Author Archives: FSM Staff

FSM Scouting Report: 30 For 30 Shark

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Book/Movie Title: 30 For 30: Shark

Total Pages/Duration: 76 minutes

Author/Director: Jason Hehir & Thomas Odelfelt

Pace of Play: Watching this documentary is similar to playing 18 holes of golf. Kind of dull for the most part but you do get some great moments of interest and excitement mixed in. While this doc clocks in just under 80 minutes, it feels like you’ve been watching for 2 hours by the time the credits roll.

Strengths: The strength of this documentary lies in the accessibility of Greg Norman. He takes on all questions about “choking” and even takes a literal walk through the Master’s course at Augusta, home of his 1996 heartbreak. He’s honest but also seems like he’s in denial. An honest denial? While the viewer gets a condensed back story and buildup, this documentary is really all about that 1996 choke job.

Weaknesses: Maybe we were spoiled by The Last Dance because there was no true drama in this doc. At times, things got boring. Norman’s low volume monotone voice didn’t help matters.

Unique Attributes: One the director’s is the same person who directed The Last Dance. There are some noticeable similarities in styles of each film.

The loveable Jack Nicklaus makes appearances throughout this documentary with some great insights. Always classy never sassy. Scott Van Pelt (SVP) also pops up often.

A montage of Norman driving Ferraris and riding on to golf courses on helicopters was perfectly set to ZZ Top’s Sharp Dressed Man. Some would say it’s the highlight of the entire film.  

Scout’s Recommendations: Subscribers of ESPN+ have access to this film and should definitely consider giving it a stream. It’s not really a film just for golf fans – most people will be able to relate to that moment of truth in their own life. Did they pull through under pressure or did they just pull a Shark?

Find out more about 30 For 30: Shark by clicking here.

Diveheart Adaptive Scuba Diving Trip Transforms Filmmaker’s Life

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(NewsUSA) – Scuba diving can be an exotic and enriching activity for anyone, but for individuals with a range of physical or cognitive disabilities, the unique weightlessness of the underwater environment allows them to exercise, relax, have fun and gain confidence like no other experience. Children and adults with challenges, including traumatic brain injuries, amputation, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and blindness can enjoy the physical and psychological benefits of scuba diving.

Diveheart, a Downers Grove, Ill.,-based nonprofit tax-exempt organization, has been helping youth, veterans and others with disabilities through adaptive scuba and scuba therapy since 2001.Last year, Los Angeles filmmaker David Marsh accompanied a Diveheart team on a scuba trip to Cozumel, Mexico, to make a documentary about the organization and its mission. For Marsh, the experience was life-changing, as he completed the trip and his filming despite the tragic personal loss of his son to a drug overdose just one week earlier.On the last day of the trip, Marsh shared his loss with the Diveheart team.

“David Marsh is amazing and awesome. Despite his loss and grief, he soldiered on and captured the spirit, love and hope that emerges from every Diveheart trip,” says Diveheart’s founder and president, Jim Elliott.”He captured the essence of our mission and shared the real-life experience of what Diveheart does to help those with disabilities experience freedom underwater.”

In the documentary, every day embraces a theme; day one is trust, day two is freedom and day three is adapting. Audiences will see how Marsh translated the feelings of the adaptive divers, who shared their losses, struggles, fears and hopes.

“We are so grateful to David for capturing Diveheart in action,” Elliott emphasizes. “My hope for this documentary is to raise awareness to Diveheart’s mission: to revolutionize rehabilitation by using zero gravity underwater to help those with everything from mobility issues to chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. We help our participants find that self-confidence, personal strength and independence, and we will continue to do so in the years to come.

The documentary, “Adapting To Dive,” premieres at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave. in Downers Grove, Ill. To see a trailer of the documentary, click here. Tickets are $12 for general admission and accessible seating.For more information about the documentary and tickets, click here.

Visit diveheart.org for more information about Diveheart. 

FSM Retro Reviews: The Craps Underground

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FSM takes a looks back at Thomas “Irshsetter” Morgan’s classic scorched earth review of the controversial 2004 book The Craps Underground – The Inside Story of How Dice Controllers Are Winning Millions from the Casinos.

“Scoblete’s new book depicts the real world of dice influencing about as accurately as Hogan’s Heroes depicted life in a World War II German POW camp.”

That was my initial impression of Scoblete’s new book which I posted on the message board a few weeks back. Now I’ve had a chance to re-read the book a couple of times and fully digest it. Fortunately, I acquired one of the pre-release copies of the book, gratis. I would have had a SERIOUS case of buyers remorse had I actually paid $24.95 for this 315 page hard cover dog.

My complete review follows.

I read a lot. I spend an hour and a half each work day on a train, so I go through books quickly. In my library, I have probably 40 to 50 books on craps specifically or gambling in general. In all the gambling books I’ve read, I can unequivocally say that no matter how poorly written or conceived the book was, I’ve always found some redeeming quality in the book. The Craps Underground is the exception. If a good gambling book is like a delicious filet mignon, this book is more akin to the stuff they feed people on the TV show, Fear Factor.

Let’s start with the ENTIRE title of the book. The Craps Underground – The Inside Story of How Dice Controllers Are Winning Millions from the Casinos. Pure, unadulterated hype. For arguments sake, we’ll assume that “Millions” means something more than one or two million, ten million would be a reasonable starting point, and it’s at least implied that it also means millions in net profit. Last spring, Frank Scoblete estimated that there are fewer than 200 skilled “dice controllers” operating in the US. By doing a little division, that would mean on average, those 200 dice “controllers” are taking down $50,000 in profits, each. Except for a few rather well bankrolled shooters, there is no evidence that the average dice controller is showing that kind of profit. Yes, many dice influencers are consistently profitable but the title alone, and I’ll repeat myself here, is unadulterated hype.

