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Giving Valentine gift baskets is a great way to let your loved ones know just how much you love and care for them. Here are some ways on how to put together gift baskets that would be perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Valentine gift baskets usually are representative of the love and appreciation that the giver has for the receiver. They could be packed with different goodies such as flowers, chocolates, mini vials of perfumes and colognes, candy, cake or wine. There are some who would include items like gold jewelry such as necklaces, pendants and others. There are also those who include some electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, MP3 players and others. Although the contents could vary, the messages that Valentine gift baskets send are typically the same.

For men who plan to give these gift baskets to their girlfriends, they could probably put together two champagne goblets that have been beautifully hand-painted that would be used for a dinner that they could share. The basket could contain some chocolates and flowers, as well as some hand and foot soaks, lotions, massage oils and creams. Gift baskets for ladies could also include beauty products that would surely be appreciated like make-up and other beautification creams. Another good idea would be a basket filled with snack food like cookies and candy bars and even gourmet foods. Also a good idea would be a gift basket that has a touch of some beautiful jewelry.

As for women looking for items that they could put together for their boyfriends, there are also a lot of options that they could use to create the perfect gift basket for men. Some great ideas would be a CD with all his favorite songs or a DVD of his favorite movie. Toiletries and grooming products such as cologne, shaving lotions, deodorants, body sprays and bath products would be great for the beauty-conscious man. You could also mix some electronic gadgets with accessories such as sunglasses, a wallet or a wristwatch.

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Source by Online Shopping

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The date of June 15th will be here before you know it. It’s time now to get crackin’ on a strategy that will provide you with a selection of cool Father’s Day gifts to consider. So what’s a smart solution to meet the challenge of providing Dad with a token of your affection and appreciation for putting up with you all of these years? 

Father’s Day Gift Baskets is an excellent idea to consider. Why? First, there is an abundance of themes with this type of gift – one of which Pop might find most pleasing to receive. Secondly, they can be shopped for and purchased in an extremely efficient and time saving manner. Let’s now examine the first reason.

What kind of hobbies and interests do typical Dad’s find interesting? How about ideas such as golf, NASCAR, motorcycles, sports, trucks, gourmet food, cigars, handyman stuff, movies, casinos, coffee, junk food or general “guy stuff”? Well, there are cool Father’s Day gifts in a basket that have all of these mentioned themes and more. 

You can capture a theme that dear ol’ Dad finds appealing and focus on that alone when you buy a gift basket. All of the contents within the basket or creative container are related to that specific idea alone to peak his level of interest. Imagine his eyes when he opens the package and discovers items that are related to his passion. He will know that you did your homework! 

Ok, so there is a high probability that there is a gift basket that specializes in something that will make Dad a happy camper. But how do you find the one that you know will make his day and get it into his hands by June 15th? 

Just go online and let technology make your life easier. Use your favorite search engine whether it is Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc and type in the specific type of gift basket that you are looking for. It might take only a few minutes, if that, to find the cool Father’s Day gifts idea that will make Dad forget the challenges and grey hairs that you gave him so generously over the years.

The next step after finding the best gift within your budget is to fill out the shipping, billing and safe credit card information. You can also type in a personal message to show that you wish Pop only the best. Your thoughts can be expressed from a perspective of love and respect to some good-natured ribbing that he would find uniquely your own. The gift can be shipped anywhere including Dad’s own doorstep. How’s that for efficiency and convenience?  

Take the advice of aGiftBasketParadise.com and get a Father’s Day Gift Basket with a theme that Dad would identify with. Stand out from your other siblings and be Dad’s favorite among the cast of characters in your family!

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Source by Brian Connors

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Creating your own baskets to give as gifts is really easy and fun. You can save money by making them yourself instead of buying them from a trendy store. You could also start a home based gift basket business. You only need a few simple supplies to get started.

Supplies:

Basket (base container)
Filler (shreds)
Clear Cellophane Bag or Basket Wrap
Ribbon (to tie off the bag)
Ribbon (to make a bow)
Gift Tag
Product Fillers
Scissors

You don’t have to fill your basket with all of the following product suggestions. The suggestions are just to help you with your creative process.

