Late Bronze Age city, which he believed to have occurred by ca. 1233 BC.[8] Evidence of this destruction consists of layers of ashes, burnt wooden beams, cracked basaltic slabs, mutilated basaltic statues, and fallen walls. Yadin’s findings in the lower city confirm that public structures such as the Orthostats Temple and the Stelae Temple were violently destroyed, while the renewed excavations in the upper city—under current excavator Amnon Ben-Tor—corroborate the existence of a fierce conflagration that also is mostly limited to public buildings. This includes both the monumental cultic edifices and the administrative palatial buildings, all of which served as the foci of religious and civil power and wealth at the height of Canaanite Hazor in the 13th century BC.[9]Seemingly, the smaller-scale domestic and cultic buildings in the lower city were not similarly burned or violently destroyed, though the campaign did include the decapitation of basaltic statues of gods and kings, and probably also the smashing of ritual vessels found in the temples.[10] The intentional nature of the desecration of these statues and vessels is clear: “This was a systematic annihilation campaign, against the very physical symbols of the royal ideology and its loci of ritual legitimation.”[11] This desecratory destruction is normally attributed to the Israelites, as argued by both Yadin and Ben-Tor.[12] Kitchen agrees, declaring “that neither the Egyptians, Canaanites nor Sea Peoples destroyed LB Hazor—the early Hebrews remain a feasible option.”[13] Moreover, Yadin went as far as to make a connection between this particular destruction and the text of Joshua 11: “This destruction is doubtless to be ascribed to the Israelite tribes, as related in the Book of Joshua.”[14]In Sharon Zuckerman’s wonderful article that whets the appetite of all those awaiting the disclosure of Canaanite Hazor’s cuneiform archive(s), she challenges the notion that the Israelites were the actual culprits behind the destruction of the final Canaanite city of the Late Bronze Age, arguing that an internal revolt instead led to the city’s annihilation.[15] This long-time senior staff member at the Hazor excavations suggests that Hazorite rulers and elites enforced a dominant ideology, which the populace contested, resisted, and ultimately revolted against due to the political and religious impositions. While she notes that the other of the two possible explanations for the destruction is military conquest, she completely rules out this option because “there is no archaeological evidence of warfare, such as human victims or weapons, anywhere in the site.”[16] Zuckerman’s theory aside, most maximalistic archaeologists and conservative biblical scholars attribute this destruction to the Israelites, mainly due to the “intentional desecration of shrines and cultic objects,” including decapitation and the severing of the hands of the cultic figures and idols, which is considered “a practice unique to Israel.”[17]2. The Destroyer’s Identity. Citing Judges 4:24, Wood argues that the Israelites destroyed the Hazor of this era under the leadership of Deborah and Barak.[18] However, Hoffmeier refuses to assign this Israelite destruction to Deborah and Barak, objecting that Wood invented an attack on Hazor not claimed in the text (Judg 4). Hoffmeier states, “[T]he text is absolutely silent regarding any military action against Hazor itself,” so “there is no basis to believe that the destruction of the final LB IIB (late 13th century) city was caused by Deborah[’s] and Barak’s triumph over Jabin and Sisera.”[19] Hoffmeier correctly observes that the text does not expressly state that these Israelites destroyed the city, but his argument from silence cannot prove that Hazor was not destroyed during the judgeships of Deborah and Barak. The biblical author used the verb karath (Judg 4:24), which features the hiphil stem, implying a complete cutting off. Thus the demise of Jabin was decisive and final.The Israelites “went harder and harder against Jabin” until they killed him, meaning that they grew stronger and stronger in relation to Hazor, until they were able to defeat its king. Yet could the mere killing of the king who controlled this entire region be seen as a victory that would earn its way onto the pages of Judges? Certainly the Israelites’ fight was not a personal vendetta against the king himself, as a man, but rather against the city of Hazor and its influence in northern Canaan. In truth, exterminating Hazor’s king alone would be a hollow and meaningless victory for the agents of God’s wrath (Deut 7:1–2). As mentioned already, archaeology reveals that the very peak of Hazor’s might throughout the entire Canaanite era was achieved at this time, which is confirmed by the epigraphical evidence from the Amarna Letters, in which Hazor’s king is the only Canaanite ruler referred to as a king in letters written to the Egyptian pharaoh.[20] Considering Hazor’s exalted status in Canaan from the middle of the 14th century BC through the second third of the 13th century BC, a period of over 100 years, Hazor represented the most imposing national threat to the Israelites in the Promised Land.The strength of Jabin’s army and that of the lesser vassal-cities of the surrounding area was what the Israelites finally overcame, resulting in the king’s death.



Hoffmeier fails to recognize the main issue in the Conquest
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The Biblical Cities Of Tyre And Sidon