So, now let’s get into the book a bit. Chapter one opens with Scoblete having a marathon winning session with the dicecoach, Beau Parker. Here’s how Scoblete describes the session with the dicecoach,

“…seven glorious hours shooting dice with a fellow dice controller and newfound friend known as the ‘Bodacious One,’ Beau Parker.”

This session, and these warm expressions of friendship for the dicecoach occurred just a few months prior to the formation of GTC. I’ll get back to that later.

Let’s dive a little further into this drivel. In the early chapters, we get to hear Scoblete wax poetically about “the Captain,” again. Yawn…. hasn’t he beaten that horse to death yet? Then he introduces various future members of the GTC organization. Apparently, these guys never lose! Or if they do happen to have a poor session, it is quickly followed by a miraculous comeback. AMAZING! There are a couple of chapters on “The Lee Brothers.” These two chapters are almost engaging. Except for one thing. OF COURSE “The Lee Brothers” coincidentally have read all of Scoblete’s books, and religiously play like the captain. Subtle as a freight train, that Scoblete.

There’s a chapter on the Las Vegas Craps Festival which I participated in. Scoblete briefly mentions me here, and he certainly had the opportunity to take some shots at me if he wanted to. Surprisingly he didn’t though, for whatever reason. However, he did misrepresent what I discussed that day. Here’s what he had to say about me.

“Irishsetter has strong opinions.”

Well, he got THAT part right but later went on to say,

“In fact, Irishsetter made a strong pitch that people shouldn’t be paying or charging to learn dice control, that all the information should be free.”

In all actuality, I said nothing of the sort. The gist of my discussion was twofold. One, that aspiring dice influencers should learn as much as possible for free, or as cheaply as they can, and two, that there is no one single correct philosophy on how to set, grip and throw the dice. My opinion today is no different. If you’re interested, I have an article on dicesetter.com which goes further into my discussion that day called, The “Missing” Tape – The Article. My guess is that given the opportunity, Scoblete didn’t want to take any obvious shots at me, but instead chose to misrepresent my discussion in an attempt to embarrass me since I do occasionally participate in seminars. What IS missing in the book, is what Scoblete talked about that day. One of the major points of his discussion was that dice influencers would soon begin to experience the kind of heat that card counters get if they didn’t go “underground.” It seems Scoblete had a change of heart. Either that, or his definition of going “underground” is hyping dice influencing in books, holding seminars in casinos, and advertising dice control on the radio and in newspapers and magazines.

Blah, blah, blah. Several chapters not even worth mentioning.

OK, what’s next. Scoblete raids Jerry Patterson’s PARR organization of most of the coaching staff and Golden Touch Craps is born. Despite the fact that I’m intimately knowledgeable about many of the personalities involved here, these chapters are about as interesting as watching hibernating bears. I have to give Scoblete credit though. He mentions his GTC staff and as many hangers on in the GTC periphery as often as possible. Why? Because the average Joe will think it’s really “neat” that Frank Scoblete put them in his book. Pathetic? Yes. But, those folks in the periphery will go out on amazon.com, buy multiple copies of the book, and write a glowing review so their friends will buy it and see their names in print. Oh Boy!

Now we get to the “A and E Special.” It’s my opinion that the truth lies somewhere between what was broadcast by A and E, what has been written on the various web sites, and what is written in this book about the special. What Scoblete wants you to believe is that A and E decided not to broadcast the footage of all the winning sessions that actually occurred. This despite the fact that the A and E special was basically a feel-good piece. The funny thing about the A and E special is that the dicecoach, who was the main focus, invited Frank Scoblete to join him. (Scoblete then invited several other folks. What a guy!) Remember how they’d become “friends” during their marathon craps shoot several months earlier? It seems that ‘ole Scoblete is beginning to have a change of heart again. You see, Scoblete in the A and E chapter elaborates these wonderful stories about the GTC folks involved, but basically trashes everyone else who is not involved with GTC like the dicecoach, Soft Touch, and Hardways.

Blah, blah, blah. A couple more chapters not even worth mentioning.

Ah…finally we’re heading to the conclusion of the book. Scoblete closes the book with his Las Vegas Diary. This portion of the book was published on his site several months back, so I was familiar with this part already. I’ll give you the long and short of his 15 day diary here. Frank wins. Frank says wonderful things about the various GTC folks he plays with. Frank says nasty things about various other people he comes across. They lament that Treasure Island isn’t as friendly as it used to be. Boo-hoo-hoo. Frank and his playing partners lose, but miraculously have a comeback! Heard this before? What is really interesting about the diary is how Scoblete trashes dicecoach, again. Remember, in the opening of the book, Frank and Beau are “newfound friends.” Now, just a year later, here are just a few things that Scoblete now has to say about dicecoach. When asked if Frank knew the dicecoach, he replied,

“No, no” and “I barely know him.”

Apparently he doesn’t even have the cojones to refer to Beau by his name or his moniker at this point. Throughout the diary he refers to him now as “Crapsguy” and basically lays blame on Beau for whatever heat they experience in the casino. Frank writes,

“Some GTC members had a theory that the Crapsguy, the freelance dice-control instructor, had been too public, aggressive and up-front at the tables about what he was doing…”

This coming from the Scoblete is a hoot! He goes on to say,

“even when GTC did our course at Sam’s Town in Tunica we were laid back at the tables and never talked about dice control or handed our business cards across the table to drum up new business as the Crapsguy is wont to do.”