Try to be creative with your bases. Instead of using baskets, you can use: Chip ‘N Dip bowls, ice buckets, cleaning buckets, plastic bins, popcorn bowls or for the sportsman themes, try using small tackle boxes and tool boxes.

Now let’s get you started with some theme ideas for your gift baskets.

1. Movie Night – 2 movie tickets, 3 bags of microwave popcorn, bonus-sized candy packages, DVD movies

2. Grilling – oven mitts, BBQ apron, seasoning mixes, bottles of marinades, BBQ sauce, small grilling accessories, grilling cookbook

3. Handyman – hammer, screw drivers, wrenches, nails, screws, bolts, washers, measuring tape, honey-to-do list pad

4. Fisherman – fishing hooks, sinkers, flies, bobbers, fishing line, small tackle box, fishing books

5. Grooming – razors, shaving cream, aftershave lotion, cologne, shower gel, soaps, nail grooming accessories, male hair care products

6. Games – poker playing cards, poker chips, dice, score pads, pencils, snacks, handheld electronic games

7. Snacks – potato chips, pretzels, cheese curls, snack mix, popcorn, candy, peanuts

8. Coffee Lover – coffee mug, coffee commuter cup, 2 bags of coffee, coffee shop gift card

9. Meat and Cheese – 3 different sausages, cheeses and crackers

10. Football Fan – Nerf football, chips, pretzels, jar of salsa, jar of cheese sauce, nacho chips, peanuts and a few small items featuring their favorite team.

11. Best Dressed Man – tie, tie tack, cuff links, cologne, watch, wallet, key fob, belt

12. Mexican Night – taco chips, mild salsa, hot salsa, chipotle cheese sauce, jar of hot peppers, can of refried beans, gift card to local Mexican restaurant, bandana

13. Car Care – sponges, drying cloths, cleaning products, steering wheel cover, gift card to local car wash, gift card to local car parts store

14. Traveling Man – toiletries travel bag and travel-sized: shampoo, conditioner, shave cream, razors, after shave, deodorant, shower gel, soaps

15. Dog Lover – dog book, bones, treats, leash, collar, clean-up waste bags, shampoo, dog toys and a disposable camera.

I hope these 15 theme ideas have sparked the creative process in you.

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Source by Shelly Hill

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When looking for retirement gifts it’s important to find gifts that reflect the individual’s interests, hobbies or favorite pastimes. Sure plaques and trophies are a nice way to recognize years of excellent service, but those are the kind of gifts that corporations will end up giving. Gifts are always appreciated more when it’s something that they’ll actually use and that brings joy and relaxation into their lives.

When someone enters retirement, they suddenly have all this free time on their hands. Some people already know how they’ll begin enjoying retirement; other’s may take a little more time to adjust and are not quite sure retirement is such a good idea. Gifts that remind them of a prestigious career for example: teaching, lawyers, executives, doctors, judges, coaches or law enforcement, can often help with the transition and there are lots of unique gifts ideas to choose from that are career orientated. Getting gifts that help them pursue their interests will also help; if they played golf for example: there are a lot of golfing accessories which can be anything from monogrammed ball markers to a new personalized golf bag or a yardage finder. Other ideas could be a membership to a golf club, personalized golf balls or even a humorous gift like golfing lessons gives them something to look forward to. Anther example would be the military: there are patriotic paperweights, U.S. military rings, watches and other jewelry; they even make patriotic poker sets, beer mugs and throw blankets.

Gifts can be funny or inspirational too. There are T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and pillows available with witty sayings and funny pictures. Also available are unique doormats, mouse pads and picture frames that have humorous retirement sayings and meaningful poems that will remind them of your friendship. Encourage them to relax with a comfortable and charming bed rest that enables a person to sit up comfortably while sitting in bed reading or watching TV. The bed rest also includes handy pockets for magazines and books or the TV remote. Or inspire them to look to the stars with a new telescope.