This article was first published in the Fall 2002 issue of Bible and Spade.The names Tyre and Sidon were famous in the ancient Near East. They are also important cities in the Old and New Testaments. Both are now located in Lebanon, with Tyre 20 mi south of Sidon and only 12 mi north of the Israel-Lebanon border. Today each is just a shadow of their former selves.Sidon, called Saida today (Arabic for “fishing”), was named after the firstborn son of Canaan (Gn 10:15) and probably settled by his descendants. The northern border of ancient Canaan extended to Sidon (Gn 10:19). Later, Jacob spoke of it as the boundary of Zebulun (Gn 49:13) and Joshua included it as part of the land promised to Israel (Jos 13:6). Sidon was included in the inheritance of Asher, on its northern boundary (Jos 19:28), but it was not taken by that tribe in conquest (Jgs 1:31, 3:3). Settled from the beginning as a port city, Sidon was built on a promontory with a nearby offshore island that sheltered the harbor from storms.Twenty mi south of Sidon, in the middle of a coastal plain, Tyre (called Sour in Arabic today) was constructed on a rock island a few hundred yards out into the Mediterranean (Ward 1997:247). In fact, the city took its name from this rock island. Tyre comes from the Semetic sr (Hebrew Sor, Arabic Sur, Babylonian Surru, Egyptian Dr,) meaning rock.The port of ancient Sidon is believed to have been located in this area. The Sea Castle in the harbor today was originally built as a Crusader fort to protect the harbor. It is believed the Castle sits over the site of the Phoenician temple to Melkart. Michael LuddeniLocated at the foot of some of the Lebanese mountain’s southwestern ridges and near the gorge of the ancient Leontes River (the modern Litani), the rich and well-watered plain became the fortified island’s primary source or food, water, wood and other living essentials. Apparently the island was fortified first and called Tyre, while the coastal city directly opposite was settled later. It was originally called Ushu in cuneiform texts (Ward 1997:247) and later Palaetyrus (“old Tyre”) in Greek texts (Jidejian 1996:19).The CanaanitesHistorical and archaeological evidence indicate both cities were settled by the early second millennium BC and were important seaports long before the Israelites settled in Canaan. Yet, while Sidon was mentioned many times during the Canaanite and early Israelite periods in the Bible, Tyre first appeared as part of Asher’s western boundary (Jos 19:29). Specifically called a “fortified city” in this passage, it was noted as a significant landmark. Tyre does not appear again in the Bible until Hiram, king of Tyre, sends cedar, carpenters, and masons to build David’s house (2 Sm 5:11).While both cities are mentioned in a number of second millennium BC extra-Biblical documents, the most interesting accounts come from the Amarna Letters. Actual letters from the kings of both cities were found among the Amarna Letters (ca. 1350 BC). Zimrida, king of Sidon wrote one (EA [El Amarna] 144, ) or maybe two (EA 145) of the Amarna Letters. Abi-Milki, king of Tyre, sent ten letters to the Egyptian Pharaoh (EA 146–155).This murex shell was fished out of the Mediterranean Sea by a local fisherman and given to ABR director Dr. Bryant Wood when he visited Tyre. Still found in the Mediterranean today, the ancients collected thousands of these mollusks to produce just one ounce of purple dye. It was such a costly process that purple clothing was considered a symbol of wealth and royalty. Michael LuddeniAlthough the dates of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are still in dispute, only Sidon and Sidonians are mentioned (17 times: Iliad 6.290–91; 23.743-44; Odyssey 4.83, 84, 618; 13.272, 285; 14.288, 291; 15.118, 415, 417, 419, 425, 473). Yet the failure to mention either Tyre or Tyrians may not be significant. At least some of Homer’s usage appears to relate the term Sidonian with Phoenicians in general (see also 1 Kgs 5:6; Jidejian 1996:60). It would seem that during the second millennium BC, Sidon was the pre-eminent of the two port cities. It also appears, during the first millennium BC, that Tyre eclipsed Sidon.The PhoeniciansWhile Tyre and Sidon were considered Canaanite during the second millennium BC, scholars call the Lebanese coast after the time of the Israelite Conquest of Canaan, Phoenecia. “Phoenicia” was the name given to the region by the Greeks, from their word for purple. The ancient world’s purple dye industry developed from extracting a fluid from a Mediterranean mollusk, the murex. Not only did the people of the Phoenician coast develop this industry, they specialized in shipping this very valuable commodity all over the Mediterranean world.Beginning with David, the Tyrian connection became prominent. Hiram, king of Tyre, offered cedar trees, carpenters and masons to build David’s palace (2 Sm 5:11). To what extent cedars were used in David’s house is unclear, but David did consider his abode to be a palace of cedar (2 Sm 7:2), and God seemed to agree (2 Sm 7:7). Later David utilized the help of Sidonians and Tyrians to provide cedar trees for the Temple (1 Chr 22:4).Hiram also offered to bring cedars down from the mountains and float them down the Mediterranean coast to Joppa for Solomon’s royal construction projects (1 Kgs 5:8–11; 2 Chr 2:16), which included both his palace and the Temple. Interestingly, while Hiram continued to be the dominant Lebanese contact, Solomon spoke of the woodworking skills of the Sidonians (possibly just a generic term for Phoenicians?) and builders from Gebal, known by the Greeks as Byblos (1 Kgs 5:18).Ethbaal was the father of Jezebel and king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31). Many scholars follow Josephus (Against Apion 1.121-24; Antiquities 8), who was quoting Menander, and identify Ethbaal with Ithbaal (Hebrew “Man of Baal”), priest of Astarte who killed the king of Tyre and seized the throne (Jidejian 1996:73, 306). In fact, during many periods, the king of one city seemed to be considered king of the other city by outsiders.Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieged Tyre for 13 years (585–572 BC), but the precise historical facts of its outcome are still unclear. He evidently did not conquer the city, but it may have surrendered conditionally to him. Both Jeremiah (27:3–11) and Ezekiel (26:7–14) spoke of this event. Apparently both Tyre and Sidon surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar, based on a fragmentary Babylonian administrative document which mentions the kings of Tyre and Sidon as receiving rations from the royal Babylonian household (Pritchard 1969a: 308).In the days of Ezra and Zerubbabel, the Jews returning from captivity also sent to the men of Sidon and Tyre for cedars to build the Second Temple. Again cedars were floated from Lebanon along the Mediterranean coast to Joppa, where they could be brought overland to Jerusalem (Ezr 3:7).The golden age of Sidon was still to come. Beyond its prominence in the second millennium BC, Sidon’s greatest days did not come until after the days of Nebuchadnezzar. The port city reached its peak of power through its worldwide trade in the murex dye and glass industries. At the same time, it continued to be among the eastern Mediterranean’s leaders in shipbuilding and shipping.Alexander the GreatWhile Tyre seemed to withstand Nebuchadnezzar, it was not prepared for Alexander 250 years later. Although every Phoenician city to the north, including Sidon, welcomed Alexander, Tyre would only agree to surrender nominally to him. They would not allow him entrance to the city, which was exactly what Alexander intended to do. Not be denied, after only a seven-month siege of the island city, he did what no one else had ever considered possible. Utilizing stones, timber, dirt and debris from the mainland, Alexander constructed a causeway out into the Mediterranean. At last he reached the island, breached the city wall and slew or put into slavery the defiant Tyrians. An amazing feat, Tyre was changed forever.The city of Tyre was originally an island which Alexander the Great later joined to the mainland by a causeway.

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Roman anchors were made of wood and lead