Again, from Scoblete’s pen, this is a riot. I mean, he’s holding a seminar in a casino for Pete’s sake and he complaining about the dicecoach handing out his business card? Besides, just a few pages earlier in the book, Scoblete had elaborated the following story which occurred at the Green Valley Ranch crap tables.

“..a dealer at Sunset Station, who likes to play at Green Valley Ranch, complimented me on my style. I gave him one of our Craps Club Black Chips with our phone number, and whispered to him if he was interested in learning how to roll like that give us a call.”

So, Frank will deride you for behavior that he himself exhibits. Hmmm. What’s that saying? Oh yeah. Pot – Kettle – Black.

I wonder how Beau the dicecoach would have been portrayed in the The Craps Underground had he accepted GTC’s invitation to join their organization. You think perhaps THAT had something to do with Frank’s change of heart, from “friend” to “the Crapsguy?”

Basically, the book in a nutshell is this. 70% of the book is an infomercial for GTC. 20% of the book is various trip reports. Don’t worry. The few sessions which aren’t profitable for Scoblete? Just read on, a miraculous comeback is in store. The final 10% of the book is the subtle trashing of anyone who is not involved with GTC or a member of the GTC flock.

If you read the jacket cover of the book, and anything else Scoblete writes for that matter, it says,

“Frank Scoblete is the number-one best-selling gaming author in America..”

If that’s true, and people really do think Scoblete has something to say, well, then, my mother was right when she said,

“Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.”

About the Author: Thomas Morgan aka Irishsetter is the webmaster of http://www.dicesetter.com and is widely recognized in the gambling community as an expert in dice influencing.

How to Cheat at Golf

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by Stephen Bye

I have been around the game of golf since I was a young teenager, working as a caddie at a private country club. I have played over 2,000 rounds with hundreds of golfers and participate in amateur tournaments and match play at my private golf clubs. I have observed the most gross violations of the rules on the course, as well as how golfers rig official handicaps. The following is a summary of the best tactics to win at golf by cheating.

On the course: 1 Improve your golf ball lie or position on the course. This is best accomplished by a little foot kick or a short flick of a golf iron. Never actually pick up the ball and flip it because your playing partners might observe your actions. Here’s another great suggestion…keep another golf ball in your pocket (with a small hole) to surreptitiously drop the ball down your pant leg without anyone seeing it, but always be certain the second ball is the same brand and markings as the first ball in case the other golfers know what ball you’re played from the tee.

2. Bribe a caddie to walk well ahead of the group to your ball location and use one of the techniques above. In a match, also demand the caddie puts your opponent’s ball in a difficult lie.

3. On the putting green, be very generous on the distance to the hole for a “gimme”. If the local practice is to use the putter grip for an “in the leather” rule for a “gimme”, use a putter with a longer shaft or one with a much shorter grip.

4. If a bush obstructs your swing angle, use your body, or ask your caddie to bend the branches back to allow an unobstructed swing. Better yet, have a metal clipper in your bag so the branch can simply be cut.

5. If your golf ball lands in long rough, stomp on the grass or weeds repeatedly stepping until you have a clear path to strike the golf ball. If your golf shoes have spikes, for a better effect, use the bottom of the golf shoe to dig a clear path.

6. Use ample mulligans. Justify hitting a second ball by blaming a playing partner or caddie for creating a distraction or for other surprises…a sudden car horn, an overhead airplane, a bird or animal sound, an unexpected wind change, etc. Be creative.

7. Never take a 2-shot penalty if you hit your ball out of bounds…blame the owner of the club for being too cheap for not buying enough land when the course was designed. Without taking a penalty, drop your golf ball near the spot where it sailed over the OB stake.

8. Never identify your golf ball brand to your playing partners in advance or mark your golf ball. If you can’t find your own ball in the rough but discover an abandoned ball, claim it as your shot.

9. When marking your golf ball on the green, quickly nudge the mark an inch forward under the ball; when replacing the ball, hover your hand over the ball and spot it at least 2 inches ahead of the mark.

10. Create a distraction and simultaneously tap the golf ball a few inches closer to the hole on the green.

11. When hitting out of a sand bunker, never play the shot if anyone can see the ball…you want to be able to touch the sand behind the ball to help your focus without incurring a penalty.

12. Tee your golf ball at least a yard in front of the tee markers.

Scoring:

1. Insist on being the scorekeeper for the group and record a few lower scores than you actually had. Your playing partners may never audit the final scorecard.

2. If another player is scoring, just lie about your reported score. Very few players will ever challenge your count.

3. Tell your playing partners that you’re keeping your own score by using an app or simply suggest you have perfect memory to recall your score on every hole.

4. Even if the scorekeeper has been focused on recording every player’s score properly hole by hole, distract the scorekeeper at the conclusion of the round, swiftly swipe the scorecard, and immediately destroy it. When the scorekeeper attempts to reconstruct individual scores for 18 holes, you can easily lie about your score on a few holes… no one can possibly remember every shot for 4 players.

Recording scores for handicap posting

1. Most regular golfers have an official handicap used for adjusting scores for competition. The easiest way to cheat is to tell your opponents you don’t maintain a handicap. You can then make up a high number.

2. If you have an official handicap, add a few strokes to your score when posting.

3. Never record a great score.

4. If someone checks the handicap system and confronts you for not recording scores, simply tell them you forgot; if they see an inflated score posted, blame the pro shop for mistakenly entering your score; or you accidentally typed in an incorrect the score because of your fat fingers or nervousness when using a laptop. If you are really desperate for an excuse, explain that you have been diagnosed with dementia.