Ideas that are unique are often the most fun for example: A Day Clock has days of the week instead of numbers, because the person retiring doesn’t have to worry about time anymore, they only have to know what day it is. Personalized items are very unique and can be anything nowadays. Items like: a beer mug, decanter set, deluxe chess set, personalized bar room sign or professional poker chip set. Other ideas include a day at the spa or salon, passport covers, watch box or valet tray, leather blackberry, ipod or CD case, gift baskets, travel manicure sets, garment bags or even a sit ‘n fish personalized cooler and chair.

One last idea when looking for retirement gifts is to see if everybody in the office wants to go in on one big gift. These ideas include: a small vacation getaway, tickets to a favorite concert or event, membership to a gym or club of choice, a massaging recliner to help them unwind or even shares of stock. Perfect if they are into the stock market and if not it will not only give them something to do, but may spark a new interest.

Retirement is a time of celebration for both the past achievements and a bright new future. If the gift is well though out, no matter if it’s funny or practical, they’ll always remember who the master gift-giver is and appreciate your thoughtfulness. We all know what it’s like to get gifts that don’t really fit into our lifestyle, so make sure your retirement gift is something that will bring joy, fun and relaxation into their new way of life and your gift will always be cherished. Happy Shopping 🙂

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Source by Angelique Ellerman

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On Thursday and Friday, Sergio Garcia conquered the greens at The Open Championship with a belly putter. What length of putter is right for you? How do you find the correct putter length for you?

Conventional Putter
A conventional putter would be measured from 32 inches to 36 inches. To insure the putter fits properly, take your stance while the sole (bottom) the putter is flat on the ground. Your arms should feel as they are hanging straight down and your eyes should be positioned over the ball. You may check this by dropping another golf ball from in-between your eyes while taking your putting stance. This ball from between your eyes should hit the golf ball on the green.

Next, allow your arms to freely hang and take your grip. Once comfortable, this should reveal your proper putter length.

“The rule of thumb is: If you can use a conventional putter, then use a conventional putter” says Bill Craig, Head Professional at The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center in Houston, TX.

The Belly Putter/ The Long Putter
The Belly Putter or Long Putter would be a putter 37 inches or longer. The belly or Long Putter attaches to your body to insure a pendulum stroke while eliminating wrist movement. With varying lengths some players literally place this in their belly while other will anchor the putter to their chest with one hand. Many players who use this style do so because they have been challenged by “the yips” or as Sergio said after his round today “I just wanted to try something different.”

Fitting the length of a belly or a long putter is much more personal than the conventional putter. Your eye-line will be .inside. the ball due to the length of the shaft. The sole of the putter needs to lie flat on the green. You will need to try many different lengths as all of us are built differently. Unfortunately, trial by error is the best way to find the proper length for the belly or long putter. Your local PGA Professional can help you with this.

The main advantages of the longer putter length are 1. the putter is anchored against the body 2.wrist action is minimized. The main disadvantages that are discussed are 1. feel is reduced 2. distance control is more difficult.

Which putter length is right for you? Take the time and use these putting tips to find the correct putter length for you.

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Source by Max Johnson

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Turning 21 is a defining moment in every person’s life. This particular birthday milestone is marked by tradition and rites of passage. Each country has differing traditions which are followed and South Africa is no exception. On the day of a 21st Birthday, the gifts given are special and symbolic. A flower arrangement delivered to a 21 year old on their birthday will always be appreciated. The gesture shows thought and originality as it is not simply another bottle of champagne or plastic key!

21 was the previous age of maturity in countries such as the USA, the UK and the rest of Europe and South Africa. The age of maturity is the age at which an individual is recognised legally as an adult. At the age of majority a person can sign contracts without a guardian, apply for loans, marry and take responsibility for their own major life experiences which are the stepping stones to living life as an adult. The age of maturity for many of these entitlements in these countries has now dropped to 18 years, but some privileges and responsibilities still only come into effect at 21 years old.

The key-giving tradition is one that is well practiced in South Africa. Typically, a person turning 21 will be given a mock-key by their parents as a symbol of freedom and entrance into adulthood.