As opposed to stone anchors of earlier periods. Douglas Haldane, a nautical archaeologist, has divided the wooden-anchor stocks into eight types (Haldane 1984: 1-13; 1990: 19-24, see diagram on page 21). Five of the types were used in the first century AD, Type IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IVA and IVB (Haldane 1984: 3,13).The Type III anchors are made up of five parts (for pictures, see Bonanno 1992: Plate 67; Cornuke 2003: Plate 7, bottom). The main part is the wooden shank, usually made of oak, which has a lead stock across the upper part. Haldane subdivides the Type III anchors into three parts based on the design of lead stock. Type IIIA is made of "solid lead with no internal junction with the shank." Type IIIB is made of "solid lead with lead tenon through [the] shank." Type IIIC is made of "lead with [a] wooden core" (1984: 3). This core of wood, called a "soul," goes though the shank in order to pin the stock to the shank (Kapitan 1969-71: 51). On the bottom of the anchor are two wooden flukes, sometimes tipped with metal (usually copper and called a "tooth"), perpendicular to the anchor stock. A "collar" made of lead, sometimes called an "assembly piece," secures the flukes to the shank (Kapitan 1969-71: 52; Cornuke 2003: Plate 6, bottom; in the picture the collar is below the anchor stock).When an anchor is dropped into the sea, the heavy lead stock brings the anchor to the bottom of the sea. One fluke then digs into the sea bottom. The stock also keeps "the anchor cable pulling at the correct angle to the fluke" (Throckmorton 1972: 78).Mr. Cornuke concluded from his research that the anchors from an Alexandrian grain ship "would have been huge, lead-and-wooden Roman-style anchors common on huge freighters like the one Paul sailed on" (2002: 15).Nautical archaeologists and divers generally find only the anchor stocks and the collars and not the wooden parts because the wood rots in the sea. However, that is not always the case. Sometimes the wooden core, or "soul" still is found inside the stock. Wood can also be found in the collar (Kapitan 1969-71: 51, 53). In some cases the wood does not disintegrate. A case in point is the wooden anchor from a 2,400 year-old shipwreck off the coast of Ma’agan Mikhael in Israel (Rosloff 2003: 140-146).Sometimes lead anchor stocks have inscriptions or symbols on them. Symbols may be of "good luck (dolphins, caduceus), or related to the sea (shells) or apotropaic (Medusa head)." Also are found "numbers, names of divinities (= names of ships), e.g. Isis, Hera, Hercules, and rarely, names of men ... [that] may provide evidence for senatorial involvement in trade" (Gianfrotta 1980: 103, English abstract).One of the reasons antiquities laws are so tough is to prevent divers from looting sunken ships and removing, forever, valuable information such as the wood which could be used to carbon date the anchor and identify the type of wood used for making anchors. Some Israeli nautical archaeologists have begun to use carbon dating to date some of their shipwrecks (Kahanov and Royal 2001: 257; Nor 2002-2003: 15-17; 2004: 23). Archaeologists also work to maintain any inscriptional evidence on the anchor stock.For a brief survey of the recent developments in the maritime heritage of Malta, see Bonanno 1995: 105-110.The first anchor (#1) described in Mr. Cornuke’s book was found by Tony Micallef-Borg and Ray Ciancio in front of a big cave in the outer Munxar Reef at about 90 feet below the surface (2003: 101-105). When it was discovered in the early 1970’s, it was only half an anchor that was either "pulled apart like a piece of taffy" (2003: 121) or sawn in half with a hacksaw (2003: 231, footnote 18), depending on which eyewitness is most reliable. The recollection is that it was three or four feet long, with a large section cut off (2003: 102). The discoverers melted it down for lead weights not knowing its historical and archaeological value. One diver, Oliver Navarro, had two small weights with "MT" stamped on them for Tony Micallef-Borg. (Actually "MT" is the reverse image of Tony’s initials, see Plate 6, top). There is a drawing of the anchor at the top of Plate 7.Unfortunately, #1 was melted down. If it had been found in a controlled archaeological excavation and it contained an inscription, it would have been helpful in identifying the ship or its date.In a reconstruction of how the anchor stock was ripped apart, the author surmises that this was the first anchor thrown from the Apostle Paul’s ship and then "ravaged by the reef and the waves" (2003: 122, 123). The problem with this scenario is that a fluke goes into the seabed where it would serve to slow down the ship, not the anchor stock. If anything had been torn apart like taffy it would have been the collar, not the anchor stock, assuming the wooden fluke did not break first. More than likely, the anchor stock was sawn in half by means of a hacksaw by some unknown person in modern times.The second anchor (#2) was also found in the early 70’s and was a whole anchor stock found near anchor #1 (2003: 105-110). It was brought to shore by Tony Micallef-Borg, Ray Ciancio, Joe Navarro and David Inglott and taken to Cresta Quay (Cornuke 2003: 105, 106). It eventually came to rest in the courtyard of Tony Micallef-Borg’s villa."Tony's anchor" (2003: 125) is described by different people as a "large anchor stock" (2003: 106), a "huge anchor" (2003: 114), as a "large slab of lead" (2003: 126), and a "massive Roman anchor stock" (2003: 126). Unfortunately, unlike anchor stocks #1, #3, and #4, there are no measurements given in the book for this one. The only size indicators are the adjectives "large", "huge", and "massive."The reader viewing the photographs of anchors #2 and #3 on Plate 5 might get the impression that anchor #2 (bottom) was much larger than anchor #3 (top). The bottom picture was taken with the anchor on a bed sheet with nothing to indicate the actual size. Anchor #3 has three men squatting behind the anchor to give some perspective of size. The impression the reader would get is that anchor #2 is almost twice the size of anchor #3. If these anchors were published in a proper excavation report both anchors would have the same scale in front of them and the photograph of each anchor would be published to the same scale. It then would be seen that anchor #2 is considerably smaller than anchor #3.On Friday, January 14, 2005 and Monday, January 17, 2005 I visited the second floor of the Malta Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa. "Tony’s anchor" was tagged "NMA Unp. #7/2 Q’mangia 19.11.2002." This anchor stock came from the village of Q’mangia and was handed over to the museum on November 19, 2002, only four days before the amnesty expired (2003: 223).The anchor stock was one of the smallest on display, measuring about 3 feet, 8 inches in length. Large Alexandrian grain ships would have had for the stern much larger anchors than this one. The author’s lack of quantifiable measurements regarding the anchor stock keeps the reader uninformed about its actual size. This anchor stock is a lead toothpick compared to "huge, lead-and-wooden Roman-style anchors" that Mr. Cornuke surmised would be on the ship (Cornuke 2002: 15).The "Museum Archaeological Report" for 1963 describes an anchor stock found off the coast of Malta. It was an "enormous Roman anchor stock lying on the sea bed 120 feet below the surface 300 yards off Qawra Point... its dimensions, 13 feet 6 inches long, were confirmed.... On the same occasion part of the same or another anchor, a collar of lead 84 cms. long, was retrieved from 25 feet away from the stock" (MAR 1963: 7; Fig. 6; Plate 3). It weighed 2,500 kg, which is two and a half metric tons! (Guillaumier 1992: 88). This anchor stock is the largest anchor stock ever found in the Mediterranean Sea and most likely came from an Alexandrian grain ship. It is in storage in the National Archaeological Museum in Valletta.

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10 Mar 11 The Canon Sd780is Black Silver Gold Red - Very Nice Christmas Gift

The Canon Sd780is Black Silver Gold Red - Very Nice Christmas GiftBy: ArticleSubmit Auto .... Click author's name to view profile and articles!!!Retargeting by ChangoTweet Review For The Canon PowerShot sd780isPlease Note: This review is authentic and can be found at Amazon by going to this link at: "Anonymous" Amazon User ReviewReview by: Anonymous April 16, 2010Excellent Travel Camera :)I was in the market for a new point and shoot since my Canon S40 was a dud. I came across this and was immediately attracted by its size and weight. I primarily use this camera on travel for photos however I also use it for other things as well.By no means am I a professional or even seasoned amateur when it es to photography. I simply needed something to capture the moments. This little thing fit the bill quite nicely and I couldn't be any happier with it.The features that impressed me the most were the 12MP, Lithium ion battery, sizeweight, and functionality of it.With a lot of other point and shoots, the camera's have selector wheels that allow you to adjust the settings based on the environment, lighting, etc, to get the best picture. Only problem is that, when taking that once in a lifetime shot, screwing around with the selector wheel is the last thing one should be worried about.This camera is a true point and shoot which is what I liked the most about this camera. You simply turn it on, point and snap. The start up time for the camera is very quick (I'd say 2 seconds). Since I don't have to screw around with a selector wheel, this camera allows me to snap away at whatever I want and let the processor figure out what's best for the shot. An often overlooked but really great feature of this camera.The video recording on this is so-so although I wouldn't expect high grade video quality from something like this. Overall though, it's a nice little feature of this camera since it takes videos in 720p resolution.The files are limited at 30 minutes a piece and, if you plan on using this thing for video purposes, you're going to need a large SDHC card since the video files can get massive in size, real quick. I currently use a 32GB card with a 16GB for backup and those workout great for me. I also purchased an aftermarket extended battery for this off eBay for $5 and really like that as well.The picture quality of the camera is quite nice. For the average 3x5 or 4x6 photo, this camera will capture almost every detail in the pic. The large size of the photos e out at 4000 x 3000 pixels which can be blown up to poster size (if i'm not mistaken).I recently had some photos blown up to 12 x 18 posters and there was no loss of quality in the pics. Really nice picture quality for those scrap booking people. The 12MP is a way overkill for a 4x6 photo but it never hurts to have photos that are TOO clear.The sizeweight of this is almost negligible. It's tiny, lightweight and you'd almost forget you're carrying it around. Fits in my jean pockets or my backpack cellphone case without any issues. Recently took this on a snowboarding trip and it stood up to the cold and some wetness without fail. I wouldn't go so far as to call this thing very durable as the matte finish is a magnet for scratches, however, it does work well in pretty much any condition and can withstand normal wear and tear.My only real "plaints" about this thing is the picture quality in low light conditions and the size of the LCD screen. When snapping photos in low lightnighttime settings, the pictures e out looking like you're in the middle of a snow storm.I'm sure the preferences can be fine tuned a bit in manual mode however I haven't gotten that far yet with this thing. the LCD size is a bit on the tiny side but still works for using as your main viewfinder and reviewing picsvideos you've taken.Overall, I'm really happy with this thing and it should be my main point and shoot for some time. It has pretty much all the features the average person needs or is looking for in a camera. Since the new SD line is out, I'm sure you can pick this one up for cheaper than I did. For those looking for a true point and shoot that's functional, look no further than this one.Posted by: Chris PorterArticle Source: abcarticledirectoryYou can find additional helpful user reviews and more technical detailed information on this camera at: Canon PowerShot sd780is Also user reviews and specific details at: Canon Sd780iS Review - High Definition Photos And Video Note: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, ArticleSubmit AutoRetargeting by ChangoDid You Like This Article? Share It With YourFriends!Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 Not yet Rated Click the XML Icon to Receive Free Articles About Auditing via RSS!Additional Articles From - Home Accounting AuditingWhat you need to know about Auditing from the experts.- By : john newportCulture and business proposition- By : foxhatsNavigating Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions- By : Sawyer AdamsAbout The National Association Of Enrolled Agents (NAEA)- By : Sawyer AdamsThe History Of Enrolled Agents- By : Sawyer AdamsIRS Increasing Enforcement Activity- By : Sawyer AdamsDestination Military Surplus Products- By : Ali Khan5 Tips For Getting The Right Health Insurance For Your Needs- By : danica12 Quick Tips For Eye Shadow- By : Ali Khan10 Simple Steps To A Clearer Skin- By : Ali Khan Still Searching? Last Chance to find what you're looking for. Try using Bing Search!