5. When posting your score into the handicap system, type your inflated score to match the easiest tee than the one you actually played…this can easily add 2 or 3 strokes to your official handicap.

6. Add inflated scores from other courses, whether you physically played them or not…no one can possibly follow you around to check where and when you play outside of your regular club.

7. Currently, the official scoring rule limits your maximum score on a hole to two shots above the course handicap for that hole. To inflate your official score posting, ignore this rule.

8. Play alone and record terrible scores.

There are hundreds of official rules in the game of golf. One general excuse for cheating is that you’ve never had the time to read the rules book.

Author: Steven Bye

Billabong: A Brief History Of Australia’s Most Iconic Surf Brand

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If you’ve been around in Earth for quite a while now, then you’ve surely read or heard of Billabong. You may have seen Billabong mens knit woven shirts and noticed the iconic double wave logo.

Founded in 1973, Billabong has since been one of the leading companies in manufacturing and selling surfing wear. With the company now on its 48th year of operations, let us take a brief look into the history of Australia’s most iconic surf brand.

Gordon Merchant, one of the founders, liked to travel a lot in Australia during the late 60s and 70s, totally embracing the surfing lifestyle. The goals of his travels were to find the best surfing spot to settle in. He would pack maps, tents, sleeping bags, and surfboards unto a Kombi van to aid him in his travels.

This surfing brand giant started with humble beginnings. Thanks to his experience when travelling in the years prior, Gordon learned to develop breakthrough innovations in surfing gear. Billabong mens shorts in its earliest form is the starter of the business. The founders, Gordon and Rena Merchant designed and made boardshorts at their home and sold them to the local surf shops. The durability of their boardshorts were the its biggest strength, a quality soon noticed by surfers in the area.

In order to boost the new company’s exposure and business, Billabong started hosting surfing events. This proved to be a very smart move which caused the company to grow faster. By the 80s, Billabong mens shorts were already available all throughout Australia. With the whole of Australia included in their operations, Billabong started putting their sights towards exporting products to other surf-loving countries – New Zealand, Japan, USA, and South Africa.

Billabong grew fast. With this fast growth, the company started to make acquisitions of other sport-related brands. Gordon followed his customer’s wants and needs and ventured into different kinds of board sports. Billabong reached a peak where is managed around 10 sport-related brands including Von Zipper, Kustom, Xcel, and RVCA.

The growth and acquisition continued to grow, but that growth was halted in 2012. Billabong experienced serious financial difficulties. Some say that Billabong got too much on their hands due to their acquisitions, losing clear sight of their core business strategy. Sales dropped and profits declined.

Billabong was able to make deals with the US that enabled the company to get back on its feet. Billabong sold some of its previous acquisitions get back their focus on their main business plan, perhaps confirming the speculation that the company was spread thin due the multiple brands they need to manage.

Today, Billabong is now back on its feet, backed up by the constant support of the community of customers that put their trust on the company. For now, we have yet to see what Billabong would become in the future. In the meantime, we can still be sure that we can still get the best quality boards, shorts, and gear including Billabong mens knit wovens from the beloved Australian brand.

To get your very own Billabong mens knits wovens shirt, be sure to look up Hansensurf online. Or if you want to wear and experience the iconic Billabong mens shorts , visit Hansensurf website to get the best Billabong product deals.

FSM Scouting Report: Wish It Lasted Forever

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Book/Movie Title: Wish It Lasted Forever: Life with the Larry Bird Celtics

Total Pages/Duration: 226 (hardcover version)

Author/Director: Dan Shaughnessy

Pace of Play: Just like the 80’s Celtics, this book is fast paced in spurts with most of the action bunched in the middle. Motivated readers (i.e., Boston folks) will finish this in one sitting while most will take 2-3 days.

Strengths: The driving force of this book is the collection of Red Auerbach stories that are peppered in from start to finish. It makes the reader feel like Red is always there and that he could appear at any moment (not too different than his actual behavior).

Weaknesses: The author spends a little too much time talking about himself, his road to working the Celtics Beat, and the good old days of sports journalism (we think the first 40 pages of a 226-page book is too much time). While the book title indicates all stories would flow through Larry Legend, he does not pop up too often. It’s kind of like of all those Netflix movies with Bruce Willis on the movie poster. When you actually watch them, he shows up for about 12 minutes (and they are terrible). It would have been more appropriate to include Red Auerbach in the title of this book. There certainly seem to be more stories about him than Larry Bird.

Photograph by Stan Grossfeld, Boston Globe

Unique Attributes: What this book lacks in new Larry Bird stories it makes up for in tales involving other team members. Bill Walton stories and his relationship to the Grateful Dead were particularly interesting as was learning which 1980’s in-flight movie was playing during various road trips. And perhaps the guiltiest pleasures came when reading about Bill Fitch’s slow demise as head coach. Random factoids are also presented and will keep you engaged. Did you know tanking was an issue way back in 1983? It was and it led to the creation of the lottery which delivered Michael “Air” Jordan to the Chicago Bulls and Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon to the Houston Rockets.   

Scout’s Recommendations: In a recent episode of Family Guy, the lovable Homer Simpson rip-off Peter Griffin had to come to terms with the 80’s being dead. His jokes and gags no longer got laughs and no one understood his dated references. His family begged him to let the 80’s go which he did with some help from John Hughes. Had Dan Shaughnessy seen this episode prior to writing Wish It Lasted Forever, he may not have written it. While very interesting at times, this book seemed like an unnecessary trip down memory lane. Perhaps its creation was brought on by the confines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Or maybe it started as a memoir of sorts, meant to be passed around to old colleagues and basketball insiders. Whatever the reason, reading this book is just another reminder that the 80’s ARE dead. We recommend you skip this one unless you’re a Boston Celtics fan.     

