Spring. 

It is the time of the year we most enjoy.  It’s when the Earth begins to show the green grass and rainbow of flower blooms that have been hidden by winter’s frost and snow for far too long.  Although, it is often determined by when we can comfortably wear flip-flops and light-weight cardigans, believe it or not spring actually has an official start day.

That’s right; spring is not determined by when the birds start chirping or when butterflies begin fluttering the clear blue skies, but rather when something known as the Vernal Equinox takes place.  Vernal Equinox is whenever the sun appears straight up over the Equator at noon.  This only occurs twice out of the year – once for spring, and again for fall. 

This year the first day of spring was March 20^th, making it five days into the official season.  So if you haven’t had a moment to enjoy Mother Nature at her best, what are you waiting for?  Here are some ways you and your family can go about doing that: 

1.       Make home-made bubble mixture and blow some bubbles

2.       Cheer on your favorite team at a baseball game

3.       Fly a kite at the park

4.       Enjoy a picnic

5.       Print out Spring pictures to color

On the other hand, I realize that if you’re still a student or under the age of 23, these activities may be a little….boring.  So for you I have listed some of the best beaches within the US, each offering different crowds, affordable shopping, and countless bars and restaurants.  Don’t forget your sun block!

1.       Miami  Beach, Florida

2.       Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

3.       Clearwater Beach, Florida

4.       Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

5.       San Diego Beach, California

Mixed Martial Arts is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Football Fanatics has been in the business of providing MMA fans with the best gear for awhile now. In order to make things easier for MMA fans, we recently launched a new partner site, Fighting Fanatics.

Check out what’s new in MMA:

-We just added 3 new MMA brands to our lineup: Metal Mulisha, Hart&Huntington, and Hitman
-We just built a Fighting Fanatics Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fighting-Fanatics/53723088755
-We just built a Fighting Fanatics Myspace Page: http://www.myspace.com/fightingfanatics

If you’re on the social networks be sure to friend us to stay up to date with current product news and promotions.

Fighting Fanatics is the place to get MMA clothing and apparel. We have a colossal selection of gear from classic brands like TapouT, ADX, American Fighters, UFC, and Throwdown. You will find hats, shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirts and more. Here are a few selections of what we have to offer.

Hart and Huntington Bigger Than T-Shirt

Metal Mulisha Red Division 12 T-shirt

The first weekend of the 2009 NCAA Tournament is over and that means only 16 teams remain. Some of the biggest first round upsets were Arizona over Utah, Cleveland State over Wake Forest, Dayton over West Virginia, and Wisconsin over Florida State. Why is it that every single year the No. 12 seeds always beat the No. 5 seeds?

Nearly every higher seed in the second round won their game. Purdue beat Washington, but that was a case of a No. 5 seeds beating a No. 4 seed… so that’s not really considered a big upset. Teams now have several days to rest. We’ll see our next action on Thursday when 4 teams square off for a chance at the Elite 8.

Arizona (a No. 12 seed) is really the only ‘Cinderella’ left in the field. So many people root for the underdog to make it to the Final Four, so we’ll see how the Wildcats fair. Arizona has to play Louisville (a No. 1 seed) on Thursday.

Football Fanatics just got in a bunch of Sweet Sixteen gear. We have shirts for all the schools. Check out a few example products. Order today and get 3-day shipping for only $4.99.

Surf Fans… it’s time to gear up with the launch of a SurfFanatics.com redesign. The redesign comes with a fresh, clean look and gives shoppers better navigation so they can find specific products quicker.

Why Shop With Us?
Value. Quality. Service. Commitment.
There are many places online to get your surf threads and gear. We realize that in order to be successful in our industry, we must provide our customers with a broad assortment from the top brands, such as O’Neill and Hurley, while promoting up-and-comers like Tavik and F54.

Men, you can find a great selection of boardshorts, walkshorts, tees and footwear. And ladies for you we have dresses, skirts, fashion tops, tanks and sleepwear. These are just a small sample of the selection Surf Fanatics has in stock.

In addition to the new site, we also have new products and new brands for spring including: DC, Hawaiian Island Creation, RVCA, Cobian, and Zoo York.

Shop today and receive FREE 3-DAY SHIPPING on any size order. That means you can buy a $14 Hurley Wallet and not pay a dime in shipping.

Reebok NFL Equipment San Diego Chargers #21 LaDainian Tomlinson Electric Blue Alternate Replica Football Jersey

Show your Chargers team spirit while supporting your favorite player in the #21 LaDanian Tomlinson powder blue replica jersey by Reebok NFL Equipment! When LaDanian Tomlinson came into the league, his jersey instantly became a best seller. He’s been one of the most electrifying running backs in NFL history. The powder blue Chargers jersey is consistently ranked as one of the best jerseys in all of sports. Whether you’re a Chargers fan or not, this jersey will look great on you.