5 Mar 11 Build An Army With Affiliate Programs

Build An Army With Affiliate ProgramsBy: Glen Hopkins .... Click author's name to view profile and articles!!!Retargeting by ChangoTweet Joining with other like-minded people is always a win-win situation. An affiliate program is a program that allows other people to sell your products or services for you, generally for a fee. The only time you pay them is when they make a sale. They make you money, and then you pay them a commission. It's called zero cost sales and marketing.The great thing about affiliates is that they help you spread your reach far beyond what youCanadiens jersey
could ever do on your own. For example, say you had your own list of 10,000 subscribers and no affiliates. Basically, you would only have 10,000 potential customers that you could market to. Now if you had just one affiliate who also had a list of 10,000 subscribers, you would immediately double your reach.To use affiliates to build your list, any and all traffic that you send to your site should be sent to your squeeze page, the page that captures your visitor's name and email information. That means your affiliates are sending the traffic they generate to your squeeze page. You will soon find that as your army of affiliates grows, your traffic will grow so much so that you gain an unstoppable flow of traffic-traffic that you are not paying for. Your affiliates are working for you for free. They are promoting your products through email, on their websites or on their blogs.Many affiliates will purchase Pay per Click search engine traffic and forward that traffic through their affiliate link to your site, making you and the affiliate money. Most Internet marketers and sales people will tell you that the majority of their income comes via their affiliates. You can create your own affiliate program in three basic ways.First, you can use a third party affiliate program. All you need to do is visit one of the major search engines, such as Google and type in 'affiliate programs.' A list of various services that offer affiliate programs will pop up. Typically, they will charge you a small monthly fee.The second option is to purchase affiliate software and again, you can do a search on the major search engines to find your own server-side software. Having your own server-side software does give you more flexibility and it is only a one-time payment.The third option is what I call 'in house software,' or software that you have specifically Montreal Canadiens jersey
designed and programmed to suit your needs. If you don't know programming, you would need to hire a programmer. They are also easy to find on Elance.com or Rentacoder.com.As your affiliate army grows and these affiliates paste their unique affiliate links on their websites and blogs, they will, in effect, be advertising for you for free and creating one-way, inbound links pointing directly at your domain. It's like having billboards on the super information highway.Article Source: http://www.shop-on-sale.com Glen Hopkins is an internationally renowned Internet marketer and the #1 Best Selling Author of "Lucrative List Building".He specializes in helping online businesses build large, profitable email lists. Visit GlenHopkins.name for his free report on "Top 10 List Building Secrets" (valued at $97).Note: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, Glen HopkinsRetargeting by ChangoDid You Like This Article? Share It With YourFriends!Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 Not yet Rated Click the XML Icon to Receive Free Articles About Affiliate Programs What Cloth Diaper Provides The Top Match For Newborns?- By : mirtagaylWhat is Affiliate Marketing and Why You Should Do It?- By : James A AndersonEarning Money Quickly With Email Marketing - True or False?- By : chad buistMoney Creating Tips For Individuals Involved In An Online Affiliate Marketing Home Business- By : Johnny BarrellGlobal Success Club And How To Make Money Canadiens jersey
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24 Jan 11 Miami Hurricanes at Clemson Tigers: Previewing the Monumental ACC Matchup

Featured on MIASPORTSGUY.COMKickoff: 12:00 p.m., Memorial Stadium (Clemson, SC)TV/Radio: ESPN 2, WQAMRecords: Miami 2-1, Clemson 2-1Line: Miami by 3.5Last Year: Clemson beat Miami in overtime 40-37 Miami Injuries:Jeremy LewisDTOut For Season (leg)Kevin Reebok Oakland Raiders #21 Nnamdi Asomugha Realtree camo Jersey
NelsonLBQuestionable Week 5 (upper body)Graig CooperRBQuestionable Week 5 (knee).Clemson Injuries:Wilson NorrisGOut Indefinitely (knee)David SmithOLOut Week 5 (leg)Phillip PriceTQuestionable Week 5 (ankle)Kalon DavisTQuestionable Week 5 (back).Miami Offense vs. Clemson DefenseMiami has an edge on this side of the field. Clemson ranks 91st nationally in red zone defense. WhenPresbyterianputs up 21, first string defense or not, there are some issues there.They do, however, boast one of the nationbest players in safety DeAndre McDaniel, a big-time playmaker (9 INT in 09) in the secondary. He is going to try to capitalize off Jacory Harrismistakes. Harris has thrown 6 interceptions though three games and needs to play smarter football, even if the receiver was at fault for some of them. Harris is excellent at picking a defense apart in the 10-20 yard range. They need to get back to that. Slants and short crossing patterns need to be utilized.Clemson has a strong defensive line, led by end DaQuan Bowers (3 Sacks). They must contain him in pass protection.The no-huddle offense worked to perfection at Pitt last weekend. Donbesurprisedif you see it again Saturday.ClemsonOffense vs. Miami DefenseMiami can thank the lord that C.J. Spiller is in the NFL, because he absolutely torched Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
them last year with 185 total yards. Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker is a smart player who rarely makes mental mistakes (1 INT). Clemson is third in the nation in turnovers lost with just two through three games.It will be up to the Miami defensive line, who has played superb this year, to get pressure and force mistakes. Clemsonoffensive line is as solid as they come in the ACC. The battle between Clemson right tackle Landon Walker and Miami end Allen Bailey is one to keep an eye on. The Clemson rushing attack averages 5.8 yards per carry and theyre going to make running the ball a priority.Clemson will have no chance if the Miami defense continues to suffocate the offense and forces them to be one dimensional.Miami Keys Taking care of the football Two picks per game in an ACC game is not going to get it done. Defensive line - Miami has to make Clemson beat them through the air. They have a very talented back in Andre Ellington (7.4 ypc) and containing him will be vital. Control the crowd Memorial Stadium is among the nationloudest atmospheres. Take the crowd out of it by jumping out in front early.Clemson Keys Forcing turnovers Getting pressure up front will force Harris to make bad decisions. Use Miamisaggressivenessagainst them With a swarming defense like Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
Miami, screens and counters can be very effective. Time to throw - Miami is second in the nation in sacks with 4.7 per game.PositionAdvantageQuarterback Running BackReceiver/ Tight EndO-LineD-LineLinebackersSecondary EVENSpecial TeamsPredictionMiami appears to have an edge on both sides of the ball. A major key to the contest will be the running game. When Miami is able to run the football effectively, the pressure is taken off Harris and he can tear a defense apart. This game will be won in the trenches, and lately, Miami has been really solid in that area.Miami 27 Clemson 17Related Posts:Preview: Miami at PittsburghPreview: Dolphins At VikingsPreview: Miami vs Ohio StatePreview: Jets At DolphinsMorning After: Dolphins GM 2 RecapThis article is also featured onMIA Sports Guy