Pop-Culture Spotlight: Galleta Meadows

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Desert Art, or “Sky Art” as it’s commonly referred to these days, has been gaining popularity in the age of the iPhone. People in the United States (California in particular) have been flocking to remote areas to get some pretty cool pictures of random, rusted metal sculptures.

Some say the crown jewel of Sky Art is found in a hidden spot called Galleta Meadows. The Sky Art here is spread out over 1500 acres of desert. All Sky Art is accessible by vehicle but parking and walking around for a few miles would make the experience more enjoyable. It would definitely make for some flat, easy hiking.

So where is this hidden gem of desert art? Where can you find these large metal sculptures for purposes of some really cool selfies? Let’s just say it’s down south near San Diego, California. If you hit Mexico, you’ve gone too far (but not by much).

Free Sports Magazine recently took a trip to this remote location. While we’re no experts in Sky Art, it was among the best we’ve ever seen. Enjoy the exclusive photos and read more about Galleta Meadows below.

The following info comes directly from the Keeper of the Meadows:

The Under the Sun Foundation is inspired by the work of Dennis Avery, the late landowner of Galleta Meadows in Borrego Springs, and his passion for bringing art to the local community and its visitors. Mr. Avery had 130 large scale, free-standing, metal sculptures produced by artist Ricardo Breceda, and referred to them as Sky Art. Spread over 1500+ acres of undeveloped desert land, these larger than life creations welcome the public to discover and enjoy art outdoors, surrounded by the rich and diverse desert environs of Borrego Springs.

The Under the Sun Foundation seeks to breathe new life and meaning into the existing sculptures…We at the Under the Sun Foundation are excited to see where our evolution might take us. We use Dennis Avery’s work and Borrego Springs as a point of inspiration, and expect to add new geographies, artistic endeavors, and ways to engage with our environment and one another over the coming years.

We invite you to take part in the journey!

L.A. Comic-Con Draws Nearly 100,000 Fans in 3 Days

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Los Angeles Comic-Con 2021 drew an impressive 94,900 fans this past weekend. While it provided a little something for everyone, the best thing was simply that IT”S BACK BABY! FreeSportsMagazine.com was on hand and is pleased to share some of these exclusive photos and videos directly with you. Don’t miss your chance to attend when it returns next year or comes to a city near you!

L.A. Comic Con is Nigh! Massive Info Dump

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December 2021 brings with it the return of L.A. Comic Con – IN PERSON! Thousands and thousands of geeks and gamers (said affectionately as we are such geeks) will make their way to Los Angeles to experience the latest in comics, science fiction, gaming, and pop-culture. FSM will be on hand. More on that later. For now, the good folks at L.A. Comic Con have treated us with a massive news dump about the event! See below for the latest info:

L.A. COMIC CON CELEBRATES A RETURN TO FULL-SCALE IN-PERSON EVENTS WITH SPECIAL GUESTS ZACHARY LEVI, MING-NA WEN, GIANCARLO ESPOSITO, BRUCE CAMPBELL, AND SPECIAL STAR TREK EXPERIENCE FEATURING NICHELLE NICHOLS  
Programming Includes West Hall eSports, Gaming, and Anime Experience, Smallville Nights, Cosplay National Championship, Laugh Factory Comedy Show, and cast members from Boy Meets World, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Arrow, My Hero Academia, and much more!

L.A. Comic Con to Implement Numerous COVID-19 Health and Safety Measures in Compliance with State and Local Policies and Guidance

WHAT: L.A. Comic Con, L.A.’s largest event for comics, gaming, sci-fi and pop culture, signals a return to full-scale in-person events, leading the way as the first Southern California convention of its kind to bring fans back since October 2019. Full compliance with all Los Angeles Department of Public Health CV-19 guidelines for mega events will be strictly followed, including proof of vaccination or negative test results, and masks will be worn by all attendees. In 2019, over 123,000 fans attended L.A. Comic Con for celebrity panels, autograph signings, activations, comics, cosplay, and pop culture fanfare. The event plays host to 800+ diverse artists and vendors, selling comics, collectibles, art, toys, apparel, and everything in-between. This year, attendees will get up close and personal with some of the biggest and best names in the entertainment industry with a handpicked selection of panels, events, special exhibits, and meet and greet opportunities. Special guests include Zachary Levi, Ming-Na Wen, Giancarlo Esposito, Bruce Campbell, Nichelle Nichols, Tom Kenny, Tom Welling, and many more.

WHEN: The Los Angeles Comic Con will take place December 3–5, 2021.

WHERE:
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Schedule Highlights:

Show Hours

  •  Friday, December 3: 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 4:  9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 5: 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Consistent with Los Angeles Department of Public Health Guidelines, for this year’s convention, here are a few extra measures that will be taken to ensure the health and safety of everyone attending are considered:

  • There will be three entrances — one in the South Hall and two in the West Hall — employing over 20 magnetometers to spread out and speed up COVID-19 and safety checks
  • All fans and guests will pass through two checkpoints: a COVID vaccination/negative test verification station and then security. Free PCR tests (results available in 15 minutes) will be available for those lacking vaccine verification
  • All convention goers will be required to wear face coverings while attending the event
  • All cleaning standards from LA County and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will be followed before, in between and after all sessions
  • Extra space: With well over 1.2 million-square feet of exhibition space (double the space from 2019), fans will have plenty of room to spread out and maintain safe distances

Programming Includes:

A Star Trek Experience
L.A. Comic Con is teaming up with Atomic Studios to bring you the ultimate celebration of Star Trek, honoring Nichelle Nichols and her contribution to society and pop culture. L.A. Comic Con will host the ultimate Trekkie experience on Saturday and Sunday. Over 35,000-square feet of exhibit space will be dedicated to all-things Star Trek and space exploration. Join over 20 actors from all the Star Trek series for panels, content, merchandise, photo opportunities, and more for an experience that is truly out of this world.