With this premier jersey you will get:

• In college, Ladainian Tomlinson played for the TCU Horned Frogs
• Heavyweight mesh body
• Printed name plate
• Dazzle side slits
• Drop tail authentic NFL equipment label
• Authentic embroidered NFL equipment logo at the neck
• Screen printed numbers on front, back and sleeves or shoulders
• Imported
• 100% Nylon

We currently have sizes S, L, XL, XXL, and 3X in stock for $79.95

About LaDanian Tomlinson
Reggie Bush will be entering his ninth year in the NFL this 2009 season. Hard to believe he’s been in the league that long. Since his first season with the San Diego Chargers, Tomlinson has rushed for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns every single season. Not even Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith matched this feat.

During this offseason, Tomlinson restructured his deal with the Chargers. There was a lot of talk about trading Tomlinson… he’s getting up there in age and has a lot of wear on his body (almost 8 straight seasons with 300+ carries, he had 292 in 2008). I’m sure both sides are happy with the new deal. The Chargers keep the face of their franchise and Tomlinson can stay with the only team he’s every played on.

The Football Fanatics staff held their 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft today. It’s a 10-team head-to-head league. Basic lineups and standard scoring… we start all fielders + a utility man + 3 SP + 2 RP + 3 P with a 5 man bench. There’s nothing but pride on the line with this league, but that’s enough to make it ultra-competitive. With fantasy baseball you need to make roster changes on a daily basis.

Team 1 kicked things off by making Hanley Ramirez the first pick in the draft. Not surprising though, as he’s consistently ranked as the top player in all the fantasy baseball rankings. Having a 30-30 shortstop is extremely valuable, much like A-Rod was on the Mariners. The only thing hurting Team 1 is he didn’t draft a starting pitcher until the 11th round! Team 1 isn’t the only team that waiting for pitching… Teams 8 and 10 didn’t draft starting pitchers until the 10th round.

Check out the complete draft results below.

Team 1
1. (1) Hanley Ramirez
2. (20) Jimmy Rollins
3. (21) B.J. Upton
4. (40) Carl Crawford
5. (41) Justin Morneau
6. (60) Jacoby Ellsbury
7. (61) Geovany Soto
8. (80) Chris Davis
9. (81) Francisco Rodriguez
10. (100) Chone Figgins
11. (101) Rich Harden
12. (120) Jonathan Broxton
13. (121) Yovani Gallardo
14. (140) Chris Young
15. (141) Brett Myers
16. (160) Huston Street
17. (161) Robinson Cano
18. (180) Carlos Guillen
19. (181) Mike Napoli
20. (200) Jim Thome
21. (201) Adam Jones

Team 2
1. (2) Albert Pujols
2. (19) Chase Utley
3. (22) Vladimir Guerrero
4. (39) Jake Peavy
5. (42) Mariano Rivera
6. (59) Derek Jeter
7. (62) Derek Lowe
8. (79) Kerry Wood
9. (82) Javier Vazquez
10. (99) Carlos Delgado
11. (102) Mike Gonzalez
12. (119) Vernon Wells
13. (122) Jayson Werth
14. (139) Edwin Encarnacion
15. (142) Chris Iannetta
16. (159) Randy Johnson
17. (162) Nelson Cruz
18. (179) Alex Gordon
19. (182) Xavier Nady
20. (199) Khalil Greene
21. (202) Nick Swisher

Team 3
1. (3) Brian McCann
2. (18) Chipper Jones
3. (23) Josh Beckett
4. (38) David Ortiz
5. (43) Brandon Webb
6. (58) Adrian Gonzalez
7. (63) Chad Billingsley
8. (78) Adam Dunn
9. (83) Mark DeRosa
10. (98) Jermaine Dye
11. (103) Jhonny Peralta
12. (118) Brian Fuentes
13. (123) Justin Verlander
14. (138) Rick Ankiel
15. (143) Brian Wilson
16. (158) Ted Lilly
17. (163) Adam LaRoche
18. (178) Milton Bradley
19. (183) Pat Burrell
20. (198) J.D. Drew
21. (203) Troy Glaus

Team 4
1. (4) Johan Santana
2. (17) Lance Berkman
3. (24) Alexei Ramirez
4. (37) Russell Martin
5. (44) Matt Holliday
6. (57) Shane Victorino
7. (64) Nate McLouth
8. (77) Garrett Atkins
9. (84) Cliff Lee
10. (97) Joakim Soria
11. (104) Joba Chamberlain
12. (117) Mike Aviles
13. (124) J.J. Hardy
14. (137) Matt Garza
15. (144) Joey Votto
16. (157) Kevin Slowey
17. (164) Chris Young
18. (177) Ty Wigginton
19. (184) Pablo Sandoval
20. (197) Jerry Hairston Jr.
21. (204) George Sherrill

Team 5
1. (5) David Wright
2. (16) Mark Teixeira
3. (25) Carlos Beltran
4. (36) Matt Kemp
5. (45) Brian Roberts
6. (56) Francisco Liriano
7. (65) Michael Young
8. (76) James Shields
9. (85) Jon Lester
10. (96) Jay Bruce
11. (105) Raul Ibanez
12. (116) B.J. Ryan
13. (125) Ricky Nolasco
14. (136) Zack Greinke
15. (145) Clayton Kershaw
16. (156) Erik Bedard
17. (165) Trevor Hoffman
18. (176) Joel Hanrahan
19. (185) Frank Francisco
20. (196) Willy Taveras
21. (205) Ramon Hernandez