21st Birthday flowers

Birthday flowers are a memorable gift to send on a 21st birthday. Florists generally have an extensive catalogue with many birthday gift baskets and hampers to accompany a bright bouquet of freshly cut flowers. Champagne, chocolates, fruit and other snacks as well as wine hampers and other special gifts are a perfect accompaniment to a gift of bright and exotic flowers.

Birthday flowers are generally bright and extremely striking. Just as birthday wrappings and decor is eye catching, jovial and bright, flowers should be too. A 21st is one of the most important birthdays a person will celebrate and gifts should reflect this. A masterpiece can be created for a 21st gift by presenting a bouquet of flowers with a colour scheme, mixing large blooms such as brightly roses with large lilies for a more formal feel.

Online florists and fresh flower deliveries

A fresh flower delivery on the day of a 21st birthday is a special surprise. A hand-delivered bouquet of beautiful flowers accompanied by a gift basket or hamper will be a memorable gesture for someone special on their beginning of adulthood.

Online florists provide an easy to use service for ordering flowers. Their websites are easy to navigate and have extensive catalogues featuring detailed product ranges with clear and descriptive photos. Some florists will feature special collections for birthdays with simple menus which help to make the choosing and ordering process hassle free.

Online florists will provide a delivery service which will hand-deliver flowers and gifts. These delivery services are reliable and extremely punctual, ensuring that flowers, gift baskets and hampers arrive at their destination in pristine condition. Many international online florists provide same-day deliveries if orders are placed before a specific time. International deliveries are also available, allowing family and friends to send a stunning bouquet with gifts to destinations all over the globe.

A 21st Birthday is a special day for the person entering the age of adulthood, as well as for their friends and family. This is a day when celebrations and gifts are important and each gift should carry a little extra effort and meaning than normal birthday presents. The services provided by an online florist makes the process of sending a gift on someone’s birthday a stress-free experience whilst providing the opportunity to make a unique gesture which can be personalised according to the recipient’s tastes.

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Source by Alter Sage

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Modern day basketball can trace it’s origins to early December 1891 when Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education teacher and a local instructor at Springfield, Massachusetts’ YMCA Training School was desperately seeking an indoor game active and fit during cold, snowy New England winters. After trying several different games and finding them too dangerous or not quite suitable for gymnasiums, Naismith wrote down the essential rules of basketball, incorporating some of the rules of a popular children’s game of the era, “Ducks on a Pond,” and then nailed a peach basket on an upraised track, ten feet above the playing surface. Of course, since the peach baskets still had closed bottoms, retrieving a ball after a player scored a basket was terribly inefficient – unbelievably, the game had to be stopped for someone to retrieve the ball with a dowel. And although the first official game was played in January of 1892, at the YMCA gymnasium Naismith’s handwritten diaries at the time indicate that he was extremely nervous about the new game he invented, fearing that his basketball wouldn’t take.

Oddly, in that first official game of basketball, there were nine players on a side and the winning team won a close fought 1-0 battle with a 25-foot shot – on a court barely half the size of the modern day court! By 1897 teams of five had become standard. Around the same time, women’s basketball was developed at nearby Smith College when Sandra Berenson, a physical education teacher at the college modified many of the rules for women to play. As it turned out, Berenson was fascinated by the values of teamwork, fair play and vigorous exercise that basketball promoted and began organizing some of the first women’s basketball games by 1893. By 1899 Berenson’s rules for women’s basketball were published and by the turn of the century, she was the editor of A.G. Spaulding’s legendary Women’s Basketball Guide which spread her version of basketball across the country to countless physical education instructors across the country. In fact, with the help of many YMCA instructors, basketball was promoted throughout the United States and Canada, paving the way for the game to be established as a varsity sport at many high schools. Sadly (and perhaps ironically), the YMCA began to discourage basketball by 1905, fearing that rowdy; belligerent crowds and rough play distracted from the organization’s mission. But that didn’t matter much as amateur clubs, colleges, high schools and even several short-lived professional basketball clubs and leagues not only filled in the void but also helped promote the game. Basketball was becoming so popular that the forebear to the NCAA, known as the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States and the Amateur Athletic Union fought for control of the game’s rules and of its future.