22 Jan 11 Observation Station: Around the College Football World in 10 Thoughts (Sept. 19)

The No. 1 NFL prospect? Really?Otto Greule Jr/Getty ImagesWelcome to the first of what will become a weekly article involving the goings-on in college football. Beware: These are rapid-fire, hurry-up observationsyou have no time to change your defense.1. Jake Locker, No. 1 Draft Prospect?Mel Kiper, Jr., St. Louis Rams jersey
needs to reassess his NFL Draft board. After Locker's 4 of 20 performance against Nebraska, Stanford's Andrew Luck and Arkansas' Ryan Mallett, to name two, appear more NFL-ready. The Washington QB may "look the part" and possess the necessary physical tools, but he's no No. 1.2. Dual-Threat QBs Not Named RobinsonMichigan's Denard Robinson receives all the publicity, but speedsters like Nebraska's Taylor Martinez and Nevada's Colin Kaepernick are dominating defenses with their arms and legs. Neither signal caller will win this year's Heisman, but next year...3. "Notre Dame" and "Swiss Cheese" Are SynonymsDayne Crist may prove to be a stud at quarterback, but the Irish will continue their streak of near-.500 finishes unless the defense can tackle...anyone. A week after Wolverine QB Robinson obliterated the ND defense, Michigan State tallied nearly 500 yards. The result: Spartans 34, Irish 31 in overtime.4. Alabama Will Not Lose'Bama's three blowout wins in three games solidifies what many already knew: The Tide will again play in the BCS National Championship Game. Guided by the best running back tandem in the nation and QB Greg McElroy's continued maturationand, of course, the usual stout defenseand it's clear to see why Alabama is a near-unanimous No. 1...a spot the elephant won't relinquish this season.5. Michigan Is Not Quite There...YetAfter a close call against FCS UMass, it's evident that Michigan shouldn't be in the same discussion with Ohio State and Wisconsin. Next season, however, the Wolverines will vie for the Big Ten Tennessee Titans jersey
championship.6. The WAC Is More Than Just Boise StateNevada's dominating 52-31 victory over Cal on Friday proves that the WAC does, in fact, consist of more than just Boise State. What team does this help? Why the Broncos, of course. If Nevada continues to impress, Boise will have three, not just two, quality opponents on its schedule: Virginia Tech, Oregon State, and now the Wolf Pack. What does this mean? That's right, an Alabama-Boise State title game if the Smurfs run the table.7. South Carolina Is for RealWith freshman RB Marcus Lattimore eating up defenses, the Gamecocks can, and will, compete with the likes of Auburn, Florida, and Arkansas (not, however, Alabama).8. LSU Keeps Winning...QuietlyThe Bayou Bengals, largely ignored in favor of the 2010 SEC darlingsAlabama, Arkansas, Florida, and now South Carolinaare 3-0. If QB Jordan Jefferson continues to improve, LSU could crash the SEC party.9. TCU Is Better Than Boise StateBoise State might very well meet Alabama for the National Championship, regardless of TCU's final record. If TCU finishes undefeated and ranked No. 3, it will be a shamethe Horned Frogs are better than Boise State in many areas (defense, most notably). Plus, underrated QB Andy Dalton rivals BSU's Heisman candidate, Kellen Moore.10. The Pistol Offense Is the New Washington Redskins jersey
SpreadThe pistol offense, a single back/shotgun hybrid (mini-shotgun, if you willthe quarterback lines up only four yards behind center), allows dual-threat QBs to run option-type plays. And, like the spread of the early-to-mid 2000s, the formation's popularity is on the rise (see: Nevada 52, Cal 31).That's all for this week. Check back on Sept. 26 for more observations from the wonderful universe of college football.

18 Jan 11 NCAA Football Betting: Is Denard Robinson the Next Terrelle Pryor...or Better?

Denard RobinsonJonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesNCAA football betting players have been treated to an enthralling start to the season, and there has been no player more exciting than Michigan sophomore quarterback Denard Robinson, who has the Wolverines thinking about a bowl (and maybe more) after two straight years of Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
missing the postseason.The automatic comparison to make to Robinson also hails from the Big Ten, and wouldnyou know, it just happens to be the quarterback of Michiganbiggest rival, Ohio StateTerrelle Pryor, who was a Heisman candidate heading into this season.So, how does Robinson stack up?Robinson didnplay much as a freshman last year, although Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez is probably second-guessing his decision to ride with Tate Forcier all season in 2009. Pryor was named the starter in his fourth game of his freshman year after his Buckeyes were slaughtered 35-3 at USC, so hea bit ahead of the learning curve.The most obvious comparison for football betting players is that theyre both extremely mobile and can make something out of nothing. Pryor is a bit more of a pocket passer now, but he can still make plays with his feet, as you saw when the Buckeyes beat Miami 36-24 a couple of weeks ago.Robinson is still apt to take off and go at the drop of a hat, but the thing is, he may already be a better passer than Pryor is. Robinson has completed 69.7 percent of his passes so far this year, and even though he hasnplayed a really good defense yet, heshown great touch on his passes, much better than Pryor showed at that point in his career.Were really not going to see what Robinson is truly made of until October 9, when the Wolverines start a three-game stretch with home games against Michigan State and Iowa, followed by a tough trip to Happy Valley to play Penn State (all three of these teams are currently ranked).But how much would you pay per head to go to this yearMichigan-Ohio State game at The Horseshoe in Columbus? That will probably be the toughest defense that Robinson will face all season, and that it is on the road is a much tougher prospect.The head-to-head matchup between Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
Robinson and Pryor will be a big measuring stick not only for Robinson, but for the Wolverines as a whole, as theyve been thoroughly dominated by the Buckeyes in this legendary rivalry as of late.Right now, youd probably have to take Pryor due to experience, but it wouldnsurprise us at all if Robinson emerged as a late betting candidate for the Heisman, and hell end up being better than his Ohio State counterpart when itall said and done.

15 Jan 11 St. Louis Rams "Free Agent Possibilities aren't endless"

Stink: ('sti[ng]k), transitive verb, noun. 1. To emit a strong offensive odor. 2. The St. Louis Rams' run defense.With the beginning of free agency just around the corner, the Rams need to open their minds and wallets to the possibilities; namely, the possibilities of shoring up a run defense that would have to monumentally improve just to be considered "pathetic."Naturally, bolstering a rushing 'D' that finished next to last in the league is of paramount importance; yet, nearly as crucial is finding defensive linemen who can pressure the quarterback. Other than Leonard Reebok Oakland Raiders #21 Nnamdi Asomugha Realtree camo Jersey
Little, the Rams' linemen were able to generate very little heat on opposing QBs, forcing defensive coordinator Jim Haslett to blitz simply to hurry the passer.If the Rams can play "honest" by relying on their front four to harass the QB it will improve the secondary immeasurably, while also giving Haslett the ability to send extra blitzers only when he wants to, not because he must, lest the opposition have an eternity to throw (a common occurrence last season).The Rams appear unwilling to pay wideout Kevin Curtis the big bucks, making his departure almost a certainty. This allows the Rams' sufficient cap room to snag at least one high-profile free agent. Make no mistake, the Rams need to spend all of their free agent dollars (as well as a majority of their draft picks) on defense and not give in to the previous administration's penchant for adding offensive "toys" (a la Mike "we need defensive help, but Trung Canidate is still on the board!" Martz).There are a few free agents available whom the Rams should take a long look at, as well as a few who are worth considering:Charles Grant: DE, New Orleans SaintsPros: - Adept at stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback- Durable- In his primeCons:- Has the body of a DT, quick but not fast - Will come with a hefty price tagGrant would be a perfect fit to play the end spot opposite Little. He is familiar with the Rams' defensive scheme having already played under Haslett in New Orleans. Grant would force the opposition to respect the Rams' pass rush, effectively allowing blockers Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
to pick their poison by only being able to double-team one DE. It can be argued that the Rams should be more concerned with acquiring run-stuffing tackles, but a dual threat like Grant would be a huge step in the right direction.London Fletcher-Baker: MLB, Buffalo BillsPros:- Familiar with Rams organization- Maximum effort player- True MLBCons:- He's on the wrong side of 30- Undersized- Questionable coverage skillsFletcher-Baker is short, maybe 5-foot-10 when he's wearing his elevator cleats, but he's well known for giving his team maximum effort. Reacquiring Fletcher-Baker -- who was in St. Louis between 1998-2001 -- would give the Rams a true MLB, allowing Will Witherspoon to slide over to his more natural OLB spot. Adding Fletcher-Baker to the tandem of Pisa Tinoisamoa and Witherspoon would give the Rams three 100-tackle per year linebackers, making the defense incredibly potent at the LB position.However, Fletcher-Baker's coverage skills are a question mark. Many fans will remember his disappearance in coverage against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI (most notably the final drive), but he has proven to be more steadfast in Buffalo. The MLB's only drawback is that he may demand more money than his ability (and age, he'll be 32 next season) should realistically command. However, if his asking price is reasonable, he could be a very productive addition for the next several years.Lance Briggs: OLB, Chicago BearsPros: - Integral part of a Super Bowl defense- Versatile, can play the run or pass- Just entering his primeCons:- Lacks true sideline to sideline range- Won't come cheapBriggs is another hard hitting, sure tackling player who can bring 100-plus tackles to a defense. Although the Rams may opt toReebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
keep Brandon Chillar, a player of Briggs' caliber would be a welcome upgrade. The 26-year-old Briggs is just hitting his stride as a player and if the Rams are sincere about keeping Witherspoon at the MLB spot, then Briggs could be their most surefire bet, although it will cost them.Also worth considering:Patrick Kerney: DE, Atlanta FalconsIan Scott: DT, Chicago BearsJustin Smith: DE, Cincinnati BengalsRandy Starks: DT, Tennessee TitansAlvin McKinley: DE/DT, Cleveland Browns**You can e-mail Steve Reynolds at sreynolds (10)