Team 6
1. (6) Jose Reyes
2. (15) Tim Lincecum
3. (26) Alfonso Soriano
4. (35) Roy Halladay
5. (46) Kevin Youkilis
6. (55) Roy Oswalt
7. (66) Bobby Abreu
8. (75) Magglio Ordonez
9. (86) Brad Lidge
10. (95) Ryan Doumit
11. (106) Jose Valverde
12. (115) Howie Kendrick
13. (126) Edinson Volquez
14. (135) Carlos Pena
15. (146) Conor Jackson
16. (155) Scott Baker
17. (166) Adrian Beltre
18. (175) Kelly Johnson
19. (186) Ryan Theriot
20. (195) Gavin Floyd
21. (206) Chad Qualls

Team 7
1. (7) Miguel Cabrera
2. (14) Ian Kinsler
3. (27) Manny Ramirez
4. (34) Ichiro Suzuki
5. (47) Cole Hamels
6. (54) Aramis Ramirez
7. (67) Dan Haren
8. (74) Felix Hernandez
9. (87) Troy Tulowitzki
10. (94) Daisuke Matsuzaka
11. (107) Corey Hart
12. (114) David Price
13. (127) Matt Wieters
14. (134) Ryan Dempster
15. (147) Johnny Damon
16. (154) Brandon Morrow
17. (167) Torii Hunter
18. (174) Bengie Molina
19. (187) Heath Bell
20. (194) Matt Lindstrom
21. (207) Dioner Navarro

Team 8
1. (8) Grady Sizemore
2. (13) Josh Hamilton
3. (28) Evan Longoria
4. (33) Brandon Phillips
5. (48) Jason Bay
6. (53) Alex Rios
7. (68) Rafael Furcal
8. (73) Victor Martinez
9. (88) Aubrey Huff
10. (93) Ervin Santana
11. (108) Scott Kazmir
12. (113) Bobby Jenks
13. (128) Carlos Marmol
14. (133) Francisco Cordero
15. (148) Aaron Harang
16. (153) John Danks
17. (168) Justin Upton
18. (173) James Loney
19. (188) Denard Span
20. (193) Kazuo Matsui
21. (208) Jered Weaver

Team 9
1. (9) Ryan Howard
2. (12) CC Sabathia
3. (29) Dustin Pedroia
4. (32) Carlos Lee
5. (49) Curtis Granderson
6. (52) Jonathan Papelbon
7. (69) Hunter Pence
8. (72) Miguel Tejada
9. (89) Jorge Posada
10. (92) Ryan Zimmerman
11. (109) Carlos Zambrano
12. (112) Derrek Lee
13. (129) Lastings Milledge
14. (132) Matt Cain
15. (149) Ben Sheets
16. (152) Matt Capps
17. (169) Johnny Cueto
18. (172) Brad Hawpe
19. (189) Jose Lopez
20. (192) Hideki Matsui
21. (209) Mark Reynolds

Team 10
1. (10) Ryan Braun
2. (11) Alex Rodriguez
3. (30) Carlos Quentin
4. (31) Prince Fielder
5. (50) Nick Markakis
6. (51) Joe Mauer
7. (70) Dan Uggla
8. (71) Joe Nathan
9. (90) Stephen Drew
10. (91) John Lackey
11. (110) A.J. Burnett
12. (111) Ryan Ludwick
13. (130) Adam Wainwright
14. (131) Jorge Cantu
15. (150) Josh Johnson
16. (151) Max Scherzer
17. (170) John Maine
18. (171) Andre Ethier
19. (190) Justin Duchscherer
20. (191) Jair Jurrjens
21. (210) Joe Saunders

On the internet, anyone can create any username and pose as anyone famous. Just go on Myspace and search for Michael Jordan… you’re guaranteed to come up with a dozen or more profiles for Michael Jordan. Twitter is the same way. There thousands of regular fans posing as famous people. In today’s post I’ll go over a few of my favorite athletes who are really on Twitter.

This post was inspired by a recent tweet from Charlie Villanueva.

In da locker room, snuck to post my twitt. We’re playing the Celtics, tie ball game at da half. Coach wants more toughness. I gotta step up.
10:17 AM Mar 15th from TwitterBerry

Some people are saying this is the first instance of a pro athlete using twitter during a game. Ya it was halftime, but it was still during a live game.

Below are other athletes I follow on Twitter. Shaq’s is great!

Shaquille O’Neal – @THE_REAL_SHAQ
Ryan Newman – @ryan12newman
Lance Armstrong – @lancearmstrong
Barry Zito – @barryzito
Curt Shilling – @gehrig38
Natalie Gulbis – @natalie_gulbis
Charlie Villaneuva – @CV31
Steve Nash – @the_real_nash
Chris Cooley – @thecooleyzone

Don’t forget, you can find Football Fanatics on Twitter @FFanatics