A little known fact is that during those first decades, basketball was primarily played with soccer balls, which were difficult to dribble. Most games consisted of players passing the ball to each other in order to advance it up and down the court. It wasn’t for some time until a ball was specifically designed and made for basketball and frequently basketballs were irregularly made, creating an odd scene for modern basketball fans. It wasn’t until the late 1940s when college basketball was becoming insanely popular and viable enough to pave the way for the National Basketball Association’s popularity that Tony Hinkle developed the orange basketball that fans are so familiar with. Of course, it should not be forgotten that Naismith was also influential in the promotion and creation of men’s college basketball when he became the University of Kansas ‘ first basketball team. And believably, many of Naismith’s first students and disciples became important in the history of college basketball including Amos Alonzo Stagg, Forrest “Phog” Allen, and Adolph Rupp.

For more information on basketball, visit http://www.basketballmicroblog.com and http://www.basketballmicroblogging.com.

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Source by John Parks

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BasketBall

The history of basketball finds it way back to the year 1891. It was a Canadian physical education instructor by the name of James Naismith who introduced the game of basketball to the world. He was born in Ontario and taught physical education at McGill University and Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. James Naismith, during his stint with Springfield College, a YMCA training school during that time, invented the indoor sport with able support and guidance from the American phys-ed specialist Luther Hasley.

The game commenced with 18 men at Springfield College in Massachusetts. Naismith was given a deadline of 14 days to create an indoor game that would provide “an athletic distraction” (in the words of Hasley) to the nasty and disorderly class. It was a tough call for Naismith, who had to exercise a lot of patience and infuse positive enthusiasm into the minds of his students to engage in an outdoor game that was to be played indoors in the best way possible. He recalled a game he used to play as a child and improvised on its concept.

Naismith was instrumental in laying down 13 rules for the basketball game. The rules stated that the ball should be thrown in any direction with one or both hands. He made it clear that a person could not run with the ball. The player should throw it from the place from which he caught the ball in the first place.  Players had to refrain from using the fist when handling or batting the ball. He had termed shouldering, holding, tripping, pushing or striking in any way of an opponent as a foul in the first instance. If things of this nature happened the second time, the person who caused the infringement of the rule would be disqualified or would not be substituted at all. If any side made three consecutive fouls, it was to be counted as a goal for the opposing side.

Naismith also made it clear that if the ball went out of bounds, it had to be thrown into the field of play by the person touching it. This player had the right to hold the ball for only five seconds. If held longer, the chance to throw went to the opposing side.  He gave special importance to the umpire who had to judge the player and report to the referee when players made three consecutive fouls. He defined the time period of the game as being comprised of two fifteen-minute halves with fifteen minutes breaks in between. Naismith concluded that the side making the most goals was to be termed as winner.

The game caught the fancy of the YMCA class and the popularity of the game grew, though Naismith quietly shied away from taking any credit for his invention.  He wanted the game to be enjoyed as a recreational activity, but he never imagined that the game would soon develop into a passionate and intensely competitive sport. Naismith’s moment of glory came, however, when he was invited by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) to witness basketball become an Olympic sport at the 1936 games in Berlin. He passed away in 1939 and since then the game has grown in fame and prosperity the world over. In 1959, James Naismith entered the Basketball Hall of Fame (called the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame)

The first formal rules for the game were introduced in 1895. It was not until 1897 that teams of five players on each side became standard in the history of basketball.  Iron hoops and a hammock style basket came into existence in 1893. A decade later, open-ended nets came into existence, which did away with the practice of manually retrieving the ball from the basket each time a goal was made.  After the end of World War II, there was a need to infuse sports entertainment into the large sports arenas during the times not occupied by pro hockey and college basketball games

. This gave rise to the history of basketball in its pure, professional championship format.

Walter Brown of Boston introduced professional basketball in the form of the Basketball Association of America in the summer of 1946. The esteemed members of the new league were New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Providence, Toronto, St. Louis, and Boston.   The league played in big arenas in large cities but the players were not as talented as the ones in the National Basketball League, the recognized league operating chiefly in smaller cities in the Midwest. However, some people from the NBL joined the fray and the strength of B.A.A picked up as college stars and fresh young talent entered the league. The regular season started and the Washington Capitols were the clear winners in the Eastern Division, with the Philadelphia Warriors taking second place and the New York Knickerbockers grabbing the third and final playoff spot.