West Hall Expansion Featuring eSports, Gaming, and Anime
L.A. Comic Con is taking over the West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center for the first time, thanks to its partnership with PCB Productions. In the 147,000-square-foot West Hall, fans will have the opportunity to watch competitive gaming on the Tiltify Arena stage, created by The Trade Group, past producers of I.E.M. and Dreamhack events. With seating for 800–1,000 patrons, the Arena will be the center point of a hall where fans can play PC games on high-end computers, attend workshops, and interact with some of the top video game and Anime voice-over talent in the industry in intimate settings. Fans will be able to participate in Thankmas, a fundraising campaign to help end global homelessness.

Sideshow Booth
Pop culture collectibles giant Sideshow is exhibiting at Los Angeles Comic Con for the very first time. Sideshow’s booth will feature high end collectibles inspired by fan-favorite characters from the worlds of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and more — including many that will be making their first physical convention debut.

Laugh Factory Comedy Show
Iconic comedy club Laugh Factory is taking over the Main Stage on Friday night of L.A. Comic Con with an exciting two-hour lineup. Fans can kick off their L.A. Comic Con weekend by laughing out loud with some of the best names in stand-up comedy.

6th Annual Cosplay National Championship
Cosplayers will compete for cash and other prizes in the 6th Annual Cosplay National Championship in one of three categories: Master, Journeyman, or Novice. All genres are welcome including characters from film, television, theater, comics, video games, sci-fi, anime, horror, and original creations.

Smallville Nights
Join your favorite Clark Kent and Lex Luthor as they bring some of your favorite Smallville moments to life. Tom Welling (Clark Kent/Superman) and Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) will be reading scenes from the series and bringing fans up to act and improv. Enjoy and laugh as Welling and Rosenbaum attempt to get through scenes from the pilot and beyond without breaking character.

Raised by Wolves Season 2 Sneak Peek
L.A. Comic Con is presenting a sneak peek of HBO Max’s original drama series, Raised by Wolves. The series is produced by Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions, with Scott, Aaron Guzikowski, David W. Zucker (The Man in the High Castle), Jordan Sheehan (The Terror), Adam Kolbrenner (Prisoners), and Mark Huffam (The Martian) serving as executive producers. The series was created by Guzikowski, acclaimed writer, and visionary behind the highly lauded film, Prisoners.

In the second installment of HBO Max’s original drama series, RAISED BY WOLVES, Android partners Mother (Amanda Collin) and Father (Abubakar Salim), along with their brood of six human children, join a newly formed atheistic colony in Kepler 22 b’s mysterious tropical zone. But navigating this strange new society is only the start of their troubles as Mother’s “natural child” threatens to drive what little remains of the human race to extinction.

The sneak peek will feature:

  •  Amanda Collin, Star
  • Abubakar Salim, Star
  • Travis Fimmel, Star
  • Niamh Algar, Star
  • Kim Engelbrecht, Star
  • Aaron Guzikowski, Creator, Showrunner, Executive Producer, Writer
  • Dalton Ross, Executive Editor at Large for Entertainment Weekly (Moderator)

The Official L.A. Comic Con Scavenger Hunt
Fans are encouraged to download the Oasis Digital AR app, in the Apple App Store or on Google Play, to experience Augmented Reality events in and around the Los Angeles Convention Center. Convention goers can participate in the official Los Angeles Comic Con Scavenger Hunt, brought to you by our digital innovation partner, Liquid Avatar Technologies. Find and collect QR codes hidden around the show to win amazing digital stickers, discounts, and special offers! Once you’ve completed the scavenger hunt, visit the Liquid Avatar booth to collect even more great prizes like limited edition commemorative NFTs, collector Liquid Avatars and more!

Main Stage Featured Guests:

Spongebob Squarepants
Spongebob and Squidward are two of the most iconic animated characters ever created, and part of what makes them so recognizable and beloved are their unique voices. Join Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants) and Roger Bumpass (Squidward Tentacles) for a discussion about one of the longest running shows in television history.

Boy Meets World
From 1993–2000, Boy Meets World explored the trials and tribulations of growing up in the 1990s. Join Will Friedle (Eric Matthews), William Daniels (George Feeny), and Rider Strong (Shawn Hunter) for a chat about this successful and popular series.

Smallville
Clark Kent grew up in Smallville, Kansas, and before he became Superman, he not only had to deal with being different from everyone else, but he also had to learn his place in the world. From 2001–2011, Smallville brought us a dramatic look at Clark Kent’s formative years. Tom Welling (Clark Kent/Superman), Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor), John Glover (Lionel Luthor), and Laura Vandervoort (Kara), will present an illuminating look at this popular show.

The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian took Disney+ by storm and has become tremendously popular during its first two seasons. This Star Wars story, set in the years after the fall of the Galactic Empire, tells the tale of a member of the race of bounty hunters that spawned Boba Fett. Ming-Na Wen (Fennec Shand), Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon) will regale convention goers with tales from one of the most innovative production sets ever built.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
From 1993–1996, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers sprang into action to fight all kinds of baddies and protect the town of Angel Grove, and the world at large. The original series, which was adapted from Japan’s Super Sentai series, launched more than 20 iterations and three feature films. Join Jason David Frank (Tommy Oliver/White Ranger/Green Ranger) and David Yost (Billy Cranston/Blue Ranger) for a discussion about this iconic franchise.