14 Jan 11 Seattle Seahawks "At home, Seahawks have Redskins right where they want them"

The Seattle Seahawks have the Washington Redskins right where they want them -- at Qwest Field.Sure, the Seahawks lost two of the last three games -- embarrassing three-point defeats at Carolina and at Atlanta. But the Seahawks were quick to dismiss both, particularly the 44-41 debacle against the FalconsReebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
last week in which the defense blew a chance to set a franchise record for fewest points allowed in a season.Those games didn't matter, which probably explains why Seattle played like it. But as they prepare to play in the postseason for the fifth straight year, the Seahawks know the game against the Redskins on Saturday means a whole lot more. And they are surely happy to be playing it at Qwest Field, where they were 7-1 this season and have a three-game home winning streak in the playoffs over the past two years.Aside from a hiccup against the then-winless New Orleans Saints in Week 5, the Seahawks dominated at home this season. They outscored their seven victims 200-83, an average margin of 29-12.Granted, only one of those teams made the playoffs -- Tampa Bay, which the Seahawks punished 20-6 in the Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
season opener. But the Seahawks blew out most of the others in a way that left no doubt that they play their best at Qwest Field.The Seahawks also showed they could win close games at home, beating Cincinnati 24-21 and Chicago 30-23. That is the kind of game Seattle can expect against the streaking, improving Redskins.The Redskins have won four straight games and are riding an emotional wave as they play in honor of their murdered teammate, Sean Taylor. So the Seahawks will have to overcome that sentimental incentive and try to do what they did to Washington in 2005, when Seattle overcame the early injury of NFL MVP Shaun Alexander to beat the Redskins 20-10.The Seahawks then knocked off Carolina in the NFC title game that season, and they escaped with a win against Dallas last January, giving Reebok Oakland Raiders #21 Nnamdi Asomugha Realtree camo Jersey
them a three-game home winning streak in the playoffs. That's what Washington is up against. Sure, the Seahawks haven't played a meaningful game in three weeks, but they will be playing for something Saturday, and they have the Redskins right where they want them -- at Qwest Field.

13 Jan 11 Patty Mills Sent Back to NBDL

Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesHere's a link with info and here's the release from the Trail Blazers: TRAIL BLAZERS REASSIGN PATTY MILLS TO NBA D-LEAGUE'S IDAHO STAMPEDE PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Trail Blazers reassigned guard Patty Mills to the NBA Development League's Idaho Stampede, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard.Mills appeared in one game for the Trail Blazers, recording two assists in five minutes Jan. 4 at the L.A. Clippers.In two games during his first stint with the Stampede from Jan. 1-3Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
, Mills posted averages of 30.0 points (21-37 FG, 11-15 3-PT) and 7.5 assists in 34.0 minutes off the bench.Mills, selected by the Trail Blazers with the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft, will join the Stampede for Friday's game vs. Reno.

12 Jan 11 76ers: An Internal Debate—Should I Root for My Team To Lose?

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesThe practice of rooting against your favorite team is a bold and conflicting decision. It goes against everything you believe in. It negates countless hours of intense devotion. But, remember, the goal is to win a championship.I admit to a certain infatuation with ESPN's NBA Lottery Mock Draft. It is so great. Looking to spend (not waste) time wrapping your brain around 2,184 different draft scenarios? Pow! According to this handy invention, the 76ers possess an 8.8 percent chance of receiving a championship ring marked four yearsOakland Raiders jersey
from now (whoops, I mean John Wall).Each time that mighty make-believe ping-pong ball shows up with the Sixers logo, I'm thrilled. If an iPhone app was made to this mock lottery extent, I would not only purchase it, but waste my battery at every opportunity.Sad? Yesbut that is what Sixers fans are now relegated to.At their current state the Sixers sit at a healthy 15-30, 7.5 games out of a playoff spot. An incompetent head coach sits on the bench each night, sending in a semi-talented but identity-less team. Basically, they are in shambles.Furthermore, the Sixers have lost 14 games this year by six points or less, many of which they led for a majority of the game. 14! From this I can conclude that while they still do suck, they are not eons away from competing.As constructed with fewer injuries and possibly a different head coach, the Sixers may be one of the last teams to sneak into the Eastern Conference playoffs. Wow, congrats. They would be promptly beat, just like the last two seasons. This accomplishes nothing, except a mid-teens draft pick. Philadelphia Eagles jersey
Admittedly, the Sixers have done a great job with these picks the last few years. However, it is easy to see you must have a superstar high-lottery guy if championships are your objective.This season may present the perfect opportunity.So, I am taking a stand. I want that statistic I stated above, concerning close losses, to grow and grow. Why? I want John Wall. Too greedy? Then maybe Derrick Favors, Cole Aldrich, or Evan Turner. Please, just give me a superstar.This stance is not breaking any fan codes. I have good intentions, but there comes a point where things have to change, and this is my solution.Yes, it will be tough watching the attendance dwindle (if that is possible). It will be hard watching young players like Mo Speights, Thad Young, and Jrue Holiday suffer through the worst season of their lives, but it will be worth it for them and for us fans.Notes from last night's Sixers vs. Bucks game What the hell is with the horns? Forgive me for being unaware of this situation, but it sounded like an international soccer match inside the Bradley Center. Initially, I thought I was watching re-runs of the Confederations Cup from this past summer.Seriously, the ambiance of obnoxious horn-blowing may fit in a "world's game" atmosphere, but not in an NBA game in January. Clowns would be envious. SomeonePittsburgh Steelers jersey
inform me if this is legal. Sorry for dedicating so much to this, but it was amazing to me.Rodney Carney is indeed too athletic for his own good. He never plays under control, and seemingly will never become a good part of an NBA rotation.Brandon Jennings is good.Eddie Jordan is now an astounding 45-for-45 in games this year for having horrible substitution patterns.Tonight's NBA BetRaptors +3.5 at Knicks