The Western Division had the Chicago Stags narrowly edging out the St.Louis Bombers with a one-gain tiebreaker at the end of the regular season. The Cleveland Rebels acquired the third playoff spot.  The playoff system devised by the league pitted the first ranking teams, the second ranking teams and the third ranking teams against each other in the opening round. The games began with the Stags usurping the Caps in six games and Philadelphia outdoing St. Louis in a three-game showdown of second-place finishers, while New York defeated Cleveland in three games in the third bracket. The Warriors defeated the Knicks to move into the finals with the Stags.

The finals of the first championship of BAA (the present day NBA) opened in Philadelphia with Joe Fulks scoring 37 points, leading his Warriors to a victory against the Stags. Though the Stags won the fourth game, the Warriors won the overall title with an 83-80 victory with a 34-point contribution from Fulks. Howie Dallmar is credited with hitting the winning basket to break an 80-80 tie, with only a minute left before the finish of the game. 

The history of Basketball has witnessed a lot of landmark events that have increased the popularity of the game to dizzying heights. It is almost a second religion to the sport-loving people in the US. No doubt, basketball is heralded as a sport that gives a healthy balance to the physical, mental and spiritual state. This is truly the game that keeps you on your toes!

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Source by Dr.Anees

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The Canadian, Dr. James Naismith, a physical education instructor, while at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, invented the game of basketball, in 1891. The following year, in 1892, he put together the rules of the game, and the first game of college basketball involved 18 players from YMCA, Springfield, who split into two teams of nine each. This was in 1893.

The first recorded instance when a basketball game involved at least one college team was between Geneva College and New Brighton, YMCA, on April 8, 1893, in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, which Geneva College won. Geneva College calls itself ‘The Birthplace of College Basketball.’

It was on February 9, 1895, that two basketball teams from two different colleges – Minnesota State School of Agriculture, and the Porkers of Hamline College – played the first college basketball game. Minnesota won 9-3. Naismith’s original ‘peach basket’ rules were in force, and had nine players to each side.

The Modern College Basketball Games

The very first five to a side college basketball game was between the University of Chicago and the University of Iowa, played in Iowa City, Iowa on January 18, 1896. Chicago won 15-12. The first inter-collegiate basketball game was between Wesleyan University and Yale in New Haven, Connecticut, which Wesleyan won 4-3.

By the 1900s, many colleges all over the United States were fielding basketball teams. By 1906, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was formed in Chicago, and the first tournament of the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Championship was held in 1939 at Evanston, Illinois in front of an audience of 5,500 fans. Oregon took the first National Championship by beating Ohio State – 46 to 33. That was the only time Oregon has ever reached the finals of this tournament.

In 1940, the first televised college basketball games were played at the Madison Square Garden. Since then, there has been no end to the popularity of college basketball.

March Madness

NCAA’s Men’s Division I Basketball Championship is colloquially known as the March Madness, as the tournament is mostly held in March, each year. It is also called so as it ignites such frenzy among the followers of college basketball. This single elimination tournament takes place over a three-week period across the United States, and features 65 college basketball teams.

The term March Madness now refers to both – the men’s and women’s tournament. Traditionally, the semifinals and the finals of the Men’s championship is played on a Saturday and the following Monday, whereas the Women’s championship semifinal is played on a Sunday, followed by Tuesday, for the finals.

Florida won the 2007 NCAA Men’s Division I Championship beating Ohio State 84-75 at Atlanta Georgia, whereas the 2007 NCAA Women’s Division I Championship went to Tennessee, who beat Rutgers, 59-46, in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Tickets

The easiest way to procure your college basketball tickets is through the services of legitimate ticket brokers.

Legitimate ticket brokers have a reputation to maintain and ensure your college basketball tickets for the games of your choice are delivered to your door.

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Source by Al Terry