NBA Notes (March 23rd)Written by Dan Wilson
Could NBA regular season end a couple of weeks earlier?Yes. The season now ends on April 20 and playoffs begin April 23. If regular season ended on April 6 it would fit nicely with hoopla that surrounds NCAA’s men’s Final Four plus NBA’s playoffs could begin April 9. This maneuver would reduce regular season from current 82 games to 74. Would this provide for more meaningful late season games, and more inspired play? Absolutely. Approximately one-third of league is realistically out of playoff picture. They have lost a combined 500 games. Who wants to watch New Orleans and Atlanta square off? Another large group are heading into playoffs and are trying to stave off threat of injuries. San Antonio’s Tim Duncan has sprained his ankle twice in last two weeks, and may not play again this regular season. The second sprain may not have even occurred if season ended April 9. Obviously loss of a key player can severely jeopardize a team’s quest for a championship. Ray Allen of Seattle is a similar example.
| | Utah Quarter Horse Association Kicks Off Horse Race Season with Fun for the FamilyWritten by Billy Peterson
Salt Lake City, Utah – Get ready to make tracks to Laurel Brown Equestrian Park in South Jordan to witness fastest sport on earth. The Utah Quarter Horse Association (UQHA) prepares to kick off its 2005 racing season with five race days in Utah, running April 30th – June 18th.The UQHA is introducing a number of new family-focused activities to entertain and educate attendees on Quarter Horse racing. Features include kids stick horse races, kids foot races, and free race track orientation tours. In addition, UQHA will hold dog races on two separate race days. Another race season feature is Youth Day, a program held on June 18th that encourages awareness and participation in Quarter Horse racing activities for high-school aged kids. Participants will learn how to care for horses, witness race preparations, and discuss riding tips with jockeys. “We are pleased to offer a number of new programs and activities for horse race fans this year,” said Billy Peterson, UQHA Director. “It will allow us to better serve fans, educate people on Quarter Horses, and of course show people how exciting horse racing can be.” The popularity of horse racing has increased significantly over past several years. It is now one of most widely attended spectator sports in United States. Especially popular in southwestern United States, Quarter Horse racing takes place at tracks, county fairs, and rodeos. As name implies, Quarter Horses compete at distances of generally 440 yards (0.4 km), in sprints that last approximately 20 seconds.
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