My Hero Academia
Adapted from a Japanese superhero manga, My Hero Academia is an anime that tells the story of a young boy, Izuku Midoriya, who wishes to enroll in a prestigious hero academy. English-speaking cast members J. Michael Tatum, Brandon McInnis, Ricco Fajardo, Alexis Tipton, and Christopher Wehkmap will discuss bringing this popular story to North American audiences.

Interviews and Spotlights:

Gerard Way Interviews Frank Miller
Gerard Way, creator of The Umbrella Academy and The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, and co-founder and lead singer of My Chemical Romance, will interview legendary creator Frank Miller (300, The Dark Knight Returns, Give Me Liberty, Ronin, Sin City) on the Main Stage Saturday, Dec. 4th! Enjoy the conversation between the two pop culture giants as they discuss comics, film and what’s next for Frank Miller.

Spotlight on Bruce Campbell
In the late 1970s, Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi collaborated on a horror short called Within the Woods, which became The Evil Dead (1981) which Campbell co-produced and starred in as Ash Williams. Thanks in part to a ringing endorsement from Stephen King, Campbell and Raimi followed with Evil Dead 2 in 1987, and Army of Darkness in 1992. Campbell reprised the role of Ash in the Showtime series Ash vs Evil Dead for three seasons from 2015–2018. Ash has become one of the most iconic characters ever created in the horror genre. Campbell, who also produces and directs, is also known for roles in the film Bubba Ho-Tep and the TV series Burn Notice.  

Spotlight on Zachary Levi
Zachary Levi is an accomplished actor, singer, and dancer, who has appeared in films, on television, and on Broadway. A regular voice actor on Robot Chicken, Levi is also the voice of Flynn Rider in 2010’s Tangled. He also voiced characters in Tangled: The Series. Most notably, Levi starred as the title character in Shazam! in 2019, and Chuck Bartowski in Chuck from 2007–2012. The Louisiana-native has also played the Asgardian Fandral in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok. His theater credits include First Date, She Loves Me, and Sunday in the Park with George.  

World Class Artists & Creators Including:

  • Frank Miller, Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Elektra Lives Again, The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City, and 300
  • Rob Liefeld, Deadpool, New Mutants, Youngblood
  • Jim Starlin, Infinity Gauntlet Saga, The Death of Captain Marvel
  • Brian Azzarello, Spaceman, Batman: Broken City, 100 Bullets
  • Kyle Higgins, Nightwing, Batman Eternal, Gates of Gotham, Batman Beyond 2.0
  • Donny Cates, Venom, Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange
  • Ryan Stegman, Uncanny Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man, Wolverine
  • Andy Kubert, X-Men
  • And many more!

SPONSORS:

Tiltify
The presenting sponsor of the Tiltify eSports Arena in the West Hall, Tiltify is a fundraising platform for the digital generation providing live, interactive technology that engages and inspires communities to donate or fundraise to important causes the world over.

AREA21 in the West Hall
AREA21, the collaborative project of DJ/producer Martin Garrix and producer/songwriter Maejor, is a conceptual sonic and visual exploration that has the duo making music containing universal messages about humankind as seen through the eyes of their alien alter egos M & M. Their adventures are portrayed through a series of songs and accompanying animated videos produced by award-winning animation studio, Titmouse (Run the Jewels, Dua Lipa). Convention goers can check out their videos in the West Hall expansion.

Digital Innovation Partner Liquid Avatar Technologies
Liquid Avatar Technologies, L.A. Comic Con’s Digital Innovation Partner, will showcase its technology through integrations and demonstrations of verifiable credentials, digital identity, unveiling new and exclusive projects, hosting panels and meet-and-greets with writers, artists, and industry icons, and will also create and administer an Augmented Reality scavenger hunt in conjunction with its subsidiary, Oasis Digital Studios, to showcase a host of digital collectibles.

Hot Topic
Hot Topic offers band-related apparel and accessories, licensed merchandise, and fashion apparel and accessories, which you can find at more than 600 stores and online.

Legion M
Legion M is the world’s first fan-owned entertainment company and partners with top Hollywood creators — from independent filmmakers to big Hollywood studios — to produce a slate of movies, TV, and digital content.

Popshop Live
Popshop Live is a live streaming commerce marketplace that is transforming social shopping. The mobile streaming platform allows sellers to go live, sell their products to a community of shoppers and engage directly in real-time interactions. L.A. Comic Con and Popshop Live have partnered together to elevate the digital experience by giving attendees unlimited access to livestream the main stage through the Popshop Live app, interact with their favorite exhibitors after the convention is over with exclusive discounts and products, and bringing L.A. Comic Con alive with a virtual convention in Spring 2022, streaming exclusively on Popshop Live!

That Hashtag Show
That Hashtag Show writes and produces quality content to hype the films and shows you love, keeping you up to date with everything trending in geek pop culture.

UE COMIX™
UE COMIX™ is a self-publishing platform designed to support and promote Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels by Independent Creators. We aim to return control to the aesthetic community through the establishment of a self-made, self-published mindset. Words cannot express the appreciation and excitement we have partnering with L.A. Comic Con and participating in the upcoming events.

Voodoo Ranger
Voodoo Ranger is excited to join everyone on the convention floor this year as the official beer partner of L.A. Comic Con!