10 Jan 11 A Mile Higher: The Denver Nuggets Are the NBA's No. 1 Team

Sure, you might never hear it from the mainstream media on ESPN or TNT, but here on our more freethinking site, we dare to be bold.In following that trend I will be a trendsetter and proclaim the Denver Nuggets are the NBA’s best team.I know, you’re saying, “But Rich, the Nuggets don’t even have the second or third best record in the NBA right now.” I understand that, but it’s about how Denver (36-18) has performed against those teams ahead of it in the standings.The Nuggets are unbeaten against the Cavaliers (2-0), the Magic (1-0) and the world champion Los Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
Angeles Lakers (2-0). Not only has Denver beaten those teams, it has done so decisively, at an average margin of victory of 12.2 points per game.Although Denver bested Cleveland by just two points each time, this win was as Carmelo Anthony called on Twitter, an “Instant classic game tonite.”The Nuggets and Cavaliers battled from the opening tip, and Denver was dominant in the first half, growing its lead to 13 points at one time. Melo and LeBron were quiet during the first 24 minutes, scoring only 18 points combined to sink just four of 20 shots.The second half was the superstar show though, as Anthony excelled and LeBron’s play was ludicrous.James dunked and slashed to the hoop as only he can, but his jump shot was off all night despite scoring 43 total points. That was just the beginning of filling up the stat line for LeBron though, as he recorded 13 rebounds and 15 assists as well, the first time anyone had done so since “Pistol” Pete Marovich in 1974 with the New Orleans Jazz.While Anthony was not as explosive as LeBron, Melo was just that, smooth. His spin move on LeBron was spectacular, and could have gotten an and-one on Anderson Varejao. In the end, Carmelo’s jumper couldn’t be stopped by James as Melo sank the game winning 20-footer in LeBron’s face with 1.9 seconds left.In the end, it took another MVP-like performance from Melo, 40 points, six assists and seven rebounds, but Denver proved once again that it can beat the Cavaliers.Denver has been dominant against Cleveland, winning five of its last seven and going 10-4 since Carmelo Anthony was drafted by the Nuggets in 2003. Plus, Denver snapped the Cavs 13-game winning streak, which had many calling Cleveland the best in the NBA.Chauncey Billups on Twitter said about the game, “And they said we couldnt [sic] do it… If you Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
minds aint changed yet, we’ll be to a city near you to change it.”The Nuggets aren’t only good against the teams ahead of them, they are 6-3 versus the next three best in the West. Against Utah (3-1), San Antonio (2-1), and Dallas (1-1) the Nuggets have played with a focus on beating the best teams in order to be the best.Overall, the Nuggets are 13-4 in their last 17 games, and have really hit their stride since the calendar has turned over to 2010 (16-6).Backup shooting guard J.R. Smith told the Denver Post's?Benjamin Hochman, “We (feel) we should be the champs at the end. We feel that way mentally, we just have to go on the court and do it physically.” Starting two-guard Arron Afflalo added on Twitter, “Ima [sic] keep putting that work in for yall so we can have that special season."So, even though Denver has just triumphantly dethroned King James in Cleveland, it is keeping its focus on being a better team, having better players game-in, game-out.Now, with the Lakers losing sans Kobe 87-86 at home to Boston Thursday, the Nuggets move to within five games of LA for the No. 1 spot in the West. Plus, Denver has played two fewer games overall, and three fewer at home than the Lakers, meaning catching L.A. is a definite possibility.For Denver, records shouldn’t matter at this point because it has already proven it can beat anyone higher, or lower, in the standings. (Those losses to sub-.500 teams won't affect the Nuggets in the playoffs.)The Nuggets biggest challenge may be when head coach George Karl is forced to miss games, and possibly weeks, following his treatment for throat and neck cancer.Then again, this squad is different. Chauncey Billups holds this versatile group together, and Carmelo Anthony is a legit MVP candidate.After losing to the Lakers in the 2009 Western Conference Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
Finals, including two probable wins thrown away with two errant inbounds passes, the Nuggets are hungrier and cockier, but also wiser.As Melo told the Post following the win, "An NBA championship is what we want. Right now, at this moment—especially after coming off last year—I feel real confident about that goal."Follow Rich on Twitter and on Facebook to read all his articles!