WHY: Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, and home to the most high-profile entertainers, artists, studios, and the center of the film and television industry. L.A. Comic Con is a celebration for all things pop culture and is meant to be a place where fans can meet their superheroes, comic book characters, and the creators behind them.

WHO:

  • Nichelle Nichols, Actress, Star Trek
  • Zachary Levi, Actor, Chuck, Shazam!
  • Ming-Na Wen, Actress, The Mandalorian, Marvel’s AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D
  • Giancarlo Esposito, Actor, The Mandalorian, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul
  • Bruce Campbell, Actor, Evil Dead, Spider-Man, Bubba Ho-Tep
  • Jason David Frank, Actor, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
  • Tom Kenny, Comedian and Voice of Spongebob Squarepants
  • Roger Bumpass, Actor, Voice of Squidward – Spongebob Squarepants
  • David Yost, Actor, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
  • Tom Welling, Actor, Smallville, Lucifer
  • Michael Rosenbaum, Actor, Smallville, Guardians of the Galaxy 2
  • John Glover, Actor, The Walking Dead, Smallville, Scrooged
  • Rider Strong, Actor, Boy Meets World, Cabin Fever
  • William Daniels, Actor, Boy Meets World, Knight Rider, St. Elsewhere
  • Will Friedle, Actor, Boy Meets World, Batman Beyond
  • John Barrowman, Actor, Doctor Who, Flash
  • Casper Van Dien, Actor, Starship Troopers, Sleepy Hollow
  • J. Michael Tatum, Actor, Black Butler
  • Chris Wehkamp, Actor, My Hero Academia
  • Brandon McInnis, Actor, Black Clover
  • Alexis Tipton, Actress, Sakura Quest
  • Ricco Fajardo, Actor, Black Clover

ABOUT LOS ANGELES COMIC CON:
L.A. Comic Con is Los Angeles’ biggest and best multimedia pop culture convention, held annually at the Los Angeles Convention Center. L.A. Comic Con assembles the most exciting, new, and innovative players in comics, movies, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, anime, gaming, and all things pop-culture. Over 123,000 fans attended the 2019 event, making it Los Angeles’ ultimate pop-culture destination. L.A. Comic Con’s top priority is the safety and enjoyment of the show’s fans and regularly updates its CV-19 protocols. As one of the most diverse and celebrated geek and pop-culture events in the United States, L.A. Comic Con gives fans once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to truly enjoy safe interactions with their favorite creators and major players in the entertainment industry.

MORE INFORMATION ON L.A. COMIC CON
For more info on L.A. Comic Con, please visit: https://www.comicconla.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

HASHTAGS: #ComicConLA #ComicConLA21

5 Home Gym Equipment Ideas If You Have Limited Space

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Having a small room or apartment doesn’t mean you need to skip out on exercise, check out these easy home gym equipment ideas if you have minimal space.

Let us face it, with the reigning pandemic and lockdowns looming around every corner many of us have taken it on ourselves to start exercising from home. Some by choice, others not so much in the same regard.

When you’re a fitness fanatic and don’t know which corner to turn because you can’t go to the gym you’re probably looking for ways that you can exercise at home, for those of us that are doing forms of bodybuilding we probably want some type of resistance training as well that can only come from lifting weights.

Regardless of who you are or what your choice is, there are options for us to train at home, even if you have limited space such as a studio apartment. Below is a list of equipment that you could use at home, even if you have limited space and best of all, they don’t cost a fortune. 5 Gym Equipment Ideas You Can Use At Home If You Have Limited Space

Adjustable Dumbbells

Dumbbells are usually an essential part of strength training and if you’ve ever gone to a proper gym they usually have a whole section entirely dedicated to dumbbells ranging from a few pounds to a few hundred pounds. It’s really a gym staple. 

Adjustable dumbbells are great because you don’t need to have 20 different dumbbells sitting in your home which takes up a lot of space, they are basically like your ordinary dumbbells except that the weight is not fixed. They tend to have a locking system and come with different plates of weights that you can fix to the dumbbell and then lock it.

This makes it easy to start with a low number and then work your way up as you build upon your strength training, pretty neat right?

Adjustable Kettlebells 

Much like the adjustable dumbbells, adjustable kettlebells are similar in nature where you can increase the weight range of them and lock them into place. Some of them have a simple system where you just push a button to release the weights and then clip in further sizes, usually in 6-pound increments. 

Kettlebells are a lot more versatile than dumbbells because you can use them to do things such as goblet squats, as well as bicep curls and various other kettlebell exercises. They’re a great space saver as well as they can just sit in your wardrobe or in a corner.

Ab Wheel Rollers

You’ve probably seen these around at gyms, people usually look like they’re flattening out the pastry of a pizza base on the floor moving up and down. Those are called ab rollers, they can be used to train your core, hips, arms and back muscles and don’t require much room other than your body size.

Skipping rope

If you’re opting for a cardio option instead of weights, then a skipping rope is always going to be a staple for any fitness enthusiast. You don’t need much room other than where you’re standing and if your place has a common area like a backyard or courtyard then you can simply take it out with you as it’s very mobile and light without much hassles.Conclusion

As you can see, you can still get an intense workout even if you have limited space with these options. And if you can’t afford any of them yet, then you can focus on the good old basics of calisthenics such as pushups, situps, jumping jacks and so on. Stay hard!

About the author: Marko Rakic is a trail runner and fitness enthusiast from Sydney, Australia. He is the lead writer for The Ultimate Primate and believes the best way to live a happy life is to take a holistic approach to fitness and health.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com