9 Jan 11 NBA Mini-Roundtable: 10 Questions for the Future

Elsa/Getty ImagesWith the NBA playoffs about two months away, what better time than now to start asking questions about what is to come in the immediate future as well as a little bit further down the road?Here's a two-person discussion (between Gregg Ring and Taylor Smith) about 10 NBA-related topics.1. Is Atlanta a legitimate threat to Orlando and Cleveland in the East?GR: The short answer to the first is yes. The Hawks are a young, athletic team that has the ability to beat anyone in the league. The real question is: Can the Hawks keep it together for a seven game series? The answer to that question may be no. The true veteran leader of the Hawks is Joe Johnson, who has enjoyed minimal playoff success thoughout his career and may not be able to handle the pressure of a game seven in a hostile Dallas Cowboys jersey
environment. The Hawks have the ability but may lack the leadership to beat the Magic or Cavs.TS: No, I don think so. Theyre certainly capable of making some noise and causing some problems, but I don think theyll ultimately have enough to actually dethrone either of them. Their roster is extremely talented, but I think their lack of much depth off the bench will hurt them in the playoffs if theyre matched up with Cleveland or Orlando. Each of those teams is more deep and more versatile, and I don think the Hawks would have enough to beat either of them in a long series. 2. Does anybody not named LeBron James have a chance to win MVP ?GR: Kevin Durant certainly has a chance to make a last stab at winning theMVPtrophy, but it will take nothing short of a miracle. For KD to have a chance to win, the Thunder will have to put together a nice run to close out the season and position themselves as a legit threat in the Western Conference playoffs. Along with the Thunder success, the Cavs will almost certainly have to stumble to the finish line for LeBron to fall out of favor withMVPvoters. Is it possible? Yes. Will it happen? Doubtful.TS: No, not really. Kevin Durant is making a nice push, but this is LeBron to lose, and there no way he loses it. He got his Cavs at the top of the East, and it doesn look as though theyll be relinquishing that in the regular season. KD has been amazing in helping get the Thunder to where they are now, but LeBron numbers are completely staggering. I could see him one day becoming just the second player in league history to lead the league in both scoring and assists. LeBron is theMVPthis season. 3. Will the possible re-emergence of teams like the Bulls and Knicks (through free agency) help shift the power of the league back East?GR: The upcoming free agent class certainly has the potential to shift the power structure of theNBA. It seems the daily rumors with regards to the top free agents all seem to have these players going to Eastern Conference teams. The reasoning for this is simple: The eastern conference teams are currently inferior, and therefore more willing to shed salary and players, sinking them further into mediocrity and allowing themselves more money for free agent spending. If LeBron, Bosh, Amar, Boozer, Wade, and Joe Johnson all end up Denver Broncos jersey
in the Eastern Conference, the power will certainly begin to shift in that direction. While the west will remain strong, the addition of two or three more All-Stars could change the east's fortune.TS: It definitely could, it just depends on who goes where and how everything eventually fits together. If you look at it, the only real notable free agents from the West are Carlos Boozer and Amar Stoudemire. If they join the other top-tier guys out East, it clearly could change the landscape of the league. However, the way it is today, the top four teams in the East might stack up better than the top four teams in the West. The real discrepancy is at the bottom of the conferences. Teams like Chicago and New York adding top free- agent talent would certainly help even things out a bit. 4. If they don make the Finals, will this summer bring on major change in Boston?GR: If Boston again falls short of the Finals there is no doubt some changes are coming. First off, Ray Allen will not be returning unless it is at a very steep discount. Rasheed Wallace has largely been a disappointment and will be traded or perhaps released. Garnett and Pierce are beginning to show their age, and the Celtics may try and make a last-ditch effort to move one or both of them in order to recoup any value possible. In other words, yes, it is very likely the Celtics will be a shell of their current team next season.TS: I don know how much flexibility they have with their contracts, but their only major free agent is Ray Allen. While he started off the season poorly, he really coming on strong, and the Celtics look like a much better team with him playing like were used to seeing him. I don know what better option they would have, so Im not sure that they wouldn just re-sign him for a lesser contract this summer. Either way, I can imagine the Celtics having enough flexibility with their salaries to be able to shake things up too much. 5. Will signing LeBron and Wade/Bosh actually make the Knicks elite? Or will there be too little money left to assemble a good enough supporting cast?GR: This is the big question for the Knicks in the offseason. The Knicks have about $18 million committed for next year, mostly to players who have little impact on the team. Their current best player, David Lee, will be a free agent and given his outstanding season, could command too high a salary to re-sign. With the predicted cap being around $51 million, that simply does not leave enough room after giving LeBron a max deal, then giving Wade/Bosh close to max deals to sign anyone real worthwhile. This massive salary/talent dump could end costing the Knicks more than they asked for, given that LeBron and Bosh probably can play all five positions on the floor.TS: As LeBron has shown in the past, he capable of making a team solid despite a dearth ofDetroit Lions
talent. Just look at the 2007 Cavs team he was able to get all the way to the Finals. Larry Hughes was the second-best player on that team, and he was somewhat of a disappointment for them (Larry Hughes? A disappointment? What??). Now, James is even better than he was back then, and pairing him with another superstar should make for a good enough team. Plus, if the Knicks are able to pair LeBron with another star, I think more players are going to want to join the team for less money. Why wouldn you want to? I think itll be plenty to make them into contenders. 6. Do the Clippers have a legitimate chance to land LeBron or another big name free agent?GR: If the Clippers are willing, they have a chance to add a big name over the summer. They are in the nation second largest media market and offer the allure of the Hollywood lifestyle. The Clippers can also offer the chance to the egotistical superstar of trying to make the Clippers LA team. Although accomplishing this task may be next to impossible, it may not be above LeBron to try. The Clippers do also have a solid supporting cast with Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, and 2009 first-overall pick Blake Griffin. The Clippers do have a shot to sign a top free agent, but in the end they probably will not.TS: I really think they do, despite the whole worst franchise in pro sports thing. Los Angeles is an attractive location, and the Clips have a solid core of young talent in place with Kaman, Griffin (hopefully), Gordon, and Davis. I can definitely see why somebody would want to play there. Will they? Im not so sure, but I think they definitely at least have a chance. 7. Will the Mavericks be a factor in free agency this summer?GR: The Mavs will not be a factor in free agency. They have a lot of money committed to their core players and their main focus this summer will be trying to lock up Dirk for the remainder of his career. Cuban is satisfied with the team he has assembled and will continue to try and win with his current players, although I don't think a team built around Dirk will ever win a title.TS: It possible. Dallas is a desirable place, and Mark Cuban/Donnie Nelson have some flexibility with their contracts. Erick Dampier contract says he can be cut anytime before the beginning of next season, which would free up just over $13 million. Caron Butler also has a $10 million expiring contract, which can be dangled in front of other teams as sign-and-trade possibilities. I don think theyre going to be able to land any of the big-time guys, but they do have room to try. 8. Are the Spurs done contending for championships with their current core?GR: The Spurs certainly do seem like they might be ready to ride off into the sunset. Tim Duncan is showing signs of aging and Parker has not been his usual self due to an array of injuries this season. The acquisition of Richard Jefferson did not put them over the top like some thought. The Spurs are missing the tough defensive play of Bruce Bowen and the crazy come-out-of-nowhere threes in the playoffs of Big Shot Robert Horry. There is little to no chance the Spurs will be able to win another title with their current make up.TS: It hard to believe, but it appears as though they are. While Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili continue to play at high levels, it appears as though their supporting cast has fallen apart. DeJuan Blair and George Hill are solid, but theyre both also very inexperienced. Roger Mason Jr.s production has taken a hit, Michael Finley and Antonio McDyess are shells of their former selves, and theyre getting nothing from Richard Jefferson or Matt Bonner. This season has been a major disappointment so far in San Antonio, and their goose looks cooked. 9. If Phil Jackson leaves, who will the Lakers get to coach?GR: If the Zen Master decides to call it quits after this season, the Lakers will have a difficult decision. My best guess is that they would pursue an experienced coach with Finals experience like an Avery Johnson; however, everyone knows the coach will be subject to Kobe approval and he may lean more towards trying to lure Kurt Rambis back from the T-Wolves.TS: It seemed as though Kurt Rambis was supposed to be that guy, but since he bolted, the door appears to be reopened. I do think Lakers assistant Brian Shaw is certainly a candidate, and Green Bay Packers jersey
to me would appear to be the frontrunner should the position become vacant. Im sure they could basically lure whomever they wanted to become their next coach, but Im not sure they won keep it in house. 10. How (if possible) can the Golden State Warriors be fixed?GR: Golden State can only be fixed if Don Nelson learns how to coach defense. It is impossible to truly compete in theNBAif the only goal is to try and score, score, score, and play no defense. Most likely, the Warriors will have to move on without Nelson if they ever plan on competing.TS: First off, they need a new owner. Secondly, they need to get rid of Don Nelson. Thirdly, they need to find a way to exile guys like Monta Ellis and Corey Maggette. While those two are solid players, theyre not helping any situations being stuck out in Oakland. Before the deadline, the Warriors reportedly turned down an offer from Memphis that wouldve brought OJ Mayo and Hasheem Thabeet to G-State for Ellis. If they really did reject it, then it just a sign of how awful the management out there really is. They need to be giving the floor time to guys like Ronny Turiaf, Stephen Curry, Kelenna Azubuike, and Anthony Randolph. I know these guys have spent lots of time injured this season, but even when healthy they weren logging enough minutes. They have a decent core of talent, theyre just not utilizing it well. They need to re-do everything that has to do with their front office. Easy enough, right?

8 Jan 11 Can Anyone Stop a LeBron Repeat?

Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesSports betting players are gearing up for the stretch run to the NBA playoffs, which means it time to start thinking about who will win the MVP award this year. It looks to be a foregone conclusion that LeBron James will win for the second straight year, but here is a look at four other candidates who could possibly wrest the honor from him.LeBron James, ClevelandNot only is he the most dynamic player in the game, James really is the most valuable player in the league. Can you see Cleveland with the No.1 record in the league ifJacksonville Jaguars jersey
James wasn on the team? He a triple-double threat each and every time he steps out on the floor, and it wouldn even really be a surprise if he ends up averaging one for a season, and soon.Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles LakersBryant is hurt in this category as the Lakers actually went 4-1 in a five-game stretch in which he was injured, but if your team is taking the last shot to win the game, who do you want with the ball? Bryant has won a few games this year with last-second shots, and he still has the strongest will in the game.Kevin Durant, Oklahoma CityEven though his Texas Longhorns have fallen out of the race according to 2010 March Madness odds, Durant has powered the Thunder to a possible homecourt advantage in the playoffs as perhaps the biggest surprise of the season. Durant could be the best pure scorer inKansas City Chiefs jersey
the NBA, and he improved his defense as well. No one expected the Thunder to be this good this soon, and Durant ability to score from anywhere is the main reason.Jason Kidd, DallasKidd is probably the longshot of the group, but he ranks in the top five in steals and assists, and most surprisingly, he having the best three-point shooting campaign of his career. Kidd his averaging his age in minutes per game (36), and the Mavericks are pushing Denver as the second seed in the Western Conference. Dirk Nowitzki and the moves to get Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood have been important, but Kidd steers the ship. Were betting management isn so upset about the Devin Harris trade anymore.Dwyane Wade, MiamiThis inclusion is more of a testament to how little help Wade has. Without him, the Heat are barely Miami Dolphins jersey
a university team. The Heat are 2-3 when Wade has missed a game this year, and one of those wins came in New Jersey, which doesn really count. The Heat have to get some help for Wade or hell bolt in the offseason, which would be a disaster in south Florida. Put it this way: if the Heat were in the NCAA Tournament without Wade, right now, would you wager on their March Madness odds? I